An Riabhachan

An Riabhachan, at 1,129 metres, is a massive, ridged mountain — "the Brindled One" in Gaelic — standing above Loch Mullardoch and forming one of the great ridges of this remote Munro group, its grassy crest broken by three distinct tops, the central one the highest.

The most convenient approach for all four Mullardoch Munros starts at the Loch Mullardoch dam car park in Glen Cannich, following the loch's northern shore for around nine kilometres before climbing An Socach, continuing along the ridge to An Riabhachan, and returning via Sgùrr na Lapaich and Càrn nan Gobhar — the long walk along the shore can be avoided by chartering a boat, currently available between April and August. An alternative approach uses Glen Strathfarrar to the north, via a stalkers' path from the Gleann Innis power station to the Bealach Toll an Lochain between An Riabhachan and Sgùrr na Lapaich, followed by a climb of over 300 metres west to the summit — though this route is less convenient if An Socach is also wanted, since it leaves a long, rough, pathless walk back.

The mountain is mainly grassy, with its only rocky section at the north-eastern end of the summit ridge above the fine craggy corrie of Coire Gnada and its lochans, Loch Mòr and Loch Beag. The well-built summit cairn offers steep drops to the north-east and glimpses of Loch Mullardoch and the Càrn Eige range, but the finest views are north, taking in Loch Monar and a fantastic array of peaks stretching into Torridon.

The full northern Mullardoch circuit of all four Munros from the dam is an extremely long day, often ten to twelve hours or more, with the tiring return walk along Loch Mullardoch's often boggy, undulating shore path adding significantly to the effort even after the ridge itself is complete.

This is genuinely remote, committing terrain — there is no bridge over the Allt Taige on the shore-path return, which can become impassable after rain or snowmelt, and full navigation and self-sufficiency are essential given the distances involved and lack of any shelter en route.

Parking at the Loch Mullardoch dam is free; the Strathfarrar approach uses a private road with restricted gate access times, and there is no public transport to either start.