Five Munros in Glen Affric
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2011 6:42 pm
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. 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. 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. Then the best bit of the day – the walk around the rim of Coire Domhain 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. 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!) before gaining the broad plateau that sweeps round to the summit of Carn Eighe. Brilliant. To the north we could see 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.
“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.
Day 2
An early start saw us at the top of Mam Sodhail by about 8.30am. We didn’t go back over Carn Eighe but contoured round on the west side to reach the bealach above Loch Uaine. Then we made for Sgurr na Lapaich down the long undulating south east ridge. There were spectacular views all round. 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. Then it was an easy back along the lochside to the car.
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. 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. 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. Then the best bit of the day – the walk around the rim of Coire Domhain 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. 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!) before gaining the broad plateau that sweeps round to the summit of Carn Eighe. Brilliant. To the north we could see 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.
“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.
Day 2
An early start saw us at the top of Mam Sodhail by about 8.30am. We didn’t go back over Carn Eighe but contoured round on the west side to reach the bealach above Loch Uaine. Then we made for Sgurr na Lapaich down the long undulating south east ridge. There were spectacular views all round. 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. Then it was an easy back along the lochside to the car.