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Sgor na h-Ulaidh. One I’d kept back for a convenient time. I’ve exhausted most Munro’s near the Central Belt, but this outlier and the time was one of the ‘quicker’ days out without a journey greater than three hours from home.
I parked up on the lay-by advocated in the Walkhighlands route description. Just enough room as works were going on adjacent to it and made a start just after 8am.
I decided to include Meall Lighiche in the route as I felt it would be a waste to just go and bag the Peak of the Treasure as Sgor na h-Ulaidh translates to!
There’s a fair path. I swatted up on the route the night before and read some of the blogs too which were helpful, glad I had a clear day for this. I never saw a sign for bypassing the houses but did so anyway to be courteous and merged back on to the path proper.
The route up to the Corbett was decent enough. The grassy areas were trod on at times and you could discern where the path was as it comes and goes. On this day, not many people were doing the Meall Lighiche in conjunction with the Munro. I was ploughing a lone furrow as others were visible ahead on the direct path to Sgor prior to turning off.
It was good fun getting to the summit of Meall Lighiche - the hill of the doctor - but I do admit my stomach was churning at the ‘route’ up the Munro from this side and it even crossed my mind whether or not to do it.
I took my first photos of the day and had a wee break.
- Meall Lighiche summit looking at Beinn a’Bheithir
Trying to muster up some courage for the daunting journey ahead. As I made my way back along the path I got speaking to a man from Inverness - I wasn’t alone now - but he was just doing the Corbett. He agreed Sgor did look intimidating from this perspective.
- Sgor na h-Ulaidh looks gnarly from here!
I made my way down to size it up…
- Heading down to bealach
- Same bealach from return route
I then had a good crack at it. I found making my way up it wasn’t as bad as it seemed. It did at times form steep precipices, but I always felt ‘well-bedded’ in away from them.
- The only way is up! As Yazz might put it
Whenever I got near such territory I’d go up a bit more then across so that I wasn’t exposed on such drops. It also helped that I had a dry and clear day.
I was glad to get to the plateau and wandered along to Sgor na h-ulaidh’s summit.
- Munro summit
Maybe visiting the doctor’s hill prior gave me the warm up required to allay my fears!
A guy was taking a selfie, I offered to take his picture to which he kindly reciprocated. This was his penultimate Munro and was going to compleat on one at Knoydart on Tuesday - kudos to him!
- Some drop that
- Looking back
I then made my way down.
- Bidean nam Bian
Plenty more were coming up from this side, I actually met a couple who I identified ahead of me earlier in the walk, they enquired about going down the way I came. I advised against it in-line with what the main route suggests. I looked down a couple of times coming up and the crags do disappear!
I then followed the path and took some more photos for the walk back down.
- Aonach Eagach
It eventually adjoins on to the route used on the way in. Aonach Eagach was a constant in my eyeline at this point - maybe one day!
