Well, well - no time for a rest day!

[Grisu]

Being in Scotland only on my summer-holidays I have not many options to choose which day I would like to do my next walk and today's forecast was probably the best for the rest of this week in Torridon.
All I needed was good visibility and fairly dry weather and that's what I got, partly even better with some nice sunny spells. Only late in the afternoon rain was predicted but by then I would have been over all tops and summits and hopefully back at my car .
It was only a short drive from my cottage and this time shouldn't be a problem to find the start of the walk. But very soon I saw a few cars parking among some trees which confused me. I had a closer look and saw a path reaching the road. A look at the map showed that it was very likely the end of the walk.
So I got back into my car and I drove a little bit further until I reached a new looking car park right below the very scary looking pinnacles of Am Fasarinen. However, it would be nice to get confirmation, so I asked a woman whether this was the parking for the walk of Liathach. She seemed to prepare herself for a walk with a young girl, what looked like ,,mother and daughter", and she replied that it was a parking but that there was another parking further down, she added .
I always wonder: such famous walks and most of the time no signs where to start .
A little sign like f.e. at Ben Hope would make such a difference! It feels like a welcome and gives some confidence at least at the beginning of a walk, escpecially when one is about to tackle a mountain like Liathach!
However the small Haggis-Entrance at the layby was quickly found and very soon the steep ascent demanded all concentration, although apart from the fact that the ascent was quite long and very steep, there was nothing really to worry.

Start of the walk at the layby, ,,mother and daughter" ahead of me

a good manufactured path - THANKS a lot!

But memories of several incidents -- Circiut of Coire nan Cat, An Teallach, The Five Sisters, Beinn Eighe, just to mention a few -- popped up from time to time during the ascent, reminding me how quickly something could happen which really could be fatal and once again I realized how very, very lucky I had been so far.
So I was determined to complete this walk without any further slips and slides or injuries!

Allt an Doire Ghairbh Waterfall

natural stone-bridge

nice view down at Glen Torridon

Since I have reached Toll a' Meitheach the path has become invisible, hidden among rocks and stones and slopes.

Corrie with invisible path

And after some moderate scrambles the climb came to a sudden end. The next step would have led directly down the steep crags plunging vertically down on the other side .

looking down the north side

I left my backpack at the cairn to follow the recomendation of WH for a detour to Stùc a' Choire Dhubh Bhig where I spent quite some time absorbed by the sight of Beinn Eighe which I have done two years ago (see if you like: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=102231).

Spidean Coire nan Clach and the eastern summits with the Black Carls pinnacles of Beinn Eighe behind

Summit of Ruadh-Stac Mòr with the broad grassy plateau of Còinneach Mhòr in front

And suddenly I realized that I was looking at the steep slopes of Còinneach Mhòr which I have come down two years ago . Seeing these steep slopes from Stùc a' Choire Dhubh Bhig made me feel pretty dizzy and lightheaded and with hindsight I realized one more time how lucky I was that I got down safe and in one piece.

I went pretty straight down, eyes fixed on the path below

Finally I turned around. Picking up my rucksack I saw the woman and the young girl who I have passed on my way up heading for the first top of Stob a'Choire Liath Mhor.
It was mainly cloudy and quite fresh with temperatures below 10°C but somehow I was glad that it wasn't so warm than yesterday and happily I was looking forward to what was lying ahead.

People on the ridge towards the tops of Stob a'Choire Liath Mhor

outlook to Stob a'Choire Liath Mhor and Spidean a' Choire Lèith

Views towards the wild country of the nothern side of Torridon from the second Top of Stob a'Choire Liath Mhor

I wonder if there are actually three tops? After the second top with the cairn shelter there is another ascent to this plateau before it goes down to a dip from where the last pull to the summit starts.

view to the south form the bealach/dip before the climp to the summit of Spidean a' Choire Lèith.

same place view to the north side

and view ahead, the last pull to the summit

About a little more than an hour later since I have left Stùc a' Choire Dhubh Bhig I reached the summit of Spidean a' Choire Lèith were ,,mother and daughter" have had a break and were just about to leave.
At this point I realized that I have forgotten to take food with me . Already the walks before I haven't eaten very much. An apple if anything at all. Even during the walk yesterday I can't remember that I have eaten something but I wasn't hungry and it didn't trouble me as long as I would have enough water.

summit view towards Beinn Eighe and beyond

outlook towards the impressive ridge of Am Fasarinen and the summit of Mullach an Rathain

yesterday's walk: Beinn Alligin - very elegant

At the cairn someone has put a memorial plaque with an inscription, another reminder of how quick things can happen!

For Amy Falconer - Aged 28 - who climbed her mountain and went to heaven, 28 May 2004.
So young! very sad!

Then I resumed my walk quite impressed by the sight of the pinnacles of Am Fasarinen ahead. But first I had to manage the steep descent over rocks and boulders down from Spidean a' Choire Lèith.

