Blaven a return to Skye after 43 years!

[L-Hiking]

Yes indeed I was last on Skye in 1968 as a 12 year old and stayed at the Glen Brittle youth Hostel along with some school pals on an organised trip. I had the pleasure at the time to actually travel over the sea to Skye via the ferry and it is the first time I have ever seen the Skye bridge or travlled across to the Isle by road and it is very impressive indeed.

Anyway enough of that, a few months ago my wife Carol and I decided we should walk the WHW and then take a wee break on Skye to recover. After completing the WHW in awful weather for the most of the time and not being able to see most of the impressive mountains, I was hoping to get some better weather on Skye and hopefully bag a Monro. I considered that Blaven was the one which we could both tackle together. The first 2 days were awful heavy rain and as I understand it was the remains of the recent Hurricane which had caused so much flooding in the US. I was really dissapointed it is not very often that I get to visit Skye

The forecast was set to improve on the wednesday and I encouraged Carol that we could do Blaven, quoting the reports from Monty and Graeme Dewar to encourage her to have a go.

All set then here we go:-

Blaven from the road along Loch Slappin

We walked alongside the Alt na Dunachie and passed some wonderful waterfalls, i have never seen so much water coming down from the mountains. There is aneed to take care here as the path runs right alongside a steep drop which is hidden by trees and bushes. The top looked clear so fingers crossed I was going to get a view.

More waterfalls, it was here where I saw my first ever Golden eagle in the wild, it was a fantastic sight which I will never forget.

The path leading up Coire Uaigneich

Oh what a suprise! The clag has arrived, and to make things worse my wife was not having it at all that if that was the way up she was not going!! No matter how I tried she was not going to tackle the mountain that way and pointed to the scree run in the corrie ahead. If I was going to have any chance of topping the mountain and a view of the Cuillin this was the only choice that I had. I figured I could get to the tp of the corrie and then scramble up the south east side of the mountain traversing the top to the summit

I noted this stange circle at grid ref 531209 and wondered what it was or why it was there. The stones have been carefully selected and laid in a circle...Anybody know maybe one of them Alien circles similar to the crop circles

Carol admiring the view, Sgurr nan Eag ( I think)

a view to the Red Hills which appear to be bathed in sunshine which was not the case above me

A view to Camasunary and Soay in the distance

Having scrambled to the top of the south top of the mountain in mist and no view whatsoever I suggested that we should make our way past the cairn and down a little and up the other side to the trig. Oh no guess what this was as far as Carol was going and we were going back down the same way!!

We compromised and I gingerly made my way down and up to the trig of the mountain and returned as soon as I could to find Carol hididng behind the cairn with a cup of Coffee. She did agree to wait for 30 minutes just to see if the mist lifted, however when after 10 minutes it started to rain I knew then there was no view today and we had to get back down.

So the only image I have of the Cuilin ridge is from you guys on Walkhighlands and I thank you for that. It was down we go and a pint in the Sligachan Hotel. Whilst talking about water I took this last picture from the road bridge which shows the torrent coming down the river sligachan

River Slig a raging torrent with no tourists in sight (except Carol)

[nathan79]

Looks like you had a fine day out.
I was up there a few days before on the 11th. Brutal weather. My first time on Skye and i abandoned my ascent and didn't even get a view of the Cuillins.

Here was one of the few pics i took. I think it illustrates the conditions well.

Blaven? Where?

Nice to know what i could have seen. Gives me all the more reason to go back soon as i can.

[Bod]

Nice report, looks like you had a day to remember, and you will have to come back to get more opportunities to see views of the Cuillin. I have been up and along some of the Cuillin ridge (check my reports), but I need to climb up Blaven myself, thanks for sharing...

[L-Hiking]

Looks like you had a fine day out.
I was up there a few days before on the 11th. Brutal weather. My first time on Skye and i abandoned my ascent and didn't even get a view of the Cuillins.

Here was one of the few pics i took. I think it illustrates the conditions well.

DSCF2435 j110w.JPG

Nice to know what i could have seen. Gives me all the more reason to go back soon as i can.

Cheers Nathan

Yep the weather was not the best on my trip either but not as bad as your day out. Hope the next time you get there the sun is shining

cheers Geoff