James Stone (Clach Liath)

Mountaineering and the Volcanic Seven Summits

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Southern Corbetts – Corserine and The Rhinns of Kell

8th October 2017 by James Stone 2 Comments

Corserine summit

The previous day I had climbed Cairnsmore of Carsphairn. Today I was going to walk the Rhinns of Kells ridge, the highest point being a hill called Corserine at 814m (26750ft). The forecast was good and, for March, the weather was relatively warm, albeit with a sharp breeze.

“Rhinn” is a word from old Irish meaning foothill, a landmark or a peninsula. “Kells” is refuge or niche. The name referring overall to Irish settlement in the area. The ridge runs in a roughly north-south direction for roughly 16km from Black Craig in the north to Meilke Millyea in the south. I was not going to tackle the northern section from Carlin’s Cairn to the north. But rather hit the ridge at Corserine and then make my way south.

The normal start point for this walk (and the one that I would use) is from Forrest Lodge on the east side of the ridge. Forrest Lodge is at the centre of a forestry estate owned by the Norwegian Fred Olsen Group.

The estate provides a car park 6km west of the A713 up a twisty no through road. There are warning signs there against overnight parking at the car park.

From the car park the approach to Corserine follows forestry roads at first and picking the right one to start on is key. Once identified it is straightforward with some helpful indicator signs. There is a map on the board at the car park and the initial road is called Birgir Natvig Road followed by Robert Watson Road. On the return to the forest one follows Professor Hans Heiberg Road.  I understand that these individuals are all scientists.

After an initial forested section a felled area is passed through and a house, Fore Bush, is on the right. The road swings to the right and back up into forest. After a couple of turns, the path, now rougher and wetter, meets the edge of the forest by Folk Burn and a stile.

Once out of the forest a faint path then leads over grassy ground, trending to the right towards the north east ridge of Corserine.

Here views opened up towards Cairnsmore of Cairsphairn.

To the left are some incipient cliffs.

Incipient cliffs on Corserine

The path continues up the ridge and eventually to a large cairn (named as Hennessy’s Shelter on the 1:25,000 OS). This is on the edge of the summit plateau around the 800m mark at the Scar of the Folk.

Hennessey's Cairn on Corserine
Hennessy’s Cairn on Corserine

It was then an easy and pleasant walk across to the summit trig. There were great views to the right towards Carlin’s Cairn. Here the view expands to hills to the west, including Merrick, the highest hill in Galloway. There are also great distant views to the Northern Pennines, the Lake District, the Isle of Man, Ailsa Crag (just), Arran, the Southern Highlands and the rest of the Southern Uplands.

Summit of Corserine
Summit of Corserine

Here is Arran to the north-west.

Arran from Corserine

These were the views to the south, including the Lake District in England across the Solway Firth.

The Lake District from Corserine

The route continued on down the south ridge of Corserine and over the subsidiary summits of Millfire and Milldown. At the next col, Jet and I stopped. Whilst I had something to eat, Jet took advantage of the lochans there – the Lochans of Auchniebut.

A 100m ascent took us up to the trig point and cairn at the southern end of Meikle Millyea. From here, the view back to Corserine is like this.

Corserine from Mickle Millyea

The view out to Cairnsmore of Cairsphairn is out over a vast expanse of air.

View to Cairnsmore of Cairsphairn from Mickle Millyea on the Rhinns of Kell

The true summit of Meikle Millyea is not at the trig point and cairn but actually around 350m to the south. So I wandered across the rough ground to that point. The views to Merrick were better here.

And to the snow covered Lake District.

I returned to the trig/cairn and followed the north-east ridge down to Meikle Lump following a broken wall and over wetter ground to the edge of the forest and, in a while, Professor Hans Heiberg Road.

So this walk saw me complete the seven southern Scottish Corbetts. Only about 170 other Corbetts to do now!

