Maol Chean-dearg with a camp

[mrssanta]

The last time MrsSanta and Rudolph were up a Munro was June 2022 courtesy of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee holiday. And what a fab time we had. We were left with 8 munros still to climb, and I never anticipated that it would be a year before we were back in the mountains. Many things have happened in that time, including retiring (yay), 3 family weddings including our No. 1 son, daughter AKA Coldwetandhungry graduating as a vet, becoming financially independent and moving to Speyside (CWH, not us, we're still in Yorkshire), a bout of Covid, health related emergencies for Rudolph's parents and my mum, and a fabulous holiday in Norway all using up possible hill time.
Anyway here we are at last, arriving at the car parking area at Coulags ready to set off at 6pm to go camp in Coire Fionnaraich, ready for an early start in the morning.
We've been saving these Strathcarron hills for a good day, and were grateful for the promise of a settled spell of weather, because we couldn't wait much longer! We're running out of hills that don't need to be saved for a good day.
As we were leaving the car park two lassies with backpacks came round the corner and we fell into step with them. They were Zoe and Stella, "junior" doctors from Scarbados (aka Scarborough) and Amsterdam, walking the Cape Wrath trail and going at a cracking pace, heading for the bothy for the night. We walked together as far as the bothy, chatting all the way. It was lovely to meet you ladies and I hope you enjoyed the rest of your trip. Due to chatting and walking fast, I didn't take any photos for this first bit and also forgot to set the satnav, but there are worse things that could have happened!
We continued for another kilometre past the bothy hoping for a camp spot near the junction of the path up Maol Chean-dearg. The ground is quite lumpy here with moraines, but we found a fairly flat spot, which in normal circumstances would have been a bog, but was dry enough, with the extra bonus of a large flat stone for the stove. There was a good camping place closer to the bothy on the riverbank but this was already taken and we were very happy with ours.

a very nice Sundew at the camp spot, busily eating midges

from camp, looking to the bothy, with Clach nan Con-Fhionn visible to the left, according to legend, the stone where the giant Fionn mac Cumhaill tethered his hunting dogs

The path up to Maol Chean-dearg is marked with a good sized cairn and is easily followed up to the Bealach a' Choire Ghairbh, where the sight of An Ruadh Stac made us grateful it wasn't a munro! We were also treated to the sound of a cuckoo coming from somewhere in the coire, only where a cuckoo would be hanging out in that landscape was a bit of a mystery.

Big cairn marking the turn off with our target in the background

Time for a wet buff already, to cool the head, and it's only just after 8.30am

holly growing out of a rock, still with berries

First view of Beinn Eighe, peeping up above the Bealach Ban

First view of An Ruadh Stac

An Ruadh Stac from the bealach

No better place for a brew. Unfortunately Rudolph forgot his Happy Mug, so had to purchase a poor substitute from Tiso's in Inverness on the way here

The path up the steep south ridge of Maol Chean-dearg is really steep in places and my legs told me this in no uncertain terms. It's mostly easily followed with the odd indistinct section.

The summit cairn is enormous with the best summit shelter I have ever seen, built like the hub and spokes of a wheel so that whatever direction the wind is in, you will find a sheltered place. So sheltered in fact that when you sat down inside it there was the odd midge detected.
We got to the top about 11.50, so that was nearly 3.5 hours from the path junction. We're slow these days!

Rudolph on the top of the summit cairn, looking out towards Loch Torridon, with the remains of the early morning fog.

Me on the summit, with Liathach behind

Beinn Damh with Loch Torridon behind

Liathach and Beinn Eighe

Rudolph contemplating a melted Mint Club (other chocolate coated biscuits are available)

After soaking up the views for some time, we retraced our steps back to pick up the camping gear and then down the hill to the car.

We go over that edge (it's fine, honest). View to An Ruadh Stac

Going down....

Bye for now, Bheinn Eighe

We stopped and had a wee look in the bothy. All very clean with lovely wood panelling and looked beautiful.

Blessed shade, almost back at the car now

Next stop Achnashellach!