Beinn Lair

Meall Mheinnidh and Fionn Loch from Beinn Lair

Sunday, 30 July 2017

Ascent:     1374 metres

Distance:  35 kilometres

Time:        9 hours 44 minutes

Beinn Lair                860m      4hrs 58mins

Meall Mheinnidh     722m      6hrs 24mins

We had rented a cottage in Gairloch to allow John to climb 5 of his remaining 9 Corbetts. He had the three remote Corbetts in Fisherfield to climb together with the equally remote sandstone Corbetts, Baosbheinn and Beinn an Eoin, in the Flowerdale forest. Sunday was to be doused by heavy rain but John and I had enjoyed many glorious days over the past couple of years with the help of the Met Office and the freedom of retirement. This would be a return to the conditions of many walks over the past thirty years when we were restricted to weekend walking in whatever the weather. We started at 8am to walk into Kernsary from Poolewe, we were startled by the appearance of a man in what looked like a space suit crossing the track, it was a beekeeper off to collect some heather honey.

The rain held off for the first hour and a half and then the heavens opened as we emerged from the boggy forest with feet already soaked in a peat-covered mud. The walk along the long moorland path towards the causeway at the head of Fionn Loch was accompanied by heavy rain. For the first time in over a year it was full rainwear. The only compensation was the slight breeze that kept the midges at bay.

The burn east of Beinn Airigh Charr was in full spate and the crossing would have been difficult without borrowing John's walking poles. Just before the causeway at the end of Fionh Loch, I peeled off to the right to climb the steep rocky staircase to the bealach below Beinn Lair at 500 metres. John was going to climb Beinn a' Chaisgein Mor first and then Beinn Lair before an overnight camp. I had climbed Beinn a' Chaisgein Mor at the end of a 12-hour round of the Fisherfield munros from a camp at Carnmore four years ago. I had intended to climb Beinn Lair the next morning on the way out to Poolewe but the cloud was down for the day and Beinn Lair seemed too good a hill to see nothing. As I began the climb up the bealach with the cloud down to 400 metres. I thought perhaps that I should have done it then and saved myself from today.

I began the long climb up the heathery slopes below the northwest ridge of heathery of Beinn Lair, stopping at a burn to replenish my water and eat some lunch. Rain was trickling down the sleeves of my jacket and I began to feel the clammy cold that seeps into the body on long wet days. There was still a 200-metre climb ahead as I aimed for the clouds that concealed the ridge line. At 800 metres I hit the apex of the ridge and peered down a deep gulley, a back gash into the unknown. The final kilometre was less steep and eventually, the massive and beautifully constructed cairn appeared through the mist on the summit plateau.

It was almost 1:30pm so I ate some more and waited in the hope that the cloud would clear. It did just as I was leaving and the splendid views of Fisherfield, Slioch and Loch Maree played hide and seek as I was walking along the summit ridge on the descent. The 360 metre descent to the broad grassy bealach was an easy part of the day. The rain had stopped and my spirits were raised as the nearby Graham, Meall Mheinnidh, appeared. I decided that I would add this to the walk.

The climb up the southeast ridge was delightful with a tiny lochan providing a good foreground for views back into Fisherfield. Slioch remained stubbornly swathed in cloud for most of the time but there was an occasional glimpse. This was on my radar to climb later in the week. The Torridon mountains looked dark and sinister under the grey clouds but Loch Maree was occasionally lit up by shafts of sunshine. Meal Mheinnidh is an attractive summit with spectacular views into Fisherfield. I wasted no time at the top as I had arranged for Aileen to pick me up in Poolewe at 6pm. I decided to head for the bealach between it and the adjacent Corbett, Beinn Airigh Charr, this would eliminate the problem of crossing the raging burn without poles. Alas,  my Harvey's Mountain Map did not show the series of crags on the west flank of the hill with the consequence that I spent the next hour negotiating my way down an obstacle course of wet rocks and slippery grassy ramps on the wrong side of a hill that virtually nobody visits.

