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Having done
the Buachaille Etive Beag the day before, this was the second day of the
weekends hillwalking with Michael, walking across nothing less than the
South Glen Shiel Ridge, a route which I have wanted to do for years.
Such as was the case with this walk, the reality of a dream rarely meets
hopes or expectations, though it was a great day nonetheless. It was
fantastic to
finally do this walk which has the reputation of being the Munro
baggers dream - seven Munros strung out along a 12km ridge.
Approach to Creag a' Mhaim
We started walking at 5.10am, following a 4.30am (I think) start. We
took it easy in the morning, slowly getting up, and cooking breakfast in
the cold darkness near the Cluanie Inn. It was early, but what the heck.
Early is our forte. We left the Cluanie Inn in darkness, following the
road east for a hundred metres or so before following a track out
beneath Creag a' Mhaim. Route finding in the dark isn't terribly easy,
but we found our way. The head torches went off in the dim light of
morning and we followed the track as light crept over the horizon. Dawn
was breaking.
Then we did what you shouldn't do in hillwalking, ever. We broke
a rule... When w arrived at the Drochaid an Uillt Ghiubhais, where
Michael suggested we head directly towards Creag a' Mhaim. I was
dubious, and we headed our separate ways, him going up, and me taking
the stalkers track around the back of the hill. The last conversation
we'd had
got a bit heated, but we kept in contact by phone.
Creag a' Mhaim and Druim Shionnach
The stalkers track up Creag a' Mhaim was wonderfully constructed,
and I got to see the sunrise over Loch Loyne from here. It was a
terrible slog, but I was putting pedal to the metal, given that I
had to meet up with Michael at the top. I even met a guy half way up who
had camped out the night before. We traded a few words, but I was on my
way. I arrived at the summit cairn but Michael was further on, having got to the top
before me. Id have to get on my way, but the summit views were spectacular with a low sun mixing with blue skies
and shifting cumulus. Just the conditions that I love. After a brief
pause at the summit, I headed on my way to Druim Shionnach.
It looked like a bit of a long walk to Shionnach, but the walk
turned out to be quite swift. I was still moving quickly because Michael
was ahead, but took time to enjoy and photograph the views around about.
The mixture of cloud and light was very striking; the colours at this
time of year are beautiful when the sun hits the slopes. To add my
enjoyment, the ridge to the summit was fairly narrow and a brief
pleasure to clamber across on the way up. a path wound around the side,
but I made sure to keep to the crest. I arrived at the summit cairn soon
after, but still no Michael.
Aonach air Chrith
and Maol Chinn-dearg
It was on the way down Druim Shionnach that I met up with Michael,
and we continued to walk over Shionnach's west top then onto Aonach air
Chrith. A short ascent brought us to it's summit, where we made a little
navigational cock-up and began walking off it's north ridge. When the
mist cleared, we knew we weren't on track, backtracked to the summit and
took a careful compass bearing off. It was the west ridge we needed to
be on, and knowing this for certain, we continued to Maol Chinn-dearg.
The ridge was rough, rocky and the rocks were wet. A little care was
called for, but we were on the straight and narrow towards Maol
Chinn-dearg and there should be no problems in getting there either.
There were some views towards Loch Quoich and the south too - well worth
seeing.
At Maol Chinn-dearg's summit, we made the same mistake again as on
Aonach air Chrith and headed off it's north ridge. Seeing our mistake
again, we contoured the hillside again and headed off in the right
direction. I wouldn't have thought it was so easy to go wrong on the
South Shiel ridge, but apparently it is. There are paths all the way,
but just as long as you make sure you leave the summits in the correct
direction...
Sgurr
an Doire Leathain and Sgurr an Lochain
The day so far had consisted of splitting up and navigation errors,
but also some very beautiful views and nice ridge walking. Thankfully,
Sgurr an Doire Leathain and Sgurr an Lochain were easier peaks to cross
given the weather had cleared. The sun was out in brief intervals and
the peaks were very scenic. When we'd come over the top of Sgurr an
Doire Leathain, Sgurr an Lochain came into view and whoa! What a
wonderful mountain. At the top of Sgurr an Doire Leathain, the first
walker we'd seen of the day caught up with us, doing his own east-west
traverse of the ridge. We walked close by on the way towards Sgurr an
Lochain. There was one tricky bit on the way to the summit - steep
enough to be using hands to pull oneself up - but otherwise all easy if
a bit of a slog.
But this guy we got talking to (I forget his name) offered us a lift
when we mentioned we'd be doing the long walk back up Glen Shiel
afterwards. What he'd done was to leave the car at the western end,
cycle (uphill!) to the Cluanie Inn and walk back across the ridge. He
offered to give us a lift back up the glen while he collected his bike,
and we were more than happy to accept the offer.
Across
Sgurr Beag to Creag na Damh and Descent
Moving onwards to the end of the ridge, it was a steep descent down Sgurr an Lochain, then over the Corbett
Top Sgurr Beag. Michael bypassed Sgurr Beag, so we met on the other
side.
Then time for the last one: the seventh Munro, the tenth summit of my
day (including three subsidiary tops) and end of the ridge. Creag na Damh was ahead, and all we had to do now was to climb up
there and we would descend back to the glen.
Conveniently, the weather decided to close in on the way up, so a summit
cairn, the wind and driving rain was what rewarded us at the top. It was
rough. We were wet in no time, and we retraced our steps back to the
bealach and then down into Am Fraoch-choire. It was very wet and rough
going. We had to make sure we descended by the correct route since the
corrie was sometimes steep at one or two points. In the shelter of the
corrie, the wind and rain had eased off, but we were still as wet as
before.
Descent
I subsequently found that other walkers went directly from the summit of
Creag na Damh to the glen, but at the time reckoned the most logical
route to be from the head of Am Fraoch-choire. It was steep at points
and perhaps a more arduous way to go, but the waterfall we descended
alongside was mind blowing, plunging over the edge of a cliff, then
flowing over the top of slabs below. It looked like a smaller Steall
Falls and completely worthwhile to see up close.
But we'd lost sight of our pal with the car on our descent and alongside
the waterfall, spotted a single figure in the glen below. We raced down
to meet up with that figure given that it was probably him, and sure
enough it was. He was even kind even to wait about for five minutes
until we caught up. Three of us climbed down a steep pine forest, but no
real problems presented themselves. It might be a good idea though to
avoid that forest and find an easier way down.
So once we were back at the car, we got a lift up the glen - much
preferable to walking - and arrived back at the van soaking wet and in
good spirits. We brought the guy a drink in the Cluanie Inn before he
headed back to the Glen Shiel campsite and we headed home.
And that was it all done. Over the course
of the weekend I climbed nine new Munros, which wasn't bad going at all.
I'd fulfilled a wee dream of mine (and destroyed the dream in the
process, sadly) by walking the South Shiel Ridge and got up the
Buachaille Etive Beag, a mountain that had been waiting to be climbed
for a long time. If all that wasn't good enough, the choice of music all
the way down the road was Marillion. I have no complains whatsoever.
Descent
360˚ panorama from Sgurr an Lochain
360˚ panorama from Sgurr Beag
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