Long and winding road to rocky Ruadh-stac Beag

[GillC]

Todays weather was supposed to be a little cooler than earlier in the week. Nope, we got a warm one as we walked up the Pony Track from the Beinn Eighe Visitor Centre around 9am and after a 19k trek yesterday, my legs were feeling a little devoid of energy.

Up the Pony track from the visitors centre

The Corbett doesn't show face until you are quite high up on the path although Beinn Eighe to the left and Meall a' Ghiubhais to the right are with you all the way.

Gradually, you leave the woodlands and the local scots pines get thinner on the ground until you reach a pretty much treeless terrain. By this time Ruadh-stac Beag is in sight, a long way off and looking very intimidating.

There she is!

I had come up this path a few years ago in winter but we stopped at the high point of the path after deciding it just wasnt going to happen, but used the time to practice some winter skills.

The path takes you over some small burn crossings and dips before heading, counterintuitively away to the right to its highest point. The WH route leads off a bit earlier but there was such a mish mash of small cairns, paths etc, we just headed on up to the pass. We picked our way around and over towards the burn as we could see a path of sorts on the lower stretches.

Climbing up the wee path beside the burn

Under the heady heights of Beinn Eighes Sgurr Ban, we crossed a grassier section towards the start of the rocky ascent. We could see a lighter coloured path way and chose this to follow.

About to start the steep unstable scramble up.

Johns keen nav skills keeping us right

Zoom in on Beinn Eighe pinnacles

Parts of the route were large scree stones, ranging up to big boulders, much of which moved under our hands and feet. I still had my poles out but to be honest, they were more of a hindrance on this stuff. I have been struggling after busting a rib or two last week and while walking, even uphill was doable, this bending over and contorting myself was brutally painful. More painkillers at the top methinks!!!

It took us an hour to get up the rocky stuff and as the ground levelled, we saw the summit cairn, quite a way off in the distance, wasn't expecting that

A halo round the sun above Beinn Eighe

The back of Beinn Eighe

Easy enough to cross the rocky ground to the summit.

Summit selfie

Another fabulous weather day but a little hazy compared to our earlier outings this week. The ground moving away from the summit was rather green and verdant, but I would struggle to get off the ground with the old ribbage,,so sat on a boulder instead.

Decided to put the poles away for my descent, allowing me to use hands, feet, bum etc to negotiate the rocks. Once on the scree, borrowed one of Johns until we got down, then back out with my own.

Back down the hard stuff

We found a path down that was slightly further up from the burn and followed that,,,,,until it disappeared. Our earlier one was just below so hopped down and followed that back to the main track back to the Visitor centre.

Now , it had taken us 2 hrs to get to here earlier, overheating and a slog uphill, we realised the only shop in Kinlochewe shuts in 2 hrs, would we be down in time? Stormed off downhill,,,not a horse was spared, no stopping to discuss trees etc. Back at the car in ,,,,,,,,1 HR Plenty time to make it to the shop for wine and beer.

A slog of a hill, but again, great weather, spectacular surroundings, and alcohol to finish. Reeeeesult.

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