James Stone (Clach Liath)

Mountaineering and the Volcanic Seven Summits

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Archives for February 2012

Beinn a’Mheadhoin (Beinn Mheadhoin) Loch Long

6th February 2012 by James Stone Leave a Comment

After the previous day’s exertions, I struggle to get my legs working.  But it is such a great day with wall to wall sunshine and the temperature hovering just around freezing point – we just have to get out. Today’s choice is for a mass assault on Beinn a’Mheadhoin. 

So John, Sue, Mark, Caroline, Ruaridh make a leisurely start at around 10.30am from our self-catering accommodation by the south east shore of Loch Long in Dornie to walk up the road to Bundalloch.  For those coming from further afield there is room to park cars at the road head.

Here a track continues on the other side of a substantial bridge by the river.  It passes through some gates and on to some well poached ground.  Soon however it is possible to break out on to open hill side and tackle the slopes ahead.  Here the views back begin to open out.

Loch Long from the lower slopes of Beinn a’Mheadhoin

The grass and bracken surface soon turns to heather and peat.  A ridge begins to form and eventually tracks can be found to follow.  In the meantime, the views just get better and better.

Loch Long, Loch Duich and Skye
Loch Long, Loch Duich and Skye

We traverse around the south side of a small knoll and some broken cliffs appear ahead.

Cliffs on Beinn a'Mheadhoin
Cliffs on Beinn a’Mheadhoin

A brief pause for a breather and up through one of the breaks.  A further bump appears ahead.  It has a cairn on it.  The top?  No.  Point 368 on the 1:25000.  The main summit still lies 800 metres to the north east.  Three of us soak up some rays waiting for the others to catch up.  There is hardly a breath of wind.  The others do not appear.  We carry on, lose some height and follow the contour lines just above Loch Dubhach.  There is just a final short climb to the top.  Two gentle hours and the views!

Applecross
Mirror like Loch Long and Allt-nan-sugh
Mirror like Loch Long and Allt-nan-sugh
Beinn Fhionnlaidh to Sgurr nan Ceathreamnhan via Carn Eige and Mam Sodhail
Beinn Fhionnlaidh to Sgurr nan Ceathreamnhan via Carn Eige and Mam Sodhail
Lochs Long and Duich and Skye from summit of Beinn Mheadhoin
Lochs Long and Duich and Skye from summit of Beinn Mheadhoin

We stop to eat.  The rest of the group are back on top of point 368.  The air is so still that we are able to shout to each other.  Catch more rays.  It isn’t just the big hills that are worth doing.

We leave our eyrie and they leave theirs.  We pass.  Initially we return in a westerly direction.  The ground here remains in the shade and is gripped by a hard frost that makes tackling the bogs easy.

Beinn Mheadhoin summit from the south west
Beinn Mheadhoin summit from the south west

We swing south to the head of the cliffs.  A path traverses diagonally down the slopes.  It is then a bit of a flog through deep heather until we are able to intersect some of the tracks we found on the way up.  It is then a romp down the slopes back to the valley.

We stroll back along the road to the house marvelling at what a day it had been.

Beinn Mheadhoin reflected in Loch Long - summit is the left hand bump
Beinn Mheadhoin reflected in Loch Long – summit is the left hand bump

Four and a half hours in all with many stops.

The Five Sisters of Kintail

5th February 2012 by James Stone Leave a Comment

An iffy forecast and general slothfulness led to a late start.  We parked at the lay-by just downhill of the start of the laborious path up to the Bealach an Lapain.  There is also a Forestry Commission car park slightly nearer the start of the path.

Getting ready

It was just after 10am.  Looking up the slopes the prospect was no better.  Grey clouds hung over the ridge and also the South Kintail ridge on the opposite side of the glen.  We were off, Caroline, John and myself.  John has fewer than 30 Munros to do in order to compleat.  Today’s principal objective for him was Sgurr na Carnach.  He had tackled the Munros either side before Carnach had been promoted to Munro status.  Serves him right not doing the whole ridge!  My principal objective was Sgurr nan Saighead at the far end of the ridge from the start point – you see I am trying to complete the Munro tops, 18 to do.

The relentless grind up the hillside does reward you with opening up views as you stop to catch your breath.

The path trended to the right of the gap between the plantations.  Then a small cairn near the top of the right hand plantation indicated a split in the path.  We ignored the one which followed the top edge of the trees and carried on up.

The snow line was reached at about 2,000ft.  But the air temperature was above freezing and the lying snow was soft.