Southern Corbetts – Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

22nd September 2017 by James Stone Leave a Comment

In March I made a quick visit north of the border with Jet. The aim was to climb the two remaining southern Corbetts that I had not done – Cairnsmore of Carsphairn and Corserine. By way of reminder, a Corbett is a hill in Scotland between 2,500ft and 3,000ft with a prominence of at least 500ft. There are 222 of them with seven being south of Glasgow/Edinburgh.

So for me the two I had an eye on did not involve a long drive up to the Highlands. That said, it is still a 4 hour drive into the depths of Galloway. Over the years I have tended to drive by this part of Scotland on my way to the rugged Highlands.

So one Saturday morning I left home early. Leaving the motorway at Gretna I bypassed Dumfries to New Galloway and then turned north. Passing through the intriguingly named settlement of St John’s Town of Dalry, I reached the village of Carsphairn and (just beyond there) the Green Well of Scotland.

Dalry (as it is usually called) sits on an old pilgrimage route. The Green Well looks to be just a small pond. But it is a site associated with legends of hidden gold.

Cairnsmore of Carsphairn was today’s objective. It is 797m (2,615ft) high but has a significant prominence in part because it is located away from any higher ground.

I found parking on the west side of the road just before the bridge that carries the A713 over The Water of Deugh.  It was also conveniently opposite the start of a track that we would be following. It was now 10.30am and I had a bit to eat before starting off.

Jet and I crossed the road, joined the track, passed a cottage and outbuildings and followed The Water of Deugh. The track was of motorable hardcore for a while before it reached a gate and a field passing a large cattle shed. Here the track began to deteriorate as it had been churned up by vehicles and cattle. Indeed there were quite a few cattle ahead and I was concerned that Jet would be spooked. I sent him to the left around the edge of the field near the river away from the cattle. Fortunately the cattle were not really interested so I could concentrate on not getting too muddy.

The track then improved again at another stream. The ground began to rise and there were a few more cattle. Here is a view back the way we had come and towards the Rhinns of Kell, the line of hills we would tackle the following day.

Rhinns of Kell from Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

I heard the noise of a motor behind us and soon we were overtaken by three men in an ATV. Mutual hellos were said. We would see them again later.

We climbed a further 100m in elevation at an easy gradient as the track skirted Willieanna and Dunool. Just before the track swung to the left to meet a wall we struck out straight ahead to meet up with the same wall where it crossed a small stream with a convenient bridge. It was a little boggy here. The way ahead comprised uniform grassy slopes with the wall being the only major feature and a few snow patches high up.

On Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

From this point it was just a steady plod up the easy ground. The wind picked up a little but it wasn’t at all bothersome. Soon we were approaching the top, just 90 minutes after setting out.

Here we met our men from the ATV again. There is a small communications mast on the summit and they were working on it. We had heard the ATV puttering along a ridge up to our right as we followed the wall up.

Cairnsmore of Carsphairn summit

It was too early for lunch. So I looked around at the view. Distant views were surprisingly hazy. You are supposed to be able to see the Isle of Man, Ben Nevis and the North Sea from the summit. However, although it was sunny, there was too much atmospheric haze to see them on this occasion. The Lakeland hills to the south were still carrying a surprising amount of snow.

View from Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

The Isle of Arran showed to the north-west.

View from Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

Merrick (the highest hill in the vicinity) and Shalloch on Minnoch stood to the west.

View from Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

Jet (as is his wont) found a pool to paddle in with, behind, the blots on the landscape – a large windfarm of the sort prevalent in the Southern Uplands.

Swim time on Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

We sat down in the cairn for lunch. It was now nearly 1pm and warm in the sun sheltered from the breeze. The workmen continued with their labours. It felt a little odd me being there eating my food looking at the views and them and their machinery working away.

Well it became time to leave. I varied the descent by following the ridge that the ATV had come up.  Again we followed a wall over Black Shoulder – where I passed a couple of other walkers and the ATV returning to collect the workmen – Dunool and Willieanna before trending to the right to pick up the track.

View from Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

The cows were a lot more spread out so there was a bit of stress managing Jet through them but once through them, we went easily back to the car.

