Bruach na Frithe
Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2011 10:58 amDate: 20/7/11
Hills: Bruach na Frithe
Present: Just Me
Weather: Dry, warm but overcast till late on.
Distance: 9mls approx
Height Ascended: 3248ft approx
Time taken: 5hrs walking, 5hrs loafing.
Finally got round to starting my reports from my hols. Looking at the forecast for the first few days was just a bit depressing
. Rain seemed to be very much to the fore and it was proved right on the Saturday driving up to Skye. Heavy rain all the way to the top of Glen Coe where it dried up a bit and gave some real atmospheric conditions to gawp at while driving. It stayed dry all the way to Broadford after that but the Sunday was a washout for walking. Rain never halted all day as we drove round the North of the island with the mist down to road level at times .
I planed to get up early on the Monday and catch the ferry to Rassay and head for Dun Cann, a hill I had wished to visit for a good number of years. Rain was still falling as I went to bed and it was still chucking it down when I looked out the window at 6am so I went back for some more zzz’s
. Turned out a bad decision , as the weather steadily improved by mid morning and turned into a right beautiful day which was not the forecast. Spent the day at Plockton with the family where it was wall to wall sunshine 
.
Tuesday’s forecast was not great, so it was another family day exploring around the island. Visited Dunvegan Castle and then went onto the Toy Museum at Glendale (www.toy-museum.co.uk ). Highly recommend you give it a visit as next year will be it’s last year. The couple that run it are great and the bloke is a good story teller about all the old toys. You even get to play with some of them which was good fun for all ages .
Wednesday was at last looking like a good walking day, so I was up and eagerly heading for Bruach na Frithe.
Had to stop at Sligachan and grab a shot over the old bridge.
I had decided to go in from Glen Brittle as it had been a few years since I had been down that way. Previous visits to Skye had been a bit on the wet side so there was nothing to see.
Things were looking good with the clag just brushing the summits.
Parked up at the car park at NG423258 around 9.30am where there was only one other car parked up which belonged to a Skye Guide. I was soon off across the road and on the path up the Bealach a’Mhaim towards Sligachan.
Start of the path.
It’s a fairly good path that meanders it’s way up to the bealach and you soon reach the top and the first of several cairns.
Looking back down Glen Brittle.
Looking n/e towards Glamaig.
I continued on by the lochans for a bit before turning s/e towards Fionn Choire. The views were starting to open up as I made my way up over grassy ground.
Zoom out over Portree to The Storr.
Eventually I came across the main path heading up into the choire. The walking was a bit easier now and the route fairly obvious, being marked by cairns of various sizes. Clag was still clinging to the summits but was slowly rising as I made my ascent.
Path leading up the choire.
Clag going.
Going.
Gone . Rocky going now and Sgurr a’Fionn Choire straight ahead.
A look back down the choire.
The path steepens the higher up you go but there are no difficulties or exposure to be concerned about. Just a bit of loose scree now and again.
Bruach na Frithe summit in view at last.
On the ridge at last and the first view is straight across to Bla Bheinn.
Had a breather here and dumped the rucksack for a quick scramble up Sgurr a’Fionn Choire. Back down, I skirted round the base and onto the ridge again.
Bruach na Frithe.
Looking along the ridge as some more walkers making their way towards Bruach na Frithe.
Am Basteir, Sgurr nan Gillean and Sgurr a’Fionn Choire.
A wider view.
A short and easy scramble (easily bypassed on the left) brings you to the last few meters to the summit.
Panoramic along the ridge.
The summit.
A few minutes after I arrived at the summit the walkers coming from the other direction arrived. It was a guide and two clients. We chatted for a short while before they continued on their way along the ridge.
The walkers bypassing the scramble.
It was very pleasant on the summit with very little wind, though some more sunshine would have been nice to brighten things up a bit. The cloud just seemed to linger above the ridge while the rest of the island was enjoying sunshine. Time for some lunch and then get into photo mode .
Walkers on Sgurr nan Gillean.
Spot the walker abseiling off The Inn Pin.
Beinn na Caillich. Very tempted to do this one as it was right in front of our Cottage.
View across Loch Eynort and onto South Uist.
Zoom back down to the starting point.
Walkers on the summit of Sgurr nan Gillean.
Closer look.
They then embark on a serious looking downclimb.
Sgurr Alasdair and Sgurr Mhic Choinnich.
Glamaig.
Portree and The Storr.
Raasay and Dun Cann.
Bla Bheinn.
Panorama along the ridge.
Glamaig starts to catch some cloud.
Walkers summiting Am Basteir.
Video clip from my phone. http://flic.kr/p/agnN8d
Time was moving on and I thought I better get the summit poses and get underway myself
.