We reached the bealach after an hour and a quarter.

Saileag looked close by.  But the way forward looked pleasingly shapely, when the cloud was not down.

We stopped awhile just below the col to refuel as there was a frisky cold breeze nipping over the top there.  The previous couple of days had seen quite a bit of precipitation.  We had watched a particularly fierce squall on Loch Long from our accommodation the previous day.  This had fallen as rain at sea level, but here the ridge was covered in 4 to 6 inches of unconsolidated powder snow.

We were soon up on the first bump.  The cloud had lifted a little and the occasional patch of blue sky and shaft of sunlight were seen.  The ridge snaked away in front of us in a delicious meringue-like set of curves and points.

Behind us, Saileag and Sgurr a’Bhealaich Dheirg cleared briefly.

Caroline broke trail as we ploughed along the roller coaster ridge.  It was tough going.  The snow tended to slough away off any underlying old snow or grass.  But we eventually reached Sgurr nan Spainteach where we had our only view of the day of Sgurr Fhuaran.

Descending Sgurr nan Spainteach we had to negotiate the rocky scramble.  I took the view that the direct descent was too dangerous in the conditions.  But there was a way off to the left down the side of the ridge where it was possible to traverse under the little rocky problem and back around to the ridge line. 

You will see this problem in the next photo which is taken from just short of the summit of Sgurr na Ciste Dubh where again we stopped for a brief bite to eat.  We had noted the split in the crest of the ridge here.  It was simple enough to follow the left hand branch.  There was a nice snow slope to zig zag up.  With a good freeze this would turn into some great nevé.

Caroline and John set off from the stop before me.  So when I reached the summit of Sgurr na Ciste Dubh I had it all to myself.  It was 2.15pm.  The route descriptions and guide books suggested that we should have reached this point a long time before (even allowing for the brief stops to eat).  Sgurr na Carnach was going to be achievable but what about Sgurr nan Saighead?

The next section of the ridge was delightful.  But the weather omens were not good.  There were some gloomy views down to Loch Duich.  Ahead of us storm clouds were brewing in the west.  The top of Sgurr na Carnach was just in the cloud.

We reached the top of Sgurr na Carnach at 3pm.  So it had not taken too long between it and the previous Munro.  But by then the weather had decidedly taken a turn for the worse.  As we huddled down in the meagre shelter provided by the summit cairn trying to avoid the icy pellets, we had a discussion as to what to do next.

John who had suffered from a heavy cold in previous days still had the congestive after effects and had achieved his objective for the day.  Caroline was uncertain as to what to do but I was still determined to carry on.  Some route descriptions do not recommend a descent into the glen from Sgurr na Carnach.  Time was marching on – a decision needed to be made.

John and Caroline decided to descend Sgurr na Carnach’s north west ridge and head for the glen.  I set my bearing north.  As it happened John and Caroline had a reasonable, if steep, route off.  They made it to the bridge over the river by Achnangart and hitched a lift back to the car.

After some inelegant bum slithers down the initial bouldery descent off the summit the ground became much easier and I was down to the col in 15 minutes.  Ahead reared the steep slopes, or at least those of them that I could see in the gloom.  I stopped regularly.  It was only me breaking trail now.  I ground my way to the summit.  It was 4pm.  The wind was not too bad but the spindrift was flying.

I did not stop long – just enough time for a drink and to set my compass for the west ridge.  Although going north, a safer route involves descending the west ridge for about 300 yards before breaking north and then contouring around to the next col.  Despite pacing I broke off a little too early and found myself in some worryingly steep and broken ground.  So I retraced my steps, descended a bit further and tried again.  Success!  I had wasted 15 minutes or so, but I was on safe terrain and I could even make out the col in the gathering gloom.

Distances were difficult to judge.  It looked some way off but I reached the col quickly.  Traces of the summer path could be seen under the snow and I followed this.  A curious wall lay across the ridge.  I arrived at Sgurr nan Saighead.  It was 5.10pm and still surprisingly light in a gloomy sort of way.  I knew at the time I made my decision to continue on Sgurr na Carnach that I would be finishing in the dark but I had assumed that it was likely to be dark by the time I reached my final objective.  I hurried on along the ridge going west and then north.  The slopes of Beinn Bhuidhe appeared.