Once I made the stalker's path that separates the two hills I was into comparatively easy walking, although I had 12 kilometres to walk and only two and a half hours available. Apart from a couple of showers, I marched nonstop keeping a good pace at the end of a long day. The occupant of the farm at Kernsary came out and asked me about conditions on the hills. I gave him a summary in the hope that he might be driving into Poolewe but no luck. The last 4 kilometres along the road had to be walked. My feet were aching after 10 hours of wet shoes and 35 kilometres but the evening sunshine soothed the mind and the midges were kept at bay by a gentle breeze. Unlike John who would be camping, I had the a meal and bed to look forward to.

The path to Carnmore

One of the lochans, Meall Mheinnidh prominent

John setting off to cross the causeway over Fionn Loch

The immaculate cairn on Being Lair, A' Mhaighdean behind

Being Lair Summit Ridge

The lochan on Meall Mheinnidh, Beinn Lair and Slioch behind

Fionn Loch, the causeway, Carnmore and Fisherfield

Jupiter Artland

Jupiter Artland

After our visit to The Garden of Cosmic Speculation at Portrack earlier this year, we were intrigued by an invite to visit Jupiter Artland near Kirkliston in West Lothian. It had opened in 2009 as a venue for art installations and includes landscaping by  Charles Jencks similar to his central attraction at Portrack. It was chance to spend more time with grandchildren and children of the extended family.

The five children from 2 to 10 delighted in walking around the 100-acre estate on gloriously confusing trails through forests, fields, art installations and with several water features to fall into. The estate was inhabited by peacocks, pigs, donkeys, and llamas. The Jencks landscape features were an open invitation to climb and explore. There is a grotto of amethyst crystals capped by obsidian, a ballroom in the Jacobean House that is filled with popcorn that the children can play in and some VW Golf and Tiguan chassis painted black but with wood burning stoves replacing the engines. What it all meant was unimportant but it did stretch our imagination.

Adults delighted in happy children and to keep them going we had an illicit picnic on the boardwalk by the pond that allowed us to watch the coots feed their young just as we fed our young. The original mansion has a collection of older outbuildings that have been converted and augmented by a collection of modern sheds and buildings that provide a quirkiness and charm. This was art for all ages. We spent 5 hours there and left with the firm intention of returning.

The resident customer to the outdoor cafe

Last year's cafe

This year's cafe

Gun Amnesty

Jencks landscape features

The pond

Climbing in the Stone coppice

Grotto of Amethyst crystals

The Jencks earthworks

Swimming in Popcorn

Wood burning VW Tiguan

Inaccessible Pinnacle/ Sgurr Mhic Choinnich

In Pinn done, start of abseil 

Tuesday, 18 July 2017

Ascent:   1338 metres
Distance: 11 kilometres
Time:       9 hours 2 minutes

Sgurr Derag Inaccessible Pinnacle  986m   3hrs 32mins
Sgurr Mhic Choinnich                     948m   5hrs 35mins

The Youth Hostel dawned to blue skies, today I could be Helios following the path of the sun with the Inaccessible Pinnacle my midday objective. We had a lazy breakfast, hydrating with the assistance of a large institutional pot of tea. We were still amongst the first to set out at 8:30am from the path by the sheep pens beyond the mountain rescue post. A mountain guide and party of three were 10 minutes ahead of us as they crossed the footbridge over the Allt Coire na Banachdich.

Dave set the pace and after an ascent of 250 metres we had caught the group ahead. The guide was Jonas Jones, who became a familiar figure as the day progressed. In addition to his three charges, he was exercising the mountain rescue dog so we were in good company. As the slopes steepened on the ridge ahead I took the lead and forced the pace to the summit. There was a long section of screes but the path eased us through them and then several sections of scrambling near the summit provided some fast forward entertainment. I was anxious to beat any queues for the In Pinn. When attempting the whole ridge in a day we arrived to find a small crowd and had to wait over two hours to set foot on the climb.

The visibility was excellent with views down to the small isles and the Rum Cuillins. The sinuous Skye ridge was visible in its entirety and exhibited its angular complexity that Sorley MacLean had captured in his epic poem of 1939, 'The Cuillin'. He used his intimate knowledge of the Cuillins as a series of metaphors to describe the descent of humanity through the political conflicts leading to the second world war.

"I am the great Clio of Skye,

Far, far distant, far on the horizon,
I see the rocking of the antlered Cuillin,
beyond the sea of sorrow, beyond the morass of agony,
I see the white felicity of the high-towered mountains."

