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I left Shiel Bridge campsite at 7am and rolled up in the forest car park at Craig in Glen Carron 45 minutes later.
My main aim for the day was to climb the two Corbetts of Sgurr na Feartaig and Beinn Tarsuinn and if time and energy allowed, climb the two Munros of Sgurr Choinnich and Sgurr a’ Chaorachain. With this in mind, I had decided to save some time (and energy) by cycling in as far as the turn-off for Sgurr na Feartaig.
The ride began easily enough but soon the gradient steepened to a point where pushing the bike along was more efficient – at least the last few miles back to the car would be fast!
- Sgurr nan Ceannaichean partially obscured by early morning cloud
As the great bulk of Sgurr nan Ceannaichean loomed ahead, the track flattened out and actually dropped slightly as it curved to the right and I locked up the bike to a post just down from the main track. A wobbly wire and plank bridge led across a stream and on to the excellent stalkers path that wound its way easily up the hillside with increasingly good views over to the east.
- Looking NE over to Sgurr nan Ceannaichean with Moruisg beyond
A steeper section landed me on the northern end of the large summit plateau where I headed across a shallow dip and up to the summit cairn – definitely time for the first coffee of the day! The sun had been shining from the off and the visibility was superb – where better to be than on top of a mountain on such a great day!
- The summit of Sgurr na Feartaig with Beinn Tarsuinn beyond
- Beinn Tarsuinn from part of the way down the old stalkers path
My next target was Beinn Tarsuinn – a hill I’d climbed on the way to Bidean a’ Choire Sheasgaich back in 2001. I couldn’t remember much about that traverse, as I was definitely in “Munro-mode” at the time! There are steep slopes and crags due south of the summit, making it a bit more challenging to get down to the Bealach Bhearnais. I went along the SW ridge for about 500m and looked for an old stalkers path past some crags – it soon appeared, albeit quite sketchy and this led easily down at an angle to the bealach. A steep climb ensued up grassy slopes to the left side of the north ridge of Beinn Tarsuinn, across a small dip and then up to the narrow top with spectacular views.
- Approaching the final pull up to the summit of Beinn Tarsuinn
The views across to Bidean a’ Choire Sheasgaich and Lurg Mhor were fantastic – I tried to work out how I’d gone up the former as it looked impossibly steep from this far away.
- The summit of Beinn Tarsuinn looking across to Sgurr a’ Chaorachain
- View to the west down to Loch Monar
- Bidean a’ Choire Sheasgaich
- Lurg Mhor
It was still not quite 12:30pm, so I’d made good time and to carry on to include the two Munros as well was a no-brainer. I tore myself away and headed back along the ridge and back down to the bealach and across to the path up the steep west ridge of Sgurr Choinnich. It was obvious that this route was very popular as the path was easy to follow as it alternated easier grassy sections with short, rocky scrambles up through the crags. I made rapid progress and reached the summit ridge with large cornices on the north side.
- Nearing the summit of Sgurr Choinnich
- Tiny summit cairn on Sgurr Choinnich with Sgurr a’ Chaorachain beyond
- Looking NW from the summit of Sgurr Choinnich
The actual summit was tiny and perched right on the edge. I then carried on down to the bealach on a gravelly zigzagging path and began the climb of Sgurr a’ Chaorachain. Memories of climbing up this in 2003 came flooding back – on that occasion, it was so windy, I was clinging onto rocks to avoid being blown off and had to scamper in a crab-like fashion to the summit! This time, there was merely a light breeze and I enjoyed the climb up – the wind-shelter on top was not needed!
- Looking eastwards to the Munro Top of Bidean an Eòin Deirg
- View back to Sgurr Choinnich from start of descent from Sgurr a’ Chaorachain
I now had a very long, but easy descent on grass and heather-clad slopes all the way down to the main path. I was soon back at the bike and enjoyed a fast and bumpy freewheel nearly all the way down to the road.