During the scramble over the boulders I took a little breather and discovered this tiny little flower

At the bealach some men were scrambling down the steep corrie, obviously checking some geological conditions or so, at least they were looking more like being at work rather than on a walk .

men at work

Although I tried, it soon became clear that it would be safer to take the bypass . I would have loved to go over Am Fasarinen but the descents were too unpredictable! I remembered some notes about the difficulties of Am Fasarinen escpecially concerning the scrambles down. Maybe I would have been more determined to try, if I had known what was waiting for me!

After the first pinnacle it was clear that I would prefer the bypasse

How often have I read that some ridge or scramble is supposed to be exposed and then I thought, mh, okay, may be, yes, perhaps, but nothing which really has scared me. If anything could be called EXPOSED than this bypass for sure .

At the beginning the bypass looks still moderate and okay, I thought.

I actually could see my car!

exciting views to the north

A bit narrow, but it still was fun and I felt safe.

But what was this???

For heaven's sake!

Keep going, keep going, steady, steady, was the only thing I could think now. I had no choice.
I didn't dare to turn around because I feared I would slip. So I hold my breath -
Then the next scary part came in sight: What was expecting me around the corner?
I remember I wasn't sure whether I should take pictures of not. Every redundant movement seemed to be dangerous. But I couldn't resist. And I actually didn't try to take more than one snap at a time. I feared to loose my balance when I would stay to long at a spot. Either it was a pictures or not. My heart was beating that I hardly could hold my little camera straight and stable.

OMG! What comes next???

And it was not yet over!

Still the bypass was very narrow!

But at last the terrain opened up again and very much reliefed I took some deep breaths at the sight of what looked like normal again. What has made this passage so scary was that there was no alternative: To the right the vertical cliffs going up, to the left, steep crags straight down and in between only this narrow ,,path"

That looks much safer now, ,,mother and daughter" again ahead of me

Looking back was somehow like leaving a nightmare behind.

Very interesting how the walk changed its character after Am Fasarinen and I enjoyed the smooth and grassy walk up Mullach an Rathain, wondering if there would be any police around

Short before the summit the predicted rain has started and reluctantly I took out my rain jacket. But I thought it would stop soon again, it was only light rain and it ceased from time to time so I left my trousers in the rucksack.
When I was at the summit the rain was more constant but still not too bad.

summit view

summit view

I thought I would be fine, it was much warmer than in the morning and it was only the descent now, I thought ...

Outlook to the first part of the descent wiht ,,mother and daughter" far below.

However, long before I have reached the grassy floor of Toll Ban my trousers were soaked and it was unbelievable how long this walk still was! The road never seemed to get any closer
From time to time I saw ,,mother and daughter" zizagging down the slopes but then they slowed down considerably and finally I cought up with them while they were standing on one of the sandstone terraces looking down. I greeted and we exchanged some words about the slog and the path.
The rest of the walk they stayed behind. When I looked back I saw the girl doing some funny movements with one of her legs while she was going down and it was obvious that she had quite some pain.
Although the path has improved pretty much below Toll Ban and along Allt an Tuill Bhain, it didn't make things really better. The stones were very slippery because of the rain which was relentlessly pouring down meanwhile and still it looks as if I haven't done much progress.

better path now but the road still far away

Suddenly I saw a stile. A stile! The end is getting closer, I thought. But what I couldn't see had been the boulders in between which took quite some effort to scramble down, else the terrain was very unpleasant due to the rain: very wet, very muddy. I didn't even try to avoid, I only wanted to get to the road! It was still a distance to negotiate from where I have seen the stile, just incredible!

Can you see the tiny stile in the middle straight down?

Eventually I was back at the road ! I felt stiff and a bit cold. How nice it would have been if I had parked my car just below the trees which I have inspected in the morning, just opposite the end of the walk ...
However, back on even ground, my mood lifted with each step I got closer to my car. There I pulled off my shoes and changed my trousers, but my movements were very slow. I didn't expect to get that cold, the temperature was not too bad, but with the constant rain and this long day (without food) took its toll: another lesson learned: Put the rain trousers on before it's too late!
I set off but short before I reached Glen Cottage with some cosy lights shining through the windows I saw the woman heading for the parking. She was on her own. I slowed down, but before I could ask if I could help she said that ,,she has tired out" and that she would get the car.
When I passed the end of the walk I saw the young girl sitting below the trees, busy with her smartphone. I greeted her and wished her a quick recovery and that the she would be able to go back and enjoy the mountains soon again. I hope she will!
On my short drive back to the cottage I started to realize what I have accomplished today -- : Liathach! Incredible!:D

LIATHACH_with_it_s_two_munros_Spidean_a_Choire_L_ith_1055m_and_Mullach_an_Rathain_1023m_.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

[past my sell by date]