Although there was a steady breeze it helped keep us cool during the ascent. My fingers were losing their prints on the rough gabbro and it made me focus on the climb ahead. I had climbed the In Pinn on four previous occasions, twice leading the climb, but I had not climbed for ten years and I had been apprehensive about the climb up the In Pinn. However the conditions could not have been better and eager anticipation overcame any false fear.

We reached the adjacent summit of Sgurr Dearg and the In Pinn loomed large above us. Three climbers were beginning their ascent so we waited our turn, sorting equipment for the climb and then edging down the ramp of bare rock to the start of the climb. Dave led the climb putting in some slings before reaching the crux, a vertical face of fractured rock and no obvious footholds. He established a belay above the normal place and it was my turn to climb, I made steady progress to the crux. By this time Jonas had wasted no time in starting to climb behind me, leading the first of his customers. I had struggled to retrieve a sling on a nut, which he recovered for me. He waited for me to climb over the crux and up to Dave's belay before climbing past us. Dave was meticulous in clipping me to the belay and sorting the gear before he continued to the summit. This part of the climb is fairly straightforward although the exposure to a 250 metre vertical drop to the east is formidable and best ignored. We waited at the summit for Jonas and his customer to abseil off and then set ourselves up to make our descents.

I went first and reaching the lip of a slight overhang I saw that three other climbers were watching from where our rucksacks had been left. I shouted down for one of them to retrieve my camera and get some photos of the abseil. Something that I had missed on previous descents. They obliged and I had half a dozen photos of the abseil. Although my climbing was not as fluid or carefree as in the past the climb was not difficult and the abseil was thrilling as I surveyed the surrounding peaks and took in the views to Rum and the small isles glistening over the sea. Dave followed me down to the base of the In Pinn where we chatted to the other climbers, swapped e mail addresses to get photos, sorted and packed the gear and made light of lunch..

Dave was having doubts about our intention to climb Sgurr Mhic Choinnich and then taking Collie's ledge to Sgurr Thearlach and over to Sgurr Alasdair. Nevertheless we started the steep descent down the ramp of rock slabs that were lubricated with loose scree. Dave had hurt his feet over the two days and it took a while to reach the low point before beginning the climb to Bealach Mhic Choinnich. I was worried about time so immediately began the climb from the bealach. Dave called me back and said that he could go no further and would go down the stone chute. He lent me his guide book to the routes ahead and I continued leaving Dave to return to Glen Brittle where I agreed to meet him at 6pm.

I was surprised by the steepness and scrambling ahead, I had always enjoyed climbing Mhic Choinnich but had not remembered it as quite so challenging. However as I discovered later on the descent I had kept to the ridge line rather than following an easier route to the left. It required more exposed climbing on rough gabbro blocks. About 50 metres in altitude below the summit I met another walker who looked as if he was searching for the route down to the start Collie's ledge. I asked if he wanted to wait whilst I climbed to the summit so we could go together. He replied saying he had not yet been up Sgurr Mhic Choinnich and it looked a bit tricky. He asked if I would guide him to the summit. I agreed and we took our time over the steep final scramble. He was carrying a SLR camera and photographing all of the route.

We reached the summit where we chatted easily whilst basking in the warm afternoon sun. He was an IT manager for an American bank and made annual pilgrimages to Skye for the walking. Mhic Choinnich was his penultimate summit on Skye. He cogitated about Collie's ledge but decided it was a step too far so I agreed to lead back to the bealach from where we would be able to descend via the stone shoot. He  offered me some money for guiding him up Mhic Choinnich, perhaps I have missed my vocation. Instead I invited him to come and have a pint with us at the Carbost Inn but he decided to stay at the bealach to take more photos as the afternoon shadows lengthened. I began the descent with another walker who had just completed all of Skye and was to finish his munros on Ben More on Mull the following week. He was moving well having driven up from Glasgow in the early hours after his nightshift as a printer for the Daily Record. Like everyone else that I had met today he was ecstatic about the conditions.

My shoes had filled with stones during the descent so I stopped on the pillows of basalt that hold Loch Lagan, emptied the shoes of stones and the rucksack of food. All that remained was a walk out by the path, rocky at first but becoming easier on the feet as I dropped down. I was back down to the car where Dave had only just arrived after sitting for an hour above the Eas Mor falls in the late afternoon sun watching some Germans enjoy a bathe in the pool.

