Achnashellach Forest, Coire Lair Circuit

The Coire Lair Circuit from Achnashellach offers a genuine sense of the high Highlands without requiring a summit scramble — a varied walk through the Coulin Forest that climbs into the dramatic mountain landscape of Coire Làir, ringed by the cliffs of Sgòrr Ruadh and the Corbett Fuar Tholl, before returning over the Coulin Pass.

The route starts from a layby on the A890 opposite the phone box and the private road to Achnashellach railway station. From here, a track leads up to the station; crossing the railway line with care at the gated level crossing, the route follows forestry tracks before a signed path branches left towards the River Làir, passing through a gate with a purpose-built dog stile and through a mixture of gorse, broom, birch, and scattered pine. The path climbs steadily, revealing fine views of Fuar Tholl's impressive prow — at 907 metres, this shapely Corbett narrowly misses out on Munro status — before the ground becomes barer above the last of the trees.

The path continues up past a series of cairned junctions — ignoring the turning towards the bealach between Fuar Tholl and Sgòrr Ruadh — with Beinn Liath Mhor looming ahead, before entering the wide, magnificent bowl of Coire Làir itself, one of the finest mountain settings in the Coulin Forest, with the dramatic sandstone cliffs of Sgòrr Ruadh rising directly ahead. From the corrie entrance, the path climbs gently over boulder-strewn ground to a broad bealach at just under 400 metres, below Beinn Liath Mhor's south-eastern flank — the high point of the whole route.

Beyond the pass, the track drops back down into Achnashellach Forest through a stile by a gate, curving down through the trees — much of the former forestry here has been felled, opening up good views across the valley and down Loch Dùghaill towards Loch Carron. The track eventually rejoins the crossroads near the railway station, from where the outward route is retraced back to the layby; in summer months, teas are often available at a house just north of the railway crossing.

This is a substantial day out at around 15 kilometres, typically five to five and a half hours, on generally good mountain paths and forest tracks throughout — the ascent is steady rather than steep, though full hillwalking boots and preparation for changeable weather remain sensible given the exposed nature of the high bealach.

The A890 layby is free; Achnashellach has a request-stop railway station on the Inverness-Kyle line, a short walk from the start.