Conival

Conival, at 987 metres, together with neighbouring Ben More Assynt forms the only pair of Munros in the extraordinary landscape of Assynt, connected by a fine, rugged ridge of shattered quartzite that gives these mountains a snow-capped appearance even in high summer.

The route starts from the car park near the Inchnadamph Hotel. Crossing the River Traligill, a track leads past Inchnadamph Lodge and cottages before continuing towards Gleann Dubh, passing the turnoff for the popular Traligill Caves. The path continues upstream, boggy in places, on the north side of the River Traligill, with Conival visible ahead, before a steep, eroded trail climbs into a shallow corrie below the mountain's rocky north spur — a crossing of the Allt a' Chòinne Mhill here can require care in wet conditions, best tackled a little higher up where the burn is narrower. Beyond, the path zig-zags up scree onto grass-covered ground, with occasional quartzite blocks higher still, before reaching Conival's large summit cairn — a wonderful viewpoint, particularly west towards Quinag, Suilven, and the wider Assynt landscape.

From the summit, the route continues east, scrambling down a rocky section to pick up a path along the bouldery crest towards Ben More Assynt — though only around 1.5 kilometres apart, this connecting ridge is largely covered in scree and boulderfield, giving a genuinely airy, sustained traverse that feels considerably longer than the distance suggests, with one section of slab requiring a little care, avoidable by passing beneath it.

The combined round trip taking in both Munros from Inchnadamph is around 17-18 kilometres with roughly 1,150 metres of ascent, typically five and a half to eight hours depending on conditions and pace.

The connecting ridge between the two summits can hold a significant cornice in winter, and the boggy, eroded approach demands sturdy footwear regardless of season — full navigation skills are valuable given how the fields of shattered quartzite can make for notoriously difficult route-finding in poor visibility.

Parking at Inchnadamph is free; a limited bus service runs from Ullapool.