The cloud was starting to skim the summits now.
After a very relaxing 2hrs on the summit myself I reluctantly got underway to Sgurr a’Bhasteir.
Panorama of Sgurr a’Bhasteir, Am Basteir and Sgurr a’Fionn Choire.
Looking along the ridge to Sgurr a’Bhasteir as the cloud rolls in.
My main reason for going to Sgurr a’Bhasteir was to get the views back to Am Basteir and Sgurr nan Gillean.
Am Basteir and the Basteir Tooth. Spot the walkers on the skyline for scale.
View across Sligachan, Loch Sligachan and Raasay.
As I was making my way along the ridge one of the RAF’s finest came blasting by and for a change I had my zoom lens on .
Gotcha!
Sligachan. Had a meal in here one of the days. Not very impressed with it I am sad to say
.
The view I was looking for. Pinnacle Ridge of Sgurr nan Gillean .
The Red Cuillin.
Err! After you . Two climbers about to drop down onto the Basteir Tooth.
The walk out to Sgurr a’Bhasteir is narrow in places but no real difficulties and it makes a fantastic view point . I recommend you take the walk out if you are here.
Taking in the view.
After spending too long as usual, I made my way back along the ridge as the sun began to put in an appearance at last
Sgurr a’Bhasteir, The Red Cuillin, Sgurr nan Gillean and Am Basteir.
Am Basteir. Guess the climbers made it down ok.
Am Basteir once more. Well, it is pretty photogenic.
Another look to Bla Bheinn.
The Misty Isle began to live up to it’s name once more as I prepared to start descending. Clag rolled in almost instantly and followed my back down the choire.
The sun was out on the lower part of the choire and it was very pleasant to get down to shorts and t-shirt for the walkout.
Cloud hanging onto Glamaig.
A look back up from the main path.
One of the Lochans.
Getting on with the walk back to the car.
Turned into a very nice evening now.
By the time I got back to the car I was wishing I was still on the summit, which was now bathed in glorious sunshine.
As per normal for me, I spent far too long sitting on the summits taking in the surroundings and getting the camera into overdrive . But what the heck! I was on holiday with only a short drive back to the cottage, the weather was pretty good and I may never be back on that summit again. I tend to treat most summits like it may be my last, you never know.
Panoramic view approaching Sligachan.
A final shot at Sligachan.
Hills: Bruach na Frithe
Present: Just Me
Weather: Dry, warm but overcast till late on.
Distance: 9mls approx
Height Ascended: 3248ft approx
Time taken: 5hrs walking, 5hrs loafing.
Finally got round to starting my reports from my hols. Looking at the forecast for the first few days was just a bit depressing
. Rain seemed to be very much to the fore and it was proved right on the Saturday driving up to Skye. Heavy rain all the way to the top of Glen Coe where it dried up a bit and gave some real atmospheric conditions to gawp at while driving. It stayed dry all the way to Broadford after that but the Sunday was a washout for walking. Rain never halted all day as we drove round the North of the island with the mist down to road level at times . I planed to get up early on the Monday and catch the ferry to Rassay and head for Dun Cann, a hill I had wished to visit for a good number of years. Rain was still falling as I went to bed and it was still chucking it down when I looked out the window at 6am so I went back for some more zzz’s
. Turned out a bad decision , as the weather steadily improved by mid morning and turned into a right beautiful day which was not the forecast. Spent the day at Plockton with the family where it was wall to wall sunshine . Tuesday’s forecast was not great, so it was another family day exploring around the island. Visited Dunvegan Castle and then went onto the Toy Museum at Glendale (www.toy-museum.co.uk ). Highly recommend you give it a visit as next year will be it’s last year. The couple that run it are great and the bloke is a good story teller about all the old toys. You even get to play with some of them which was good fun for all ages
.Wednesday was at last looking like a good walking day, so I was up and eagerly heading for Bruach na Frithe.
Had to stop at Sligachan and grab a shot over the old bridge.
I had decided to go in from Glen Brittle as it had been a few years since I had been down that way. Previous visits to Skye had been a bit on the wet side so there was nothing to see.
Things were looking good with the clag just brushing the summits.
Parked up at the car park at NG423258 around 9.30am where there was only one other car parked up which belonged to a Skye Guide. I was soon off across the road and on the path up the Bealach a’Mhaim towards Sligachan.
Start of the path.
It’s a fairly good path that meanders it’s way up to the bealach and you soon reach the top and the first of several cairns.
Looking back down Glen Brittle.
Looking n/e towards Glamaig.
I continued on by the lochans for a bit before turning s/e towards Fionn Choire. The views were starting to open up as I made my way up over grassy ground.
