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Maol Chean-dearg one of three Munros in a
wedge-shaped piece of land known as the Coulin Forest. Unlike the grassy
Munros south of Glen Carron, these hills are bare and rocky. The
Corbetts are as stunning as the Munros, and many actually surpass Maol
Chean-dearg architecturally. The atmosphere is different, walking is
rougher than to the south and more like Torridon northward.
Colin, Faye and I had climbed Moruisg and Sgurr nan Ceannaichean earlier
in the day, and we were walking into the Coulin forest to reach our
nights accommodation, Coulags bothy. Colin told me that coulags
(anglicised from something approximating cuileag) is Gaelic for
midge. If it is the midge bothy, we saw none even though the evening
turned out cool and still.
We left the car at Coulags Bridge on the A890 and headed up the glen on
a good path. Although the high precipices of Fuar Tholl had been
impressive from the road, I thought these hills didn't reveal much
initially, just a slightly angular skyline on Sgorr Ruadh's west face.
By the pictures I've seen, Sgorr Ruadh looks the much greater mountain
from the north.
Coulags bothy is well maintained, and we shared it with a bunch of guys
who were up for four or five days picking off hills. Seemingly, they
were having a great time. Our rucksacks had been heavy on the approach,
although here we could dump all our gear and 'reserve' our room (leave
all our gear in it).
Maol Chean-dearg
The decision to climb Maol Chean-dearg was (I think) in part for Colin
to see his 200th Munro the next day on Beinn Alligin. But asides the
list-ticking, we had an opportunity to be up on the Munros for sunset
with a great view across to Torridon. So without rucksacks Colin and I
left Coulags - I was tired but there was still energy in the tank. It
always feels good to walk up hills with minimum gear and this was no
exception.
We made good progress beneath the huge prow of Meall nan Ceapairean
and turned up into the corrie. On a dark, heather covered hillside, the
path is striking for it's bright white rocks. It doesn't quite look
natural. We followed the path to the bealach south of Maol Chean-dearg,
which is near the saddle to An Ruadh-stac.
Now here is a mountain. If you climb anything from this bealach without
Munro-bagging ambitions, let it be An Ruadh-stac. It is phenomenal! Our eyes just about popped out their sockets when we saw
it's pyramid and the massive bare flanks of quartzite. The sun
highlighted the edges, giving a feel of unreality. Sadly, the photos
don't quite do it justice.
We continued toward Maol Chean-dearg in higher winds. It helped to keep
moving to avoid getting cold. In view southward were the great distant
ridges that flanked Druim Albyn (if you like) coast to coast. All in
view. An Riabhachan stood out on the horizon greatest with it's enormous
rooftop and late-spring snow patch.
These remote mountains of Affric, Mullardoch and Monar usually
intimidate me in idle thought. I've hardly set foot on them but it doesn't
stop the mind contemplating the vast size of the region Shield to Strath
Carron. Much larger, though marginally more accessible, than the
Fisherfield region. From incredible enormity, the mountains were so
suddenly laid out there. These great
mountains are remote, but they also became tangible - grass-covered and
trodden, from intimidating to inviting. It's no wonder people want to
walk these high rooftop ridges, they look brilliant.
But back to our hill. Maol Chean-dearg has a sting in the tail. It's
summit pap is capped with a layer of Torridonian Sandstone, which can't
be seen from the bealach. So we rounded a top, only to see a lot more
hill in view, which we kept battling up. Quite drained from the previous
hills, it was harder work than it would have been on a normal day.
But the ascent goes out on a high. The mountains of Torridon aren't
visible from the southern side but all clearly visible from the summit.
As I arrived at the enormous summit cairn, I kept my eyes low, got to
the top then digested the Torridonian scene in one go. At first it was
all funny shapes and pinnacles and then the mountains took form. The
Torridonian mountains are twice as visual when you don't know the
mountains in 3-dimensional form, even if only for a brief second! What a
place to be. It was my first ever close-up view and one to remember.
Colin called home (or I think that home called Colin) and I took my
panoramas. We took a little longer on the summit, and then started
descending.
Descent
We went down by way of a scree gully cutting out the sharp bend at the
bealach. All in all, it's probably a quicker way to come down although I
doubt it's better as an ascent route. It would have been nice to go onto
An Ruadh-stac although time was against us. And we were tired, and a bit
hungry too. And we got back to the bothy to a chilli con carne - too hot
for my taste, although a good meal nonetheless. There's a story. Or
maybe just the inward-sucking sound of trying to keep my mouth cool.
Ouch!
The following day, we climbed
Beinn Dearg and Beinn Alligin.
Panoramas
360° panorama from Maol Chean-dearg
Maol Chean-dearg 90° zoomed: S to W.
Knoydart, Skye, Loch Kishorn and Applecross
Maol Chean-dearg 90° zoomed: W to N.
Beinn Damh, Loch Torridon, Beinn Alligin, Beinn Dearg and Liathach
Maol Chean-dearg 90° zoomed: N to E.
Liathach, Beinn Eighe, Fisherfield, The Fannaichs, Coulin Forest
Maol Chean-dearg 90° zoomed: E to S.
Monar, Mullardoch, Carn Eighe, Glen Affric, Killilan Forest and Glen
Shiel
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