279. Sgor na h-Ulaidh (149). 26/06/2024

Having saved this single munro tucked away in Glen Etive for a half-day, we had time to climb it before driving south. We stayed in the Glencoe YH and left at shortly after 6am. Hoping to start walking at 7am, we were well ahead of time when we were driving down the glen and were hailed by an exhausted looking woman with two small dogs. It turns out that she had left her car in the ditch at the end of the road around 3am and was walking out to get help. She was probably only just over half way, so we agreed to help and take her to the main road. This set us back about half an hour, but she was very grateful and we were still setting off only a few minutes after 7.

The first part of the walk is the same as that of Beinn Fhionnlaidh, which I had climbed with Hamish and Elodie the previous month, except there had been a lot of forestry work in between and in fact we got to see some of that in action!

After 3km of forestry track, we continued along the fairly pathless and damp approaches to the hill. We were gradually climbing, but when we eventually met a line of fenceposts near a broad bealach, progress became better. These fence posts turned up the hill and acted as a good guide for us as the faint path was occasionally lost through the rocks.

Despite being a mostly clear day, the top was still in the cloud, so we didn't stay long. The descent was once again fairly gentle and we finished the 15km and 950m of ascent well ahead of the book at only 4h25.

Sgor na h-Ulaidh to the right of centre from the forestry track

A big of clag at the top

277, 278. Beinn Fhada (100, P600 61), A'Ghlas-bheinn (273). 25/06/2024

Having spent the best weather day climbing the long ridge in the mist, we could well have expected today to be miserable, but in the end it remained dry throughout. It was still cloudy, but even that lifted somewhat in the afternoon.

We parked at the mountain rescue hut and followed the well-made NT path round in the mountain. This climbed steadily into the cloud and with a final steep climb we were onto the ridge which was felt by the legs after the previous few days of walking. Then it was a straightforward gradual pull up to the top, where we met walkers from Glen Affric.

We descended back to the top of the steep section and then continued along the ridge to the north, looking for the grassy route through the rocks that avoids the need to lose too much height. I think we sort of found this (it was very steep at times) and we were able to make our way to a very picturesque bealach that we shared with several deer. Here there was a small path on to A'Ghlas-bheinn and we could even see where we were going as the cloud had lifted! There were many false summits as we approached the top and unfortunately the last few metres were still in the cloud, but there were no difficulties.

The descent was quite long, but soft and grassy, which was much appreciated. We headed west to avoid the steepest slopes and reached the track by a stone bridge, which took us south to join our outward path. In all, the 22km and 1500m of ascent took us 7h20.

The top of Beinn Fhada

The bealach before ascent of A'Ghlas-bheinn

An inquisitive guest

A nice grassy descent

272-276. Beinn Fhionnlaidh (128), Mam Sodhail (14), Carn Eighe (12, P600 60), Tom a'Choinich (41), Toll Creagach (77). 24/06/2024

Climbing the 5 munros between Glen Affric and Glen Mullardoch in a day is a serious undertaking, with most estimates around the 11hr mark climbing from the car park in Affric and with a substantial detour to get to the smaller Beinn Fhionnlaidh behind the main ridge.

We were therefore very fortunate to stumble upon another way of doing this. We learnt (at around 700m on Sgurr Mor, as you do) that a man living in Cannich will happily take walkers from the dam on Loch Mullardoch and deposit them right at the foot of Beinn Fhionnlaidh. He can be found on social media and charges £40pp at time of writing, but this was well worth it!

From the shores of the loch, it is a steady climb following a stream southwards before turning west up a broad ridge with scattered rocks that becomes quite steep towards the summit. We had drizzle and cloud the whole way (which was a bit disappointing given the forecast, but there was some hope it would lift.

From here we dropped down a short way before starting to climb Carn Eighe. Instead of going to the top, we were aiming to contour round at about 1050m. We didn't get this quite right and ended up on a slightly lower contour, but this was rectified just before the lowpoint between Carn Eighe and MamSodhail. From here it wasn't a long climb to the top of the latter. Here we found a large broch-like stone structure that can only be described as a shelter, but without any opening in the walls. I climbed on top and then down into it to eat my sandwich - it seemed like the right thing to do.

