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In March 2016 we will be staying in Invergarry. The thought of this area, bristling with fine peaks and ridges, made me look back to a great long weekend we had at the Cluanie Inn and our forays into the surrounding snowy landscape.
Being based at the Inn but without our own transport, the eastern section of the south Cluanie ridge offered a pub-centred circuit. The day dawned fine and bright, with sunlight tipping the white velvet of Sgurr an Doire Leathain and Sgurr an Lochain.
IMG_5167 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
A filmy stratum of gray cloud had covered the sky by the time we got onto the hill. We started from the road a couple of miles west of the Inn, following a good stalker's path, still traceable in the snow, up the ridge towards Maol Chinn-dearg, with the crags of Coire an Eirecheanach looming ahead of us.
IMG_5168 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
Sitting right next to the path, seeming unfazed by us, was a mountain hare.
IMG_5169 (1) by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
After a minute or so it loped lazily away, its perfect camouflage blending immediately into the snow. Looking back, we had a steely prospect of Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe, Sgurr na Spainteach and Saileag above the Glen Shiel forestry. The strange gray light made these peaks, which tower so massively above the glen, look oddly small and subdued.
IMG_5170 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
The inevitable happened and the cloud closed in over Maol Chinn-dearg before we reached the cairn. It started snowing - not heavily, but steadily and relentless, I had hoped to see Gleouraich & Co and Loch Quoich burst on the eye at the summit, but there was just a blanket of gray nothing. More peaks, or more drinking time at the pub? (rhetorical question)
IMG_5184 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
After a couple of excellent pints of Plockton Brewery Ciste Dubh, we ventured out to the loch to catch the last fading light. The snow had stopped, briefly, and Aonach air Chrith's A'Chioch peeped out above a layer of cloud.
IMG_5213 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
The next day greeted us with blue skies over fresh snow.
IMG_5243 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
After the previous night's beer, it was obligatory to go for Ciste Dubh today - but first, we lingered by the wintry beauty of the loch shore - from left to right, the hills are Aonach air Chrith / A'Choich, Maol chinn-dearg, Sgurr Coire na Feinne and Sgurr an Doire Leathain.
IMG_5247 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
Then off we went up the boggy path into An Caorann Beag - background hills are much the same as the previous shot, plus Sgurr an Lochain on the right.
IMG_5261 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
The sun was soon properly up, the air felt warm, and the valley of An Caorann Beag was looking sparkly and shiny. (But underfoot, it was slushy and slimy). Photo stop, with Sgurr an Fhuarail's Point 843m in the background.
IMG_5274 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
The puddle-ridden Bealach a'Choinich at the head of the valley gave a fine backwards view. Apparently "Am Bathach" means "the byre" and from here, this ridge-like hill did look like the gable end of a gigantic cowshed.
IMG_5298 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
The convex slopes above the bealach soon converge into the sharp crest of An Cnapach. Definitely crampon time.
IMG_5333 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
The reward was a gorgeous view of Mullach Fraoch-Coire and its elegant slopes and ridges.
IMG_5323 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
The snowy summit ridge of Ciste Dubh was a delight, with a great view back of our steps along the crest. The skyline behind An Cnapach is Creag a'Mhaim, Druim Shionnach, Spidean Mialach's summit peeping over the top of the ridge, then Aonach air Chrith on the far right.
IMG_5341 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
Close-up of An Cnapach, oops this might actually have been taken slightly lower down the ridge. As before, the Cluanie Inn is just visible in the shadowy dip.
IMG_5334 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
Anyway, we soon reached a point where we could gaze over at Ciste Dubh's grand summit structure.
IMG_5357 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
It seemed a nice spot for a sit down and enjoyment of the view. A'Chralaig is of course the big peak on the left: further away to the right are Ben Tee and Sron a'Choire Ghairbh.
IMG_5372 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
But my favourite view was probably the one over the ridges of Glen Lichd to Sgurrs nan Spainteach, Ciste Duibhe and Carnach.
IMG_5330 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
Another shot of Ciste Dubh with some nice snow shadows in the foreground.
IMG_5346 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
It was around 2pm. We decided to head down: although the summit was close, we are not true "baggers" and we walk mainly for the sake of the views. We guessed that we could have a nice steady descent and maybe see a good sunset over the south Cluanie ridge, which indeed we did.
IMG_5424 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
The next day was like the first: gray, steely and eerily still. We decided on Druim Shionnach as our walk. Here's a view of A'Chioch and its reflection, looking almost unreal.
IMG_5430 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
A good stalker's path led us high up onto the Foxes' Ridge but we managed to lose the path in the snow below the final "nose" of the summit ridge. The background of this shot is part of Sgurr an Fhuarail, then Ciste Dubh, Am Bathach and Mullach Fraoch-Coire / A'Chralaig.
IMG_5490 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
After some discussion and general bimbling, we explored the interesting terrain along to the right of the nose - spot height 847 on some maps. We could go straight ahead into a little shallow upper corrie, but decided to climb the crags on our left instead - it was good fun.
IMG_5462 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
All too soon we were on the summit slopes. The view down Glen Shiel was strangely reminiscent of that on our first day's walk.
IMG_5469 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
We took a few speculative steps along the ridge to Creag a'Mhaim...
IMG_5475 by
Tim Pearce, on Flickr
... but as on previous days, the call of a nice late-afternoon pint at the Cluanie was too strong and we returned to the Druim's cairn and followed our nice stalkers' path straight back down to the valley.
Learning Point: if you want to climb more than one hill per day, don't stay at a good pub.
