A wet and windy walk up An Sidhean

[JOHNGG]

Last Sunday I had two fairly bad ideas. The first one was to go for a walk up Glen Strathfarrar and climb another Corbett. The second bad idea was to take my camera along and do my first report for the Walk Highlands website.

The forecast on the BBC wasn't too bad for Sunday (showers and some wind) but the MWIS forecast was a bit more ominous ("Considerable buffetting on the tops!")

However, as I set off the sky was fairly clear and it didn't seem too windy as I drove to the head of Glenstrathfarrar , got my wee green ticket from the woman at the gate to allow me to drive down the glen (with strict instruction to "be out by 7pm") and made my way along the single track road to the Loch Monar dam

The wind was picking up but I stuck on my boots and rain jacket and headed off. I caught up with another couple just ahead of me and we made our way past the Lodge and along the stalkers track on the north shore of Loch Monar. There was some cloud about but the views were not bad, and there was a real sense of wilderness.

Looking West down Loch Monar

I remarked how good the stalkers path was and how difficult access to the hill would be without it. As it was the path was too damn good as we ended up walking right past the other track leading to the ridge to An Sidean. Not wishing to retrace my steps I started off by myself up the track up the glen which lay west of An Sidean and decided to approach the summit from the steeper west side. Luckily there was no difficulty doing this and with the (now very strong) wind behind me I made the summit in no time.

Approaching the summit

Once on the summit I quickly (immediately) realised that the MWIS forecast had, if anything, been a little understated. For "considerable buffetting" read "wind so strong that you can't stand up" and I ended up behind the summit cairn in a semi foetal position trying to get shelter. I managed one photo on top - the obligatory one of my rucksack and the summit cairn! Unfortunately my inability to stand and hold a camera without getting blown down did mean limited photo oportunities. No danger of winning "Walk of the month" prize this time

Summit of An Sidhean

By this point I was feeling pretty wet and uncomfortable, not helped by the fact the 60 - 80 mph wind was driving rain (and hail!) at me so hard that it was painful to try and look South or West, and so I ended up having to shuffle back down the summit ridge with my back to the wind. The conditions were as bad as I've experienced on the hills for a good few years now.

As I descended the conditions got a bit better (the wind eased off) which helped. I did meet four other walkers coming ascending and if they are members of this forum, guys , you have my sympathy. It must have been brutal, trudging up in those conditions and then all the way back.

I made it back to the car after about 5 hours, thoroughly wet and also very hungry (I'd left my sandwiches in the car by mistake so had "survived" on a twix and a bottle of lucozade..... not my best day. All in all a beautiful part of the country - I hope I can come back when again - but only if it is NOT windy.

[HighlandSC]

Great report John. You were brave going out last weekend in the wind. Nightmare forgetting your sandwiches- a thing I've yet to do, but happens to us all sometime I'm sure.

I've yet to venture into Glen Strathfarrar but it's on my to do list

[HighlandSC]

PS- you might want to click to Edit your report and in the part where you can link hills to it add An Sidhean. It would mean others looking to do this hill would find your report more easily- especially since this is the first report on here for this hill. Ask if you're not sure what I'm on about!

[JOHNGG]

Thanks for the coments Highland SC

I've now added the link - although I don't know how much help it will be to anybody wanting to climb An Sidhean , unless they want some tips on how NOT to do it - i.e ignore the MWIS forecast, don't bother reading the map properly and finally - remember to leave your sandwiches in the car

[ChrisW]

Great effort John, your first pics is a cracker even if the rest of the days weather prevented you from getting many more, I would be OK leaving sandwiches behind as I eat little when walking (don't know why but it seems to kill my appetite) might be a good thing as I drink about 40 gallons of anything wet

Great first report - look forward to the next