From there I drove a few miles to check out the start point for tomorrow’s walk along the Rhinns of Kell before finding a spot to hole up for the night.  It was a nice easy walk in expansive country.  With an early start it would be possible to climb this hill and tomorrow’s in a single day.

Loch Leven Corbetts – 26th November 2016

10th September 2017 by James Stone Leave a Comment

Sunset over the Ballachulish Munros

At breakfast the day after my and Caroline’s great trip to Leum Uilleam, Caroline told me that she had hurt her back and did not feel able to join me.  So I hurriedly adjusted my plans for the day.  Either side of Loch Leven stand two somewhat neglected Corbetts – Garbh Bheinn and Mam nan Gualainn.  They are dominated by the Glen Coe hills to the south and the Mamores to the north.  I had not done either, they would both provide decent climbs and they were not that far from Fort William.  In fact, there would be 1700m of ascent between the two – useful preparation for Antarctica.

I chose Garbh Bheinn, to the south of Loch Leven, as my first target.  There is some space for car parking by the bridge over the Allt Gleann a’Chaolais.  A path starts, rather unpromisingly at first, almost opposite.  It was a bit wet but improved as height was gained and the long west ridge of Garbh Bheinn followed.

Garbh Bheinn Loch Leven

The path gained height quickly on to Torran nan Crann, levelled out and then rose sharply again up the slopes of Stob Coire Sgoilte.  There were patches of snow here and the path was covered most of the way up.  So I ended up climbing slippery grass peppered with rocks.

It was another beautiful sunny say.  I was out of the wind most of the way up, but at the top the breeze was brisk and I had to put on another layer when I arrived.

There are two cairns on the top.  The eastern (lower) one has views out over the Blackwater Reservoir, Rannoch Moor and distant Schiehallion.

Looking east from Garbh Bheinn

The western (higher) one looks down to the lower reaches of Loch Leven.

Looking east from Garbh Bheinn

To the north ranged the Mamores.

The Mamores from Garbh Bheinn

With Ben Nevis looming over them.

The Ben from Garbh Bheinn

To the south the jaggedy Aonach Eagach ridge loomed nearby with the other Glen Coe hills behind.  It is possible to make a route on to this crinkly crest from Garbh Bheinn.

Aonach Eagach from Garbh Bheinn

But perhaps the best view is just below the summit, looking west to the Ballachulish narrows and the Pap of Glencoe.

Ballachulish Narrows and Pap of Glencoe from Garbh Bheinn

The low light was just wonderful and the air had that clarity that only colder months can bring.  Down below on Loch Leven a small boat was gliding towards Kinlochleven leaving a wake in its trail.  1hr 50minutes up and 1hr 20minutes down.  Towards the bottom I met a couple, the only people I would meet on the hills this day.  Back at the car I ate some food to refuel before driving around the head of the loch at Kinlochleven and along its north side to just short of Callart House.

Again, there is parking by the side of the road.  Time was running short at this time of short daylight hours.  I was in two minds as to whether to continue up Mam nan Gualainn.  This Corbett forms a 6km long ridge with a lower top, Bainn na Cailleach, almost 3km to the east.  A decent traverse can be made from Kinlochleven, first using the West Highland Way, and descending the way that I was to go up.

There is a path which ends up going around the back of the Corbett that I followed, first through some woodland and then soon up into the open hillside.  The path is occasionally wet and coincided with ATV trails.  As I climbed I had a good view of Garbh Bheinn that looked a bit like an appendage to the Aonach Eagach ridge.

Garbh Bheinn

Just before the path crested the col ahead I veered to the right and climbed 200m of steep grassy slopes.  The gradient eased, there was a fence and a bit of a path.  I went through a gate in the fence.  The top was in view and I was soon there.

Again the views, and the light, were outstanding.  The Mamores stood to the north.

The Mamores from Mam nan Gualainn

And the sun was beginning to set over the Ballachulish Munros.

