kintail circuit
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 4:55 pm
my club the lomond mountaineering club was having a meet in the kintail outdoor centre this weekend , so i decided to get up to kintail on the thursday evening with the plan on doing some munros. the forcast was poor with strong winds and rain snow showers, i set off from the outdoor centre at 9am and cycled up to glenlicht house, as i arrived at 9 30 the first of the showers blew in, i took refuge in the shelter at the side of the hut, the snow was blowing horizontal and i contemplated doing the walk at all. 5 minute later the weather lifted and i set off for saileag.
it was a steep pull up the west slopes of meall a charra and the wind was bearable as i finally got to the summit of saileag.the views were mixed with the south shiel ridge looking splendent yet anything north enclosed in mist. i didnt wait about and continued along the ridge towards sgurr a bhealaich dhearg, the snow showers were coming and going but they were not thick enough to hamper my visability too much, i cut of from the main ridge to access the summit of sgurr a bhealaich dheig, quite tricky on the fresh snow and quickly back to gain the ridge while the visability allowed.
i stopped at the next bhealach to get some soup and a sandwich before assending the third munro aonach meadhoin, my legs were getting tired as the fresh snow was really hard to walk on, ankle and knee deep it ferr takes it out of you. once at the top of aonach meadhoin i got a good view of the final munro ciste dhubh, it look ages away and really steep, the legs were really tired now and i contemplated heading down to the clunie inn from sgurr an fhuarail but hat would have meant having to go back up to glenlicht house to get the bike. so i set up the south ridge of ciste dhubh i was really feeling it on the soft snow and i was chasing a little weather window as i got to the top, quick picture, then found the path that takes you down the north west ridge to the allt cam ban.
i got to the river at 4 30 and had a drink and something to eat, thinking i only had an hour or so walk back to glenlicht house ! argh this walk was horrendous soft snow, inclines it just took forever, got back to the bike at 6 20 and was taking cramp on the ride back down to the outdoor centre. the centre is first class and i had a good long shower before settling down to dinner and fell asleep at the fire. one of the hardest rounds ive done, the soft snow high winds and rain, snow, mist took it toll but it was worth it for the views when weather allowed.
it was a steep pull up the west slopes of meall a charra and the wind was bearable as i finally got to the summit of saileag.the views were mixed with the south shiel ridge looking splendent yet anything north enclosed in mist. i didnt wait about and continued along the ridge towards sgurr a bhealaich dhearg, the snow showers were coming and going but they were not thick enough to hamper my visability too much, i cut of from the main ridge to access the summit of sgurr a bhealaich dheig, quite tricky on the fresh snow and quickly back to gain the ridge while the visability allowed.
i stopped at the next bhealach to get some soup and a sandwich before assending the third munro aonach meadhoin, my legs were getting tired as the fresh snow was really hard to walk on, ankle and knee deep it ferr takes it out of you. once at the top of aonach meadhoin i got a good view of the final munro ciste dhubh, it look ages away and really steep, the legs were really tired now and i contemplated heading down to the clunie inn from sgurr an fhuarail but hat would have meant having to go back up to glenlicht house to get the bike. so i set up the south ridge of ciste dhubh i was really feeling it on the soft snow and i was chasing a little weather window as i got to the top, quick picture, then found the path that takes you down the north west ridge to the allt cam ban.
i got to the river at 4 30 and had a drink and something to eat, thinking i only had an hour or so walk back to glenlicht house ! argh this walk was horrendous soft snow, inclines it just took forever, got back to the bike at 6 20 and was taking cramp on the ride back down to the outdoor centre. the centre is first class and i had a good long shower before settling down to dinner and fell asleep at the fire. one of the hardest rounds ive done, the soft snow high winds and rain, snow, mist took it toll but it was worth it for the views when weather allowed.