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Time from tent over 3 Munros and back to tent - 10.1 hours
Time to pack up tent and return to Chisholm Bridge car park - 1.5 hours
Total walk time - 11.6 hoursMy alarm went off at 03.45 or thereabouts (I cannae actually remember exactly when!) and to my credit, I actually acted on it and didn't roll over and give it the middle finger salute!
My initial concern was the potential for a midge onslaught the moment I unzipped the outer door of the tent. But it was the middle of the night and I had a long route ahead of me in forecast sweltering day-time temperatures, so I could hardly just lie there and worry about being set upon by some miniscule flying critters! I was just going to have to take my chances. You wanted this pass buddy, so crack on with it!
That initial fear proved unfounded. I emerged to a midge free zone - a light breeze probably not being enough in itself to keep them down, but down they were, and that's all that mattered!
I had a fairly soul destroying breakfast of porridge and powdered 2-in-1 coffee before getting the day pack together, zipping the tent back up and climbing the 20 metres or so up onto the track. It was 04.35 and time to put right something that went badly wrong exactly 2 days shy of exactly 5 years ago!
On the 21st of July 2017 I left the car park at the eastern end of Loch Affric and made my way along the road towards Affric Lodge and then on up the track onto the flat, featureless moor that eventually leads to the ascent of the south east ridge of Sgurr na Lapaich, from where I followed the sinewy ridge along and up to the summit of Mam Sodhail. Apart from a kicking by the midge at the car park, that day hadn't started out too shabby but by the time I reached the summit of Mam Sodhail, the first of three planned Munros that day, things had gone very pear shaped as far as the weather was concerned. Ultimately I ended up squatting for a miserable, fruitless 2 hours inside the massive hollow summit cairn, waiting in vain for things to improve, before calling it quits and retracing my steps in as foul a mood as I can recall ever experiencing on the hills.
Now things were about to be put right, but via Gleann nam Fiadh rather than the tarmac past the lodge and then Sgurr na Lapaich.
Last night's Graham from the hydro damSgurr na Lapaich and the Abhainn Gleann nam FiadhThe start of the main business part of the route - across to Sgurr na Lapaich from the ascent up to the lochan below the Garth BhealachThe unholy hour of departure was paying dividends - it was well into the guts of the walk and up onto the twisting pinnacled ridge above the Garth Bhealach before I felt the heat of the rising sun and the need to put some Factor 30 on my unprotected bits. It is here, in the huge bowl-like ampitheatre below the Garth Bhealach, the 1051m An Leth-chreag to the north east and the narrow prow leading to the 1131 spot height to the west, that this walk really comes alive, aided no doubt by the rising sun and the prospect of another belter of a July day!
An Leth-chreagSunrise over Tom a'ChoinnichLuna contemplating the narrow prow leading up to the 1131 spot and on to Stob Coire DhomhnuillThe glass-like surface of the un-named lochan about to be shattered by a stone being launched in and Luna still falling for it!It was only when I turned away from the side of the lochan that I realised there was a tent pitched a short distance above me, between the lochan and the crest of the ridge. Given the still early hour, I resisted the temptation to shout out congratulations on the excellent choice of wild camping location and tiptoed past up onto the ridge above. In any case, the occupant or occupants had very possibly done the same as myself and got off to a flyer before the thermometer melted later in the day!
That prow looks like it has just got steeper!Back down into the hanging coire - can you spot the tent?Once up onto the 1131m spot height, the business end of the route came into sight, with Carn Eige and my old acquantance Mam Sodhail dominating the view ahead beyond the curving, pinnacled ridge of Stob Coire Dhomhnuill. I now also had eyes on Loch Mullardoch and the Munros on its north side, with my old friend Sgurr na Lapaich and Kev's nemesis of An Riabhachan most prominent.
Looking across the head of Coire Dhomhnuill to the twin peaks of Mam Sodhail and Carn Eige, the highest points north of the Great GlenBack to Tom a'Choinnich and a miniscule looking Beinn a'Mheadhoin to the rightLooking north east down Coire Domhain and across Loch Mullardoch to An Riabhachan, Sgurr na Lapaich and Carn nan GobharThe other Sgurr na Lapaich across upper Gleann nam FiadhI was regularly glancing at my watch to check on how the time was going. No rush in terms of daylight or having to be anywhere else, but I was aware that the temperatures were going to rocket. I wasn't so much concerned for myself, awesome specimen of athletic prowess that I am, it was more Luna that I was concerned about. This would be the same Luna who can seemingly teleport herself up a steep slope in a matter of seconds and then stand at the top giving me a look of pure scorn as I take 10 minutes or so to labour my way up it.
But she's young I kept telling myself, still relatively new to this game!
From Stob Coire Dhomhnuill, the ridge now wound its way first right then back left over a series of rocky pinnacles before straightening out and descending gently down to a broad, flat bealach immediately below the eastern nose of Carn Eige.