We drove to Carbost where we rehydrated with pints of water and beer, Jonas came over and congratulated us on the climb. He had done it 1441 times. We had booked the last room at the B&B in the Carbost Inn from where we watched the sun set on the Cuillins as we had an evening meal. It had been a wonderful two days and the most difficult summits on the Skye ridge were now ticked off.

Don't look now

What a day for a daydream

Dave's descent

Across Lota Coire

In Pinn and Surr Banachdich from Mhic Choinnich

 Oh Happy Day

Sgurr Thearlaich and Sgurr Alasdair from Mhic Choinnich

Sgurr Mhic Choinnich

Great Stone Chute

Sgurr Mhic Choinnich and Sgurr Alasdair from Beinn Dearg

Stone Chute from  Bealach Mhic Choinnich

Loch Lagan

A hard day's skyline

View over my beer from Carbost Inn

Am Basteir & Bruach na Frithe

Sgurr nan Gillean, Am Basteir,  Bruach na Frithe from Sligachan path

Monday 17 July 2017

Ascent:       1305 metres
Distance:    16 kilometres
Time:          7hrs 40mins

Bruach na Frithe     958m     2hrs 35mins
Am Basteir              934m    3hrs 55mins

After the awful weather of June and early July, there appeared to be two days of reasonable weather according to the Met Office weather forecast that allows you to obtain forecasts for the location of individual hills. I have come to trust this much more than the mountain weather information service, whose forecasts cover too wide an area to provide any reliable accuracy. On a hunch, I contacted a climbing friend who had offered to lead the climbs on Skye last year but we had never found a suitable weather window when we were both available. I hit the jackpot, Dave was not only free but keen to go to Skye as he wanted to get a few days climbing before a trip to the Alps the following week.

I picked Dave up at 7:30am in Stirling and we drove non-stop amidst the ever-growing convoy of camper vans through Fort William and on to Skye where we made a quick stop for coffee and cake. Scotland and Skye, in particular, is awash with tourists this year. The collapse in the value of the £ and the high cost of holidaying abroad has brought both foreign visitors and UK residents charging to Skye. It has become one of the coolest (in both senses) vacation spots in the UK.

We parked at Sligachan, tackled up with climbing equipment and we were walking by 1:30pm. The morning clouds were dispersing and the tops of the northern parts of the Skye ridge, the peaks that we were aiming for, were emerging from the cloud. We decided to tackle Bruach na Frithe first in the expectation that conditions would continue to improve as the afternoon progressed. A cooling breeze made for pleasant walking on the path alongside the Allt Dearg Mor. There were lots of families and day walkers enjoying the low level walks alongside the waterfalls and enticing pools along the river.

After we reached an altitude of 300 metres we crossed the river and began the steeper walk into Fionn Choire. Above 500 metres we had a short rest and decided to climb the northern ridge of Bruach na Frithe rather than continuing into the Coire. It is a spectacular ridge with superb views over the main ridge to the south and the summits of Am Basteir and Sgurr nan Gillean to the east. We also had clear skies whilst the main ridge was still partly capped by clouds rolling in from the Atlantic.

We took advantage of the conditions and spent 20 minutes or so having a late lunch on the summit of Bruach na Frithe whilst enjoying the remarkable vistas. It is quite an easy descent down a rocky path towards Am Basteir but once below the Bhasteir Tooth the path steepens and the loose rocks make for a difficult descent that continues down to 750 metres. The foot of the slope takes you round the foot of the rock precipice that is Am Basteir and then there is a hundred metre climb up a loose scree path to Bealach a' Bhasteir. From here the route is westwards climbing up the black gabbros and basalt dykes. We reached the bad step, a 4-metre descent down very polished holds, it was a bit of a risk so we headed back a hundred metres and found a much fractured exposed basalt terrace to climb down and along. There is a final steep scramble to the exposed summit of Am Basteir that sits directly above the adjacent Baistir Tooth. It was a balmy evening with excellent visibility and the winds of the day had abated, occasions like this on the ridge are all too rare and we sat and absorbed the exposed serenity of this gabbro balcony.