Sunset over the Balluchulish Munros from Mam nan Gualainn

I waited as long as I dared watching the sun go down.  The Mamores glowed.

Glowing Mamores from Mam nan Gualainn

I hurried down.  The sun disappeared but the clouds went red; the hills were silhouetted.

The sky glows in Western Scotland

It was dark by the time I was back at the car but I had not needed my head torch.  There was enough light in the sky to walk by.  And I did not feel too bad after my 1700m of climbing.  Plus an inversion and Brocken Spectres one day and amazing light and atmospheric clarity the other.  What a weekend.

Leaping above the clouds – Leum Uilleum

2nd September 2017 by James Stone Leave a Comment

This walk is from November 2016.  I went north to Spean Bridge to stay with Caroline.  The forecast was looking OK, but not brilliant – cloudy but low wind speeds.  I was wanting to get out again in preparation for my trip to Antarctica.  We agreed that we would go for Leum Uilleum, a Corbett above Corrour station on the West Highland line.

Were it not for the railway, this would be a very inaccessible hill.  From the station, the climb is straightforward.  The main challenge can sometimes be in completing walks in time to catch a train back to “civilisation”.

Leum Uilleum is Gaelic for William’s Leap.  Unfortunately, I do not know who William is nor why or from where he leapt.

We walked from Caroline’s house to Spean Bridge station to catch the first train south and took the 35 minute journey to Corrour.  The last time I had been here had been in May with Ciaran when we had tackled Beinn na Lap.

Early snows had arrived.  The sun was just rising as we reached the station.

Leum Uilleum was just across the way.

Well the forecast seemed to be wrong!

The ground between the slopes is one large bog.  But today they were largely frozen.  There is a path from the station that weaves its way over towards Leum Uilleum’s northern arm.  This is shown on the OS map.  There is also a vehicle track that runs up the northern arm coming in from further north, though we would not see this today because of the snow.

The views back towards the even more remote Ben Alder beyond Loch Ossian were stunning.

We reached the subsidiary top of Beinn a’Bhric from where there was a view along Loch Trieg.

Loch Trieg
Loch Trieg

But a bank of cloud came in.  Perhaps the forecast was going to be right after all.  It made for some atmospheric scenes.

Misty spectre
Misty spectre

And the phenomenon of Brocken Spectres.

Brocken Spectre on Leum Uilleum

Brocken Spectre

It is a little over a kilometre between Beinn a’Bhric and Leum Uilleum.  The cloud was not thick.  Blue patches regularly appeared overhead.  As we approached the summit, we emerged from the cloud.

Leum Uilleum cairn
Leum Uilleum cairn

From then on it was just one of those days that you dream of.  The views were just stunning.  To the west an inversion was forming.  To the east stood iconic mountains such as Schiehallion.

Schiehallion
Schiehallion

And, again, Ben Alder.

Ben Alder
Ben Alder

But it was to the west that the eye was constantly drawn, best seen in this panorama showing the Mamores, Ben Nevis, the Aonachs, the Grey Corries and the Easains.

Inversion Leum Uilleum

Ben Nevis panorama

Here is a closer view of Ben Nevis and the Aonachs.

Ben Nevis and the Aonachs float above the clouds
Ben Nevis and the Aonachs float above the clouds

And Buachaille Etive Mor.

Buachaille Etive Mor
Buachaille Etive Mor

And Bidean nam Bian, one of my favourite mountains.

Bidean nam Bian
Bidean nam Bian

The forecast was correct with its anticipated low wind speeds.  So it was quite comfortable staying on the top as we ate, drank and continued watching the cloudscape and the peaks above it.  On a couple of occasions thicker cloud came by and we were swamped by blue-white but it never lasted long.

Eventually, it was necessary to go.  We were not under any particular time pressure, the train was not due for a while.  But our bodies were becoming chilled.

Looking back at Leum Uilleum summit
Looking back at Leum Uilleum summit

The Spectres were still out!

