free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
My first post on this site was a beautifull day on Beinn Eighe, blue skies, see for miles, well 3 days previous to that we had an epic on Beinn Alligan, and shows the vagriancies of Scottish Winter.
Reading several route descriptions we were anticipating a relatively short day (7hrs) so we had a late relaxed drive to the start of the walk, our wives dropped us off at 10am and we said we should be back by 5 and we could then go out for a meal, after all it was Valentines day.
We made reasonable time into Coire nan Laogh,
![RIMG0140.JPG]()
- View from Coire nan Laogh
![RIMG0143.JPG]()
- Looking up Coire nan Laogh
quick drink and onto the summit of Tom na Gruagaich
![IMG_0014.JPG]()
- Me on Summit of Tom na Gruagaich
![RIMG0145.JPG]()
- View from Tom na Gruagaich to Sgurr Mhor
The weather was a bit overcast and the cloudbase starting to drop but it was still a pleasant enough day. We dropped off the summit down the North ridge, as the clouds continued to drift in we could see very little at all
Still onwards and upwards we summitted Sgurr Mhor
and stopped for the customary Brew.
![RIMG0149.JPG]()
- Dave on Summit
We then dropped down to the col before starting the horns. By this time it was starting to snow steadily, the wind was picking up and we could see very little. After some discussion we decided that not having done the route before, no visible bypass path and the poor conditions our best option would be to retrace our steps.
Using terrain and compass we got back to the summit of Sgurr Mhor and on checking we found we had mobile signal, so quick message to the wives, voice mail & text, they were not answering to say we would be a little late, about 7pm.
We continued on our merry way followed the compass down Sgurr Mhor to pick up the ridge for Tom na Gruagaich
![RIMG0150.JPG]()
- Start of ridge back up Tom na Gruagaich, when visibility was briefly improved
We eventually got back to the summit of Tom na Gruagaich, still not able to see much, but again rang/texted the wives to let them know we were ok and would be nearer 7.30, again no answer.
We followed the compass to the col, and then back down the Corrie, which had now got a good 6inchs more snow than when we went up. We then walked out with head torches finally getting back to the car park for 7.45.
Calamity, no car
no mobile signal
We assummed they had given up waiting and gone to get something to eat without us, so we sat down to wait, they have a history of being in Coffee Shops when supposed to be picking us up
About 5 mins later one of them turns up in the car, we start to get up and get shouted at "Get in we have Mountain Recsue on standby for you 2!" Aparantly when we were not back by 7pm they got a bit worried as we are usually pretty accurate with our timings. We jump in and drive back to the Hotel where Daves wife was in contact with the police and able to stand MR down as we were down safely and wondering what all the fuss was about, after all we had constanly been leaving messages with our progress.
I must say the MR were very profesional with my wife, putting her at ease whilst getting all the relevant information about our route, equipment and relative skills. After which they said if we were not down by 10pm the would call they team out. We would have been popular on Valentines Day.
When we got in the car, most restaurants were closed, theres not many open in Torriden in winter at the best of times, but we eventually found one and persuaded the Chef to cook us something.
as we sat down to the meal the wives phones suddenly starting pinging with texts and voicemails, they had been out of signal all day
One good suggestion my wife made, which I think is worth passing on, is that when we had signal we could have changed our voicemail message to update our progess, so then when she had rung from a phone box she would have had an update even when we were out of signal. Something I'll always remember for the future.
Still alls well that end well