The final descent to the bealach and the climb up the West ridge to Sgurr nan Gillean should have been the easiest ascent of the day. On my last visit, we had waltzed up in half an hour with no ropes or climbing equipment. There was just a very exposed step across a deep chasm where the gendarme used to be before collapsing. This time we chose to climb Nicholson's chimney partly because we had lugged ropes, helmets, harnesses and climbing gear with us and partly because Dave intended to abseil back down and return via the Coire below. I intended to continue to the summit of Sgurr nan Gilleanand descend via the longer tourist route.

I had forgotten how much time it takes to gear up for a climb and when Dave reached the crux of the climb, the double rope had run out so he would be unable to abseil without climbing another pitch. It was almost 7pm and we decided that food called, last orders were at 9pm. He abseiled down, we packed the gear and began the descent over the difficult rock strewn ground of the Coire until we reached the path down from Pinnacle ridge.

It was a glorious evening but time was against us and I ran the last couple of kilometres back to the Sligachan hotel to get in before last orders for food. The place was awash with holidaymakers and no tables were available inside so we sat outside draining our beer and waiting for the food to arrive in the company of midges until an inside table became free. We made the Youth Hostel in Glen Brittle just after the 10:00pm deadline. We were the last to arrive but the warden was welcoming although our mixed dorm was already darkened with people sleeping. We showered and then found the last remaining top bunks before allowing the exercise and dehydration of the day to ensure an undisturbed slumber.

Fionn Choire

Looking south along the ridge from Bruach na Frithe

On the summit of Bruach na Frithe

Start of the Bruach na Frithe descent

Am Basteir and Bhasteir Tooth

Sgurr Mhadaidh

Sgurr nan Gillean and Bla Bein from Am Basteir

At the foot of Nicholson's chimney

Swirl How

Brim Fell and Dow Crag

Wednesday, 5 July 2017

Ascent:        800 metres
Distance:     14 kilometres
Time:           3 hours 59 minutes

Grey Friar       773m              56mins
Great Carrs     785m        1hr 19mins
Swirl How      802m        1hr 29mins
Wetherlam      763m        2hrs 9mins

We decided to squeeze in another walk between the end of the morning rain and dinner with friends. Gregor decided to climb Hard Knott and Harter Fell followed by Dow Crag so I got a lift to the Three Shires stone on the Wrynose Pass from where I could do a round of hills from Grey Friar to Wetherlam and then walk/run back to Langdale. It was still grey clouds as I set out just before 3pm with the ground soggy from the incessant rain of the last 24 hours. There is an good path that climbs steadily up Wet Side Edge to the long ridge leading to the Carrs. I was making good time and found a faint path that traversed to the col at Fairfield below the easy ascent to Grey Friar. The clouds were slowly slipping away from the tops but the Scafells were still capped in cloud. The summit is a lovely flat plateau decorated with with scattered rocks.

Then a quick descent and ascent to Great Carrs where I came across the cairn to a Halifax Bomber that had crashed here in 1944. The sun had broken through and made for some easy walking across to the nearby summit of Swirl How. Coniston Old Man was still in cloud but Dow Crag was looking sharp. Coniston lake snaked below the hills and Levers Water looked foreboding. It is a rough descent and then a longer ascent to Wetherlam. The skies were becoming grey again.

The descent from Wetherlam was tricky, broken rock that was steep and still slippy from the rains. I had wrongly calculated that I would reach the track to Little Langdale in half an hour but I missed the path down and ended on Birk Fell. The direct route from here to  the track required was a 400 metre descent through bracken and boulders and there was no time for an easier alternative. The track was fairly level and allowed me to jog towards Slater's Bridge. It is a relic of local industry where we had picnics with the children in the 1980's, it always inspires happy memories.

A path runs from here back to the Three Shires Inn from where I took the high path through Wilson's Place to Great Langdale, it involves another 80 metres of ascent but I was  in full flow and reached the house at 6:55pm. Time for a shower before driving to Ambleside for a pint of Wainwright's exquisite golden ale before a meal.

Scafells from Grey Friar

Halifax Bomber cairn on Great Carrs

Swirl How from Great Carrs

Great Carrs from Swirl How

Levers Water and Coniston from Swirl How

Wetherlam from Swirl How

Slater's Bridge, Little Langdale