Brocken Spectre
Brocken Spectre

And then we plunged back down into the cloud along the north east ridge.  There was a path here too, not marked on the map that took us back across the bogs to the station.

During the summer months there is a café/restaurant at the station house.  So unfortunately it was not available to us this day.  But, as we were sitting in the waiting shelter on the platform, the warden of the Loch Ossian youth hostel came by.  She offered us a cup of tea back at the hostel.  We had the time to accept even though it involved a twenty minute each way walk down to the hostel.  I had never been in before and the cup of tea was very welcome!

Tour de Loch Quoich – Ben Aden and Sgurr na Ciche to Gairich

24th August 2017 by James Stone Leave a Comment

The Plan

As part of my preparations for my trip to Antarctica I wanted to do an extended trip to improve fitness and resilience, preferably an overnighter, therefore carrying some weight over a couple of days.

An opportunity arose towards the end of October to meet up with Tzvetie whom I had met on my Elbrus trip a few months earlier.  She was up for such a trip and, living in Fort William, was busy bagging Munros.

We agreed on a plan which would pick up six Munros and two Corbetts over three days.  This would involve some remote country, including one of the most remote Corbetts, Ben Aden.  Ben Aden lies at the west end of Loch Quoich in the western highlands about 25 miles north west of Fort William as the crow flies, but probably twice the distance to the start point for the approach.  It lies at the eastern edge of the Knoydart peninsula at 887m (2,910ft) in height.  It will not be visited that often.  Its isolation sees to that.  After that we would follow the long ridge between Sgurr na Ciche and Gairich, another set of relatively remote peaks.  If we then felt up to it we would then do a separate walk up Gleouraich and Spidean Mialach.

I travelled north on a Wednesday afternoon arriving in Fort William for an overnight stay a bit later than I had hoped.  We discussed whether or not to take two cars (which we would) and what time we would leave… early!

Day 1 – to Ben Aden

The following morning was foggy and so we made our way carefully to the minor road that leads 22 miles further on to a dead end at Kinloch Hourn.  A little over half way along this road you reach the Quoich dam.  Here we left Tzvetie’s car and then we drove a further 20 minutes past the northern arm of the Loch to the point where the road leaves the Loch before it plunges down to Kinloch Hourn.

Here there is plenty of space to park and, indeed, there was a campervan there when we arrived.  It was 7.45am when we set off on our adventure, about 1½ hours after leaving Fort William.  The fog had cleared and the sun was lighting up the south eastern horizon with yellow, orange and red strips though the cloud above was grey black.

It is about a 16km (10 mile) walk to the summit of Ben Aden from the start.  The first section is across what sometimes forms the bed of the Loch.  The alternative, if winter rains or snow melt has filled this section, is a diversion further west over higher ground.  We decided to make bee-line towards the promontory directly opposite.  It was not as wet and glutinous as I had feared.  There were a few streams to cross and the black soil was occasionally a bit sticky, but it was only about 800m until we were on firmer ground.  Here we found the traces of tracks over rough ground.  Now the going under foot varied between firm and soggy with plenty of ups and downs.  It is quite hard going.  Across the Loch Sgurr na Ciche glowed in the morning sun.

This was to be one of our targets for the following day.  Indeed you can see where we were to camp that evening on the levelling of the ridge just above the cloud.

After another 3½km (2 miles or so) we were faced with what can be a major obstacle.  This is the Abhainn Chosaidh, a river that can be impossible to cross if in spate.  Some careful balancing on rocks enabled a dry shod crossing to be made.

Beyond, although we struggled to find it at first because we stayed too close to the lochside, there is an old vehicle track.  This might sound strange but it is a relic of the time when Loch Quoich was being dammed.

The Loch is dammed at both its east and its west ends.  The dam at the east end is by far the largest one.  But there are two smaller ones at the west end that take the Loch over the natural watershed.  The dams were constructed in the mid 1950’s.  The Loch surface was raised about 33m (100ft) in height and the surface area increased from 7.7 to 18 sq kilometres (3 to 7 sq miles).  In the process Glen Quoich Lodge was destroyed.  There is now a network of stalker’s paths that plunge down into the Loch, though many are being taken over by nature as they are no longer used.