Oh well done Anke Not sure I would have been happy without food!
I don't recognise your ascent route (Poucher's maybe) as I went up both times from the Eastern end - the second time by a neat little zigzag path. I went over the pinnacles first time, and Prince led us along the exposed bypass route the second. Your flower is a starry saxifrage - often found in damp little crevices

[Grisu]

Oh well done Anke Not sure I would have been happy without food!
I don't recognise your ascent route (Poucher's maybe) as I went up both times from the Eastern end - the second time by a neat little zigzag path. I went over the pinnacles first time, and Prince led us along the exposed bypass route the second. Your flower is a starry saxifrage - often found in damp little crevices

Thank you! The route I went was the route which is decribed on WH. (I don't know what Poucher means.)
It took a little time until I realized that the huge corrie enframing Torridon, which I saw from my cottage each day dressed up in mist differently, belonged to Liathach, and I thought that there is probably a different approach, may be not so steep. Perhaps I have the opportunity to find out some day.

[past my sell by date]

WA Poucher a B/W photographer - his Magic of Skye and Magic of the Dolomite books are classics - wrote the first guide books to some of Scotlands best known hills. Otherwise you looked at maps and planned your own routes
Look him up on Wiki - but it omits the facts that he was gay and a rabid misongynist - he's probably turning in his grave at the thought that women should be on allowed on the hills . I met him once below Stac Polly

[Grisu]

WA Poucher a B/W photographer - his Magic of Skye and Magic of the Dolomite books are classics - wrote the first guide books to some of Scotlands best known hills. Otherwise you looked at maps and planned your own routes
Look him up on Wiki - but it omits the facts that he was gay and a rabid misongynist - he's probably turning in his grave at the thought that women should be on allowed on the hills . I met him once below Stac Polly

Well then, it's not worth to get to know another misongynist, but thanks for the information!

[dav2930]

Well done for completing the classic traverse of Liathach; quite a challenge. You got a good set of photos there to remember it by. I agree that it would be helpful to have signs indicating the usual starting points for walks like this. Your ascent route was the standard way these days. You did well to take in the diversion to Stuc a' Choire Dhubh Bhig, which is all too tempting to miss out when you have the rest of the traverse ahead of you.

The best way to tackle Am Fasarinen, I find, is to follow the bypass path as far as the foot of the final and highest pinnacle, then take the direct scramble up this. The scramble is quite sustained but not difficult if you keep a steady head, and takes you to the summit of Am Fasarinen, with easy walking (and no tricky descents) thereafter. The first and second pinnacles are best by-passed, as scrambling over them is tricky and doesn't aid progress very much in comparison with the good path just below them.

It was a shame you didn't have any food, as that will have adversely affected you both psychologically and physically.

And it's also a shame that the descent at the end is so long and relentlessly steep, as it can tend to spoil an otherwise rewarding and enjoyable day. Still, at least you've now got this under your belt (so to speak). A fine report, Anke

[dav2930]

WA Poucher a B/W photographer - his Magic of Skye and Magic of the Dolomite books are classics - wrote the first guide books to some of Scotlands best known hills. Otherwise you looked at maps and planned your own routes
Look him up on Wiki - but it omits the facts that he was gay and a rabid misongynist - he's probably turning in his grave at the thought that women should be on allowed on the hills . I met him once below Stac Polly

Well then, it's not worth to get to know another misongynist, but thanks for the information!

There's a memorial bench for WA Poucher in the garden of the Scafell Hotel in Rosthwaite, Borrowdale. I used to have his guide to the Lakeland fells. I was never very impressed by the quality of his photos, to be honest.

[Grisu]

Well done for completing the classic traverse of Liathach; quite a challenge. You got a good set of photos there to remember it by. I agree that it would be helpful to have signs indicating the usual starting points for walks like this. Your ascent route was the standard way these days. You did well to take in the diversion to Stuc a' Choire Dhubh Bhig, which is all too tempting to miss out when you have the rest of the traverse ahead of you.

The best way to tackle Am Fasarinen, I find, is to follow the bypass path as far as the foot of the final and highest pinnacle, then take the direct scramble up this. The scramble is quite sustained but not difficult if you keep a steady head, and takes you to the summit of Am Fasarinen, with easy walking (and no tricky descents) thereafter. The first and second pinnacles are best by-passed, as scrambling over them is tricky and doesn't aid progress very much in comparison with the good path just below them.

It was a shame you didn't have any food, as that will have adversely affected you both psychologically and physically.

And it's also a shame that the descent at the end is so long and relentlessly steep, as it can tend to spoil an otherwise rewarding and enjoyable day. Still, at least you've now got this under your belt (so to speak). A fine report, Anke

Thank you Dave for your appreciation. If I had known that the descent of the summit of Am Fasarinen would be not so difficult I'd rather perferred it, but then: the bypass will be an unique and unforgettable experience to remember .
I am not sure if food would have changed much -the weather was pretty poor and the descent is quite a slog, only sunshine could have cheered me up, I guess However, got it under my belt
until next time,
Anke