Zoom out over Portree to The Storr.
Eventually I came across the main path heading up into the choire. The walking was a bit easier now and the route fairly obvious, being marked by cairns of various sizes. Clag was still clinging to the summits but was slowly rising as I made my ascent.
Path leading up the choire.
Clag going.
Going.
Gone
. Rocky going now and Sgurr a’Fionn Choire straight ahead.A look back down the choire.
The path steepens the higher up you go but there are no difficulties or exposure to be concerned about. Just a bit of loose scree now and again.
Bruach na Frithe summit in view at last.
On the ridge at last and the first view is straight across to Bla Bheinn.
Had a breather here and dumped the rucksack for a quick scramble up Sgurr a’Fionn Choire. Back down, I skirted round the base and onto the ridge again.
Bruach na Frithe.
Looking along the ridge as some more walkers making their way towards Bruach na Frithe.
Am Basteir, Sgurr nan Gillean and Sgurr a’Fionn Choire.
A wider view.
A short and easy scramble (easily bypassed on the left) brings you to the last few meters to the summit.
Panoramic along the ridge.
The summit.
A few minutes after I arrived at the summit the walkers coming from the other direction arrived. It was a guide and two clients. We chatted for a short while before they continued on their way along the ridge.
The walkers bypassing the scramble.
It was very pleasant on the summit with very little wind, though some more sunshine would have been nice to brighten things up a bit. The cloud just seemed to linger above the ridge while the rest of the island was enjoying sunshine. Time for some lunch and then get into photo mode
.Walkers on Sgurr nan Gillean.
Spot the walker abseiling off The Inn Pin.
Beinn na Caillich. Very tempted to do this one as it was right in front of our Cottage.
View across Loch Eynort and onto South Uist.
Zoom back down to the starting point.
Walkers on the summit of Sgurr nan Gillean.
Closer look.
They then embark on a serious looking downclimb.
Sgurr Alasdair and Sgurr Mhic Choinnich.
Glamaig.
Portree and The Storr.
Raasay and Dun Cann.
Bla Bheinn.
Panorama along the ridge.
Glamaig starts to catch some cloud.
Walkers summiting Am Basteir.
Video clip from my phone. http://flic.kr/p/agnN8d
Time was moving on and I thought I better get the summit poses and get underway myself
.The cloud was starting to skim the summits now.
After a very relaxing 2hrs on the summit myself I reluctantly got underway to Sgurr a’Bhasteir.
Panorama of Sgurr a’Bhasteir, Am Basteir and Sgurr a’Fionn Choire.
Looking along the ridge to Sgurr a’Bhasteir as the cloud rolls in.
My main reason for going to Sgurr a’Bhasteir was to get the views back to Am Basteir and Sgurr nan Gillean.
Am Basteir and the Basteir Tooth. Spot the walkers on the skyline for scale.
View across Sligachan, Loch Sligachan and Raasay.
As I was making my way along the ridge one of the RAF’s finest came blasting by and for a change I had my zoom lens on
.Gotcha!
Sligachan. Had a meal in here one of the days. Not very impressed with it I am sad to say
.The view I was looking for. Pinnacle Ridge of Sgurr nan Gillean
.The Red Cuillin.
Err! After you
. Two climbers about to drop down onto the Basteir Tooth.The walk out to Sgurr a’Bhasteir is narrow in places but no real difficulties and it makes a fantastic view point . I recommend you take the walk out if you are here.
Taking in the view.
After spending too long as usual, I made my way back along the ridge as the sun began to put in an appearance at last
Sgurr a’Bhasteir, The Red Cuillin, Sgurr nan Gillean and Am Basteir.
Am Basteir. Guess the climbers made it down ok.
Am Basteir once more. Well, it is pretty photogenic.
Another look to Bla Bheinn.
The Misty Isle began to live up to it’s name once more as I prepared to start descending. Clag rolled in almost instantly and followed my back down the choire.
The sun was out on the lower part of the choire and it was very pleasant to get down to shorts and t-shirt for the walkout.
Cloud hanging onto Glamaig.
A look back up from the main path.
One of the Lochans.
Getting on with the walk back to the car.
Turned into a very nice evening now.
By the time I got back to the car I was wishing I was still on the summit, which was now bathed in glorious sunshine.
As per normal for me, I spent far too long sitting on the summits taking in the surroundings and getting the camera into overdrive
. But what the heck! I was on holiday with only a short drive back to the cottage, the weather was pretty good and I may never be back on that summit again. I tend to treat most summits like it may be my last, you never know.Panoramic view approaching Sligachan.
A final shot at Sligachan.