Edwin Landseer was among many fashionable sportsmen who came here in the 19th century, and his best known paintings were inspired by the red deer of Glen Quoich.

The track that we were now on was created to transport materials to create the western dams and then was largely submerged when the Loch was filled.  As can be seen from the photo above, the track is deteriorating and was quite wet in places.

Once past the Abhainn Chosaidh there was a further 5 kilometres (3 miles) to the western dams.  It had taken us almost 3 hours to reach this point.  We stopped for 20 minutes for some refreshment and to decide which way to tackle Ben Aden which now stood just beyond but still 630m (or over 2,000ft) above us.

Guidebooks suggest that one should follow a path towards Lochan nam Breac and then make one’s way into the rough corrie of Coire na Cruaiche.  I had spotted an alternative stalker’s path marked on the map which led up the eastern slope of Meall a’Choire Dubh.  So we decided to go for that alternative.  Whether that was the fight decision I do not know – possibly not.  At first we missed the start of this path because through lack of use it is indistinct.  Once found, it was obviously a beautifully constructed path but now unused and unmaintained.  Parts were still supported by little embankments with dressed stonework.  Views opened up back over Loch Quoich.

Unfortunately the path stopped where it was shown to on the map, at a small cairn.  From there to the top of Meall a’Choire Dubh there ground was very broken and this continued all the way along the broad ridge to the final climb to Ben Aden.  The guidebook route would have avoided much of this.  We had another break part way along the ridge and contemplated our location and that final climb.  It was stunning.  To the south was Sgurr na Ciche; to the north was the long ridge of Sgurr a’Choire-bheithe.  Ben Aden largely hid the view west but there were glimpses into Knoydart.  It was sunny and, for October, warm with little wind.

We toyed with the idea of leaving our packs on the ridge but it was so broad with ups and downs we feared we would not find them again.  We made short work of the final 200m (660ft) of ascent.  There were a couple of steeper and narrower sections.  But it was 7 hours since we had set out by the time we arrived, an indicator of the rough nature of the ground.

The views were stunning.  This is what we saw.  First Luinne Bheinn and Mell Bhuidhe, remote Munros on the Knoydart peninsula.

Then a zoomed shot of Beinn Sgritheall above Arnisdale on Loch Hourn.

A view to The Saddle.

Gleouraich and Spidean Mialach above Loch Quoich.

Even a distant Ben Nevis seen in this zoomed shot.

And finally Sgurr na Ciche.

This last shot also shows Garbh Chioch Mor, Ben Nevis on the distant horizon and where we were to camp on the north east ridge of Sgurr na Ciche (where the shadow cuts across the ridge just to the right of the bump).

We spent a good half hour on the summit.  Having taken so long to get there (and we were a little weary) it merited a sit down and appreciation of the location.

But time marched on.  It was approaching 3pm and daylight hours are not long at this time of the year.  We did not then know precisely where we would set up camp and there was still much rough ground to cover.

We found a better way down and along the ridge back towards Meall a’Choire Dubh (eventually keeping to the right (south) as much as possible) and worked our way to the foot of the north east ridge of Sgurr na Ciche where we found a welcome stream burbling down from above.  Water might not be available at any camping spot we found so we filled up our water bottles and I drank about ½ litre of water to attempt some re-hydration.  Even in October you lose a lot of fluid.

It was then a question of climbing the ridge until we found a suitable place to pitch the tents.  210m (690ft) higher we found somewhere suitable.  It was 4.30pm, 9½ hard hours after we had started out.

Tents soon up, dinner was cooked, tea made and I (for one) was glad to lie down and recover.

Day 2 – to Sgurr na Ciche and beyond

If day 1 had been hard, then day 2 was to be epic!