Mam Sodhail and Carn Eige rising above Loch Uaine at the head of Gleann nam FiadhLuna scanning for the best route over the pinnacles, An Socach in the backgroundAcross the wild upper end of Gleann nam Fiadh with Mullach na Dheiragain in the distanceLike a mini Castle of the Winds transported from the Glyders to the north west HighlandsOnce through this section and up onto the final pinnacle, what would be arguably the greatest prize of the day came into view - Beinn Fionnlaidh. There are certainly many Munros of greater stature, many of greater character, many of greater technical challenge, but few that can match it for its breathtaking sense of remoteness and isolation. Tucked away towards the end of a long limb stretching northwards from Carn Eige and standing guard over the wild, narrow western end of Loch Mullardoch, it is one of the most prized summits in the Munro round, and one that I had long coveted and dreamt about. But that was still some way off, most likely in the building heat of late morning, and there was some more pressing work to be done first.
First sighting of Beinn Fhionnlaidh and the Killilan and Attadale hills beyondLoch a'Choire Dhomhain, Stob Coire Dhomhnuill, An Leth-chreag and Tom a'ChoinnichThe pinnacles and across Gleann nam Fiadh to Sgurr na LapaichAbout to drop down to the bealach and make the ascent up the eastern nose of Carn EigeGotta take full advantage of dunking opportunities like this one on a day such as thisBeinn Fhionnlaidh and Coire Lochan from the pull up to Carn EigeWith a final lung bursting effort, Carn Eige, so tantalisingly close and yet a million miles away through the clag that July day 5 years ago, was finally in the bag and my main focus of this week had its first concrete results.
Looking back east whence I came from the summit of Carn EigeOne downMy early start had got me this far without the forecast heat being an issue, but the mercury was now climbing quite noticeably, just in time for old yomp out to Fhionnlaidh, losing all that height in the process only to then have to turn around and reascend.
Beinn Fhionnlaidh and An Socach from Carn EigeLooks like its getting scorchio on Chrysanthemum and JerrycanLuna starting out for FhionnlaidhI whacked some sunscreen on before we went much further and kept my eyes peeled for any little puddles or lochans that Luna could get a dip in, preferably a full submerging. Surprisingly in this waterless looking place, there were one or two and she took full advantage, encouraged by the lobbing of a little stone into the water.
Skirting the 832m knoll in the Bealach BeagThe main prize of the day was soon claimed and what a wonderfully remote and beautiful perch it was. The views were stunning, especially east down through the narrows of Loch Mullardoch to the distant dam and the memories that brought back of a very wild night in the tent below the dam two summers ago in the immediate euphoria of the end of Lockdown #1.
Luna, meet Fhionnlaidh. We've finally made it!East down Loch MullardochAfter a bite to eat and of course a large swig of water, it was a case of retracing our steps most of the way back to Carn Eige before trying to find a suitable bypass route to the west of the summit that would lead us around and up onto the connecting ridge to Mam Sodhail. I had taken a good look at my OS sheet at the summit of Fhionnlaidh to see if I could come up with some magic route that would miraculously lead me back to my tent with a minimum of distance and effort, but whichever way I looked at it, it was going to be a long, tough walk in heatwave conditions. I was somewhat non-plussed by the thought of going over Mam Sodhail - it felt like the business of the day had now been done and dusted and what remained was just the inconvenient necessity of having to get back to the tent and ultimately to the car. Mam Sodhail was just one little part of that, although I guess I was kind of looking forward to actually seeing the summit as opposed to just being on it!
The road back around Carn Eige and up to Mam SodhailI was sure I had read somewhere that there is a bypass path around the west of Carn Eige, but also that it was quite sketchy. This certainly seemed to be the truth of it. I kept right at any junctions in the path, trying to keep a balance between not climbing too close to the summit of Carn Eige but not letting myself drop too far down to the west and having to face a hot pull back up pathless slopes.
Eventually I was spat out onto the connecting ridge between the two Munros, right above Loch Uaine and the view down the length of upper Glenn nam Fiadh from where another short, sharp pull took me up to the third and final Munro summit of the day.
Sgurr na Lapaich, upper Gleann nam Fiadh and Loch UaineMullach na Dheiragain and the Killilan Forest hillsNorth from Mam Sodhail - Fionnlaidh and Eige, An Socach and An Riabhachan behind and what I reckon must be Maoile Lunndaidh in the far distanceRenewing my acquaintance with the Mam Sodhail mega-cairnWe didn't dally too long here before heading for home. I glanced at my watch as we left the summit and it was 12 o'clock on the dot. The views ahead of us were sublime over the long curvy ridge towards Sgurr na Lapaich.
Just awesome!I had decided to forego the delights of the ridge walk all the way to Sgurr na Lapaich in the interests of dropping down into Glenn nam Fiadh for the lower level walk back to the tent. It would be a less pleasant route, certainly tougher going until we picked up the path further down the glen, but at least Luna would have a water source. The low point in the ridge looked to be a suitable spot to commence yet another spot of pathless descent!
Approaching the low point where we will drop off the ridgeDried out peat bog in upper Gleann nam FiadhAs predicted, it was a rough, baking hot walk down the glen but Luna was probably very grateful for the limitless opportunities to launch herself into the river in pursuit of stones.
Back at the tent, I quickly packed everything up into the big overnight pack again and followed the hydro track back round below Beinn a'Mheadhoin and onto the path through the trees to the Chisholm Bridge car park. Last night had been a wee teaser, but today the serious business of the week had kicked off. We had survived the heatwave thanks to a ludicrously early start and altering our route to take account of the conditions. I had made right what had gone horribly wrong 5 years previously and the game was now very much on. Where to now?