I contoured along its south western slopes.  The going was OK at first.  I was aiming for its north west ridge.  By 5.45pm it was dark.  I stopped to put on my head torch and check the map.  I was also able to get a phone signal so I contacted John, who had just reached the A87 a few minutes earlier, to let him know that I was fine.  Our rendezvous point was to be at the Ratagan junction at Shiel Bridge.

I would not recommend my route as a way off, especially in the dark.  My world was the halo of the beam of light filled with the swirl of mist from cloud and breath and droplets of rain.  Often it was difficult to tell rock from vegetation, both being speckled with snow.  Difficult ground that would have easily been avoided in daylight was stumbled upon.  Craglets had to be avoided.  Ankles turned.  Slips were averted.  Swear words uttered.  

At 7.15pm I was still some way above the valley bottom.  Progress was painfully slow.  I contacted John again to report my position and to suggest he and Caroline did not wait for me but to come back for me later.  They were alright though, having a drink in the bar at the Kintail Lodge Hotel!

By now I was watching the headlights of the cars going up and down the glen.  I could make out the black sheen of Loch Shiel and the river wriggling below.  I was making my way towards the ‘U’ shape in the river just to the south east of that Loch.  It was a relief to get down to the river.  I was tempted to ford it but I could not tell how deep it was beneath its inky black surface sheen.  Discretion was the better part of valour. 

There was, however, a delightful path along the river bank.  There was the occasional hop across a side stream but it was great to be walking on a firm surface.  I reached the unusable footbridge described in the WH route description.  A sign nailed to its end warned about its parlous state.  But I still checked it out.  Not only is it unstable but it was merely a set of parallel wires for half the width of the river.  So frustrating as the road was only a couple hundred yards away.

There was nothing for it but to swing around the northern side of Loch Shiel and to endure a final stretch of marshy ground where an indistinct path came and went.  Near the end there were a few deep runnels where I almost came a cropper.  I reached my pick up at 8.55pm.  A long but satisfying day.  I reckoned that had we started an hour earlier I would probably have finished a couple of hours sooner, having been able to navigate more of the descent in daylight.

[This blog was originally posted on WH here http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=18476]

Beinn Conchra (Loch Long)

4th February 2012 by James Stone Leave a Comment

A short report with just the one photo as I carried nothing up the hill on this walk!  Beinn Conchra is just 453m (1,486ft) high and suitable for a quick excursion.

We had spent the morning watching white horses race up Loch Long from our self catering accommodation.  These were followed regularly by the blasts of squalls which whipped up the water.  The cloud was down as were our moods.  Frustrated by travelling the long miles north in good weather the previous day we were itching to get out and release the energy that had pent up with the prospect of enjoying the winter conditions.  Beinn Conchra rose across the Loch, its head in and out of the clouds.

By early afternoon the weather was improving but the remaining daylight hours were rapidly diminishing.  Mark and I decided to make a quick dash for this hill.  From where we were staying we could see the be-trigged point 415.  However, the summit at 453m is hidden from view.  Here is the view from our accommodation a couple of days later.

Beinn Conchra across Loch Long from Dornie
Beinn Conchra across Loch Long from Dornie

We hopped in the car and drove around over the bridge at Dornie and turned right to go through Conchra.  We could not find an obvious place to park the car so found a slightly larger passing place and pulled up there.  In fact, there may be a spot by a green barn at NG 892 279 a bit further up the road.

We were able to step over a post and wire fence to access the hill side.  The gradient is steep and you pass under a couple of lines of telephone wires.  Considering the amount of rain the ground was remarkably dry with just the odd patches of squelch.  In summer this route may not be quite as easy given the evidence of dead bracken fronds which entangled themselves around my feet with annoying regularity.

There are some easily avoidable incipient crags towards the top of the slope and once through them it did not take long to reach the trig point.  Here there was a great view down on to Loch Long and Loch Duich.  The surrounding higher mountains were, however, still covered by cloud.

The main summit then lay half a kilometre to the north.  The way across was obvious if a bit hummocky.  Here the views were expansive.  On a fine day they will be great.  Today ours were limited to Beinn Bhann and Sgurr a Chaoraichain in Applecross and Sgurr na Coinnich on Skye which were clear and the cloud capped bulks of hills to the north, east and south east.

On the way back we skirted around the eastern slopes of point 415 and dodged around a few craglets.  Further down we followed a fence line that took us down to the green barn.  Here there was a gate on to the road and we had a short stroll down back to the car.  It was an hour and forty round trip including a five minute stop on the summit – enough to justify my glass of wine (or more) that evening.

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