It was helped by the fact that our first summit was only 150m (500ft) above us, but it would involve over 24km (15 miles) of walking and 2,150m (7,000ft) of ascent.  Our spell of settled weather continued but we were to finish in the dark.

We packed quickly and were off by 6.30am.  We followed a wall up most of the ridge.  This was a wall that we would follow for some 5km (3 miles).  We left it when it dipped down to the Feadan na Ciche (the col between Sgurr na Ciche and Garbh Chioch Mhor).  Soon after we met the main path along the east ridge.  We were able to leave our rucksacks here and enjoyed a lightweight final clamber to the top.

To be on such a remote summit at 7am is a privilege.  It was my third time up Sgurr na Ciche and the first one where I had a view!  This is the classic view down the south west ridge to Loch Nevis.

Garbh Chioch Mhor was just across the way with mist filling Glen Dessary and a distant Ben Nevis on the skyline.

Here is Loch Quoich.

And a view over Knoydart and to Beinn Sgritheall.

We could not hang around for long though.  So we returned to our packs and continued down to the Feadan na Ciche which is quite a narrow notch.  There followed a 170m (560ft) steep ascent up Garbh Chioch Mhor.  As became common during the course of the day Tzvetie slowly but surely pulled away from me on the extended climbs.  I was on the top by 8.15am with a view down to the mist filled Glen Dessary and the wall.

Back to Sgurr na Ciche, the pyramid shape of which would ever so slowly recede from us during the day.

And down to the ever present Loch Quoich.

This last picture also captures much of the rest of the route that day and indicated how much further we had to go as Tzvetie’s car was parked out of sight at the far end of the Loch.

The ridge between Garbh Chioch Mhor and its subsidiary top, Garbh Chioch Bheag, gives some of the roughest walking you will encounter on the Scottish mainland.  It takes us 30 minutes to walk the 1km between the two.

Tzvetie had waited for me here and then we descended to the col between Garbh Chioch Bheag and Sgurr nan Coireachan together.  Here the terrain becomes softer.  We were still following the wall but the ground became less rocky.  It was 10am by the time we reached the top of Sgurr nan Coireachan.  Here is the view back the way we had come.

And the way on, showing An Eag, Sgurr Beag, Sgurr Mor and Sgurr an Fhuarain respectively.  Our final peak of the day is hidden behind Sgurr an Fhuarain.

I had last been along this section of the ridge (between Garbh Chioch Mhor and Sgurr Mor) in June 2000.  I had been with Sue as she was mopping up some final Munros before her “compleation” a week later on the Isle of Mull.

On that occasion we had left Yorkshire early one Saturday morning and arrived at the end of Loch Arkaig to the south at 1pm.  We had then set off and walked the ridge between Garbh Chioch Mhor and Sgurr Mor arriving at Sgurr Mor after midnight having no views from any of the summits.  But beneath the cloud caps the weather was beautiful and we were accompanied by Brocken Spectres on the ridge between An Eag and Sgurr Beag.  We returned to the car at 3am as the sun was rising, crashing there to grab 3 hours sleep before being woken up by sheep rubbing against the car.  Sue then bagged another Munro on the Sunday before I drove back home the same evening.

Here is the ridge between An Eag and Sgurr Beag.

We had now lost the wall.  The ridge was now grassy.  At the col before the rise to Sgurr Beag a stalker’s path joins from both sides of the ridge and it continues up and over Sgurr Beag and on to Sgurr Mor.  It deteriorates a little in places between the two Sgurrs, but it certainly assisted legs that were now becoming weary.

Here is a panorama back along our route from the top of Sgurr Beag.  The pyramid of Sgurr na Ciche attracts the gaze.

Unfortunately some cloud was coming in.  Sgurr Mor was lightly covered.

On the ascent of Sgurr Mor Tzvetie stormed on ahead.  She was sitting at the summit cairn as I arrived.  We stopped for a bit in the cloud for food and drink before moving on.  It was now 1pm.