I'm surprised this and Carn Eighe are allowed to be considered separate munros with only about 130m of reascent between them, so we were soon on our third munro of the say - still in the drizzle and with slightly weary legs.

The high ridge between here and Tom a'Choinich was rocky and interesting and included a few bits of scrambling - it would have been spectacular in clear weather. It was only after the top, when we dropped down to around 1000m that the weather cleared. This provided a well-timed morale boost for the remaining distance over to Toll Creagach, which in the end seemed very easy in comparison to its neighbours. Near the top we met a chatty man (with two tired-looking labradors) who warned us that our descent choice was arduous, but this turned out to be unfounded. In fact it was quite a soft (if occasionally damp) grassy ramp east then north-east to some deer fences. From there we found a wet path through the heather to the dam.

By chance, we arrived back at the car at the same time as 3 walkers with whom we had shared the boat. They had climbed the four munros to the north of Loch Mullardoch. In all, the day's 23km and 1750m of ascent had taken a mere 8h25. 

Setting out in style

The look of a man who has saved himself a 2h walk-in

The broch at the top of Mam Sodhail

Descending from the ridge into the sunshine

Looking back from Toll Creagach, with the high peaks in cloud

The feeling of 5 munros in the legs

270, 271. The Saddle (121), Sgurr na Sgine (223), 23/06/2024

After a cloudy 9am start, we made good progress up the well-made path that leads to the Forcan Ridge. At 450m the views began to open up and we could just about see the peaks of the Saddle clearing the cloud. 

As we approached 700m, the scrambling began. It was sustained an interesting, but with lots of good holds and without any serious difficulty or exposure. There was one tricky bit ducking around a boulder that was quite exposed and I wished I were a bit smaller. After the first top we had a look at the descent of the "bad step" from the top and thought it looked a little foolhardy, so we descended the gully that went off to the left just before it. We were vindicated when another experienced walker did the same without even considering the downclimb. Apart from that we kept more or less to the crest of the ridge. We enjoyed a well-earned rest on the (second) top and admired the dramatic views. 

As we descended across to Sgurr na Sgine, we passed other groups of walkers. This is a popular hill and plenty avoid the Forcan Ridge altogether. The initial climb up SnS from the bealach was steep, but beyond that it was straightforward. From there to the top of Faochag was a broad high ridge walk, from where there was a rocky (but efficient) descent to the road.

We took slightly longer than the book - possibly due to taking our time on the ridge and we were back in 6h30 for our 15km and 1250m of ascent.

The author contemplating the serrated Forcan Ridge

Looking back at "Bad Step" after circumnavigation

The whole ridge in profile from Sgurr na Sgine

Ben at the Saddle's south top

Looking back at the descent ridge

269. Sgurr Mor (132), 22/06/2024

Here started the somewhat serious business of trying to climb 11 hills in a long weekend so as to make completion possible later in the year. As Ben eloquently put it: "We're not here to have fun, there's a job to do". Needless to say, we managed to have fun.

This is a hill where I'd been forced to turn back in atrocious conditions earlier in the year. Today the weather was OK if a little cloudy and we preferred to save the Saddle for a less cloudy day, so back we went to Glen Dessarry and over into Glen Kingie. Fording the river Kingie after 90 mins of walking was no trouble at all, but bear in mind this is what had ultimately turned me back on the previous venture for fear of being swept away.

The next section can only be described as arduous. We climbed steeply up soft thick grass for 500m of ascent to reach the ridge - it was sapping and made me feel unfit with the need for several stops. Once on the firmer ground of the ridge, it was of course easier going and we were soon on the cloudy summit. 

A bit of drizzle accompanied the first part of the descent, but that arduous grassy section was a blessing on the knees and we were soon back across the river and making our way out. We also had the good fortune to meet a cheerful fellow (also approaching completion) who gave us a small transportation hint for Loch Mullardoch two days later - more about that in another post.

We made it back to the car dead on the time in cicerone - 6h10, 19km, 1250m ascent.

The Corbett on Sgurr Mor's east ridge

The summit, plus a bit of weather

Ben looking pleased with himself