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Day 1
At the last minute we decided to make this a backpacking trip – what a great decision! If we had done these hills as two separate days we would have missed the best bit – the ridge above Coire Domhain. We had a late start after the 4 hour drive to Glen Affric and were glad to be stretching our legs on the walk up Gleann nam Fiadh. After about 2km a narrow path leaves the main track and heads across a bog – don’t go that way! – carry on to the foot of Beinn Eun and take the decent track that goes northeast under the crags. Once beyond the crags we climbed very steeply up to gain the broad south ridge of Toll Creagach.
- Ascending Toll Creagach
This seemed rather never ending but was made more interesting by the discovery of a clutch of ptarmigan eggs in a neat little rocky hiding place and the sighting of a couple of mountain hare. The summit afforded great views of Loch Mullardoch and its Munros.
- Summit Toll Creagach
- Loch Mullardoch
This was followed by a long descent to Bealach Toll Easa and then a much more interesting ascent to the summit of Tom a’ Choinich.
- Tom a'Choinich
Then the best bit of the day – the walk around the rim of Coire Domhain to Carn Eighe.
- On to Carn Eighe
First there were the impressive cliffs of An Leth-chreag, the stiff climb up to top at 1131m and then the magnificent corrie itself with its lochan.
- Coire Domhain
- Looking back along the ridge
- Mam Sodhail and Carn Eighe
Above the lochan the ridge narrowed and there was a bit of scrambling to be had over some rocky pinnacles (if you weren’t carrying camping gera that is!)
- Pinnacles
before gaining the broad plateau that sweeps round to the summit of Carn Eighe. Brilliant. To the north we could see Beinn Fhionnlaidh
- Beinn Fhionnlaidh
and we headed in that direction. We found a good place to camp on Bealach Beag with a small burn trickling down the hillside nearby.
- Campsite
“I bet there’s nobody else for miles” I said. Then as I went down for water for the soup I noticed another tent about 50m away! So much for splendid isolation!
After dinner we strolled up Beinn Fhionnlaidh, glad to be free of our rucksacks.
- Summit Beinn Fhionnlaidh
Day 2
An early start saw us at the top of Mam Sodhail by about 8.30am.
- Summit Mam Sodhail
- Skye
We didn’t go back over Carn Eighe but contoured round on the west side to reach the bealach above Loch Uaine.
- En route for Mam Sodhail
Then we made for Sgurr na Lapaich down the long undulating south east ridge.
- Ridge to Sgurr na Lapaich
There were spectacular views all round.
- Mam Sodhail and Carn Eighe
The descent from Sgurr na Lapaich was a bit of a trial – is there a good way down? – very steep, loads of heather, bracken and bog and a deer fence to negotiate before finally reaching the track just west of Affric Lodge.
- Loch Affric
Then it was an easy back along the lochside to the car.