We soon dropped out of the cloud.  We still could not see the end point of our walk which was still 11km (almost 7 miles) away as that crow flew and probably half as much again for us to walk.  In fact looking at the map as I write this, we had only covered 1/3rd of the day 2 distance by the time we reached Sgurr Mor.

The next top was the Corbett, Sgurr an Fhuarain.  This we reached fairly speedily at 1.50pm.  It is rare that I make a second visit to a Corbett, but I had previously been here, alone, in February 2013 on (weather-wise) the most perfect of winter days.  But here I am looking remarkably cheerful with the ever present Sgurr na Ciche behind me.

Remarkably cheerful considering that we still had this hill to do – Gairich.  This would involve a 340m (1,100ft) loss of height and slightly more on the re-ascent.

It was here where we saw our one and only other person of the day.  A single chap who, as he approached, looked as though he was walking a sheep.  It was, of course, just a very large fluffy dog.  He had come up over Gairich from the dam and was planning to return back down Glen Kingie and around the far end of Gairich.  His car was not at the dam when we finally ended the day.

Again we had had a stop here for further refreshment though both water and food were now running low.

Descent is via the north ridge where there is a stalker’s path.  Of course we should have been going east, but that way is blocked by steep broken slopes.  We had to leave the path before it skirted around Meall a’Choire Bhuidhe.  The next kilometre was tortuous as we navigated our way across rough boggy ground.  We did find a suitable stream for re-filling depleted water bottles.  We were aiming for the stalker’s path that leads up the western slopes of Gairich Beag.

I had seriously considered whether or not it would be possible to miss out Gairich, but the alternative routes looked as bad as going over the top of it!

Eventually we reached the bottom of the path.  For me it was a case of gritting teeth and getting on with it.  Again Tzvetie pulled ahead.  Eventually I lost sight of her.  Unfortunately the path ends where it is shown as doing so on the map, shortly beyond a cairn two thirds of the way up.  From there the ground continued to rise over a mix of small rocks and grass, albeit on less steep ground.

Slowly making my way over the dome of Gairich Beag, I could see that there was still 180m (almost 600ft) of climb to do.  I made out Tzvetie waiting for me in the shallow col a couple of hundred metres ahead.  Only part jokingly I suggested we set up camp here and finish in the morning.  I knew by now that we would be finishing in the dark.

Another 15 minute rest, drinking plenty of water and eating the last of my food and we were off.  The northern corrie of Gairich provides a pleasing shape to the way ahead.  I made my way over to the corrie rim.  That provided a handrail for further progress and once on the rim the gradient eased.  It was 4.55pm when the Gairich summit cairn was finally reached – 3 hours from Sgurr an Fhuarain.

Light was fading.  But the views were still nice if a bit gloomy.  Here are Gleouraich and the distant Glen Shiel hills.

And The (distant) Saddle and surrounding hills.

And we could see now actually where our walk would end.

The way off Gairich to the east involves an initial steep section with a little bit of minor scrambling.  I was keen to get through this section before the light finally went.  So we did not stay long on the top, just time for photos and a drink.  And we were safely down to the western end of the long, long (3km/2m) east ridge before the light finally went.  It was then navigation by GPS and head torch.  We managed to lose the path in the bogs and went slightly awry drifting too far towards Bac nam Foid, but were soon back on track.

At the end of the ridge we dropped down to some woodland.  The GPS was useful here to check that we followed the right path north.  Again we stopped for 10 minutes in the dark for more water.  I had warned Tzvetie that the next section was notoriously boggy.  But in the end it was not too bad.  Only once did we each manage to lose a foot in the bog.  It was a relief to see the dam!  There is a locked gate at the end of the dam by the road so we climbed it and flopped over and walked the final 30 metres to the car.

Tzvetie then drove back to my car.  Neither of us felt like cooking.  We were past it.  But I had in the car some Pringles and dips.  So we shared these and they tasted like a gourmet meal!

That day was certainly one of the hardest I have done in the UK.  I think the experience can be classified as Type 2 on the Fun Scale (Google it if you do not know what this scale is).

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