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Munros: Ruadh-stac Mòr, Spidean Coire nan Clach.
Date: 22/09/2024.
Distance: 16km.
Ascent: 1250m.
Time taken: 6 hours 50 minutes.
Weather: Perfect.
Having done a cycling circuit of Assynt and Lochinver a couple of weeks back, we thought we would try the same again. On Friday evening Jackie suggested the Applecross circuit, which until recently she had assumed she was not fit enough to do. She still wasn't sure, but in the end we made it around the loop despite the late start and lots of messing around on the way (lunch at the Applecross Inn, swimming at Sand). And all in fantastic weather
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After staying out overnight, we found ourselves not too far from Shieldaig the following morning. I was after a mountain or two today but Jackie was still concerned with a leg injury - although it hadn't caused any issues with cycling, it kept flaring up on steep walking descents. So her preference was to walk into Coire Mhic Fhearchair for a swim, testing the leg more gently on the way back out. While I briefly thought about using the opportunity to go up Meall Dearg on Liathach, I decided to join her in the end but take the high route out from the corrie.
Morning view across Upper Loch Torridon The parking area was busy but about half of the people stopping were just there for a few photos before moving on so we were able to get a proper space in the carpark even after 10am. Due to the weather coming from the east, we had driven through extensive cloud the day before on our way out, only emerging from it as we descended to Kinlochewe. This morning the cloud had moved even further over and there were bits of it drifting around Beinn Eighe. Thankfully it was burning off though.
Starting up from Glen Torridon 
Back of Liathach While the path is rough, it is also pretty good so we got on with it. We probably took around 2.5 hours to reach the corrie, with some spectacular views to A' Mhaigdhean in front of us at one point.
West to Beinn Alligin and Beinn Dearg 
Walking into Coire Mhic Fhearchair 
Across Flowerdale 
Fisherfield hills 
Approaching Coire Mhic Fhearchair While you are rarely alone up here, there were never more than 2 or 3 groups of people around at a time. We had arrived just in time to catch the sun at one of the best swimming spots before it disappeared behind the steep crags of Sail Mhor. A cold but refreshing swim was had before lunch.
Ruadh-stac Mhor 
Loch Coire Mhic Fhearchair 
Jackie swimming 
Jackie swimming 
The triple buttress 
Sail Mhor I left Jackie to some more relaxing here and headed for Ruadh-stac Mhor. Maybe one day I will follow the more usual route up the back of the corrie as it quite likely has some interesting positions directly under the crags, but for today I stuck to the only route I've ever used here - straight up the west face of Ruadh-stac Mhor.
Looking up the western flanks of Ruadh-stac Mhor There is no doubt this way is a bit brutal but it is also fairly fast and direct. At the rocky section near the top, there was the potential to kick some rather large loose rocks down but I manage to avoid that. Actually I was a little surprised to emerge on the plateau and see the summit away to my right - I had overshot it! It has been quite a few years since I was last up here so I was pleased to see the cloud had now fully cleared away and I could enjoy the views in all directions.
Beinn Dearg and Flowerdale 
Beinn Alligin and Flowerdale 
Almost at the top 
Loch Maree 
Ruadh-stac Mhor summit 
Sgurr an Fhir Duibhe from Ruadh-stac Mhor The way ahead from here was straightforward and obvious. As Jackie had a much shorter distance to do I decided not to throw in too many detours, and I didn't bother going out to the high point of Coinneach Mhor - instead I had a break on the short grass above the crags. I could see some climbers on the crags below (which are not quite part of the triple buttress). While it was a fine day, they were completely in the shadow down there.
Across Coire Ruadha-staca 
Climbers on the Coire Mhic Fhearchair crags 
Down Coire Mhic Fhearchair 
Back to the Loch Now it was time to move onwards towards Spidean Coire nan Clach (which I had been up more recently - a quick out-and-back in 2021). There were a couple of intermediate bumps to go over.
Meall nan Ghiubhais and Ruadh-stac Beag 
Spidean Coire nan Clach 
Back to Ruadh-stac Mhor 
Meall na Giuthais I could see a few people strung out along the south ridge of Spidean Coire nan Clach, which turned out to be a large group of at least 15. I made a quick detour to the highest point before passing them again at the trig point and heading down the slopes towards Stuc Coire an Laoigh.
Approaching Spidean Coire nan Clach 
Ruadh-stac Mhor 
Liathach 
Sgurr nan Fhir Duibhe 
West from Spidean Coire nan Clach 
East to Sgurr an Fhir Duibhe 
Stuc Coire an Laoigh Coire an Laoigh itself was in the shade so I decided to pass over the summit of Stuc Coire an Laoigh and descend the shattered ridge leading east from it - something I had meant to do before but never got around to.
Stuc Coire an Laoigh 
East end of Liathach Although there were a couple of scrambly moments, the ridge wasn't technically difficult - just extremely loose! I tottered over piles of loose rock avoiding the drops until I was a little lower down. The going wasn't fast so in the end I diverted back into the corrie to pick up the proper path - the sun had largely gone from the ridge now as well.
Loch Clair and Loch CoulinAfter stopping to chat to a guy who was on his way up, I arrived at the carpark shortly after Jackie. What an excellent weekend - we toyed with the idea of staying here and enjoying the sun for a while yet but in the end the idea of getting home at a reasonable time won out. As we climbed up Glen Docherty it was back into the cloud again to find out that Inverness had been cold and grey all weekend.
