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A perfect day on the western Fannichs

A perfect day on the western Fannichs


Postby dogplodder » Wed Feb 29, 2012 10:17 pm

Route description: Sgùrr Breac & A' Chailleach: Western Fannichs

Munros included on this walk: A' Chailleach (Fannichs), Sgùrr Breac

Date walked: 05/06/2010

Distance: 19 km

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Parked with gizmogirl at the usual spot close to the track for Loch a Bhraoin. From the car the two westerly Fannichs looked stunning and since they were our target for the day it got our juices flowing right from the start. :D

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We followed the excellent path to the loch and after a short distance turned off to the right to head up the slope of Leitr Fhearna, the path winding its way through some rocky parts but nothing difficult. Once on the top of the nose the ridge levels out and it's a good excuse for a breather so the cameras came out. :lol:

Me taking her (with Sgurr Breac behind)
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Her taking me (with An Teallach wreathed in fluffy cloud behind)
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The ridge at this point is flat and full of peat gullies which we avoided by taking a line to the right.

Loch a Bhraoin from Druim Reidh
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The path up the ridge leading to Tomain Coinich
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Being warned not to follow the path heading for the col between Tomain Coinich and A'Chailleach we kept to the path on the crest of the ridge which faded in and out a bit. The line we took skirted the top of Tomain Coinich to the west side as we were climbing A'Chailleach first. We later met two guys who had taken the lower path and they confirmed that the rocky section wasn't too pleasant so thanks Walkhighlands for the heads up.

Loch Toll an Lochain from col between Tomain Coinich and A'Chailleach
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View east from A'Chailleach over Tomain Coinich to Sgurr Breac
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After reaching the summit I took a wander a bit further west to take some pics and wouldn't have minded going back that way - except we had another hill to climb in the east! :D

The Fisherfields
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The Torridons and Slioch
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Slioch
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Summit of A'Chailleach from west
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Summit shot of gizmogirl closer up
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After soaking in the views and having a bite to eat we retraced our steps back to the col to reclimb Tomain Coinich on the way to Sgurr Breac.

From the col south east to Loch Fannich
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Loch Fannich again
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An Teallach from the south slope of Tomain Coinich
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Looking back along the ridge to A'Chailleach
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View west from Sgurr Breac
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Looking over the ridge of Druim Reidh (which we had walked up) towards An Teallach
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On the top we met a chap with a very serious looking camera who kindly took shots of us with our tiny compact cameras. At this point we saw our first dark cloud of the day but it didn't come to anything.

Sgurr Breac summit shot with Sgurr nan Clach Geala behind
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From the top of Sgurr Breac we followed the path east down to join the path running down the right side of the Allt Breabaig. Even lower down it was too early in the year to be bothered with midgies. :D

North face of Sgurr Breac from the path along the Allt Breabaig
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Looking back the way we came down the Allt Breabaig
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Once back at the car this was the view of our hills in the late afternoon sun
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It was a perfect day rounded off with excellent food in the Aultguish. :D :thumbup:
Last edited by dogplodder on Thu Mar 01, 2012 11:26 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: A perfect day on the western Fannichs

Postby Scotjamie » Wed Feb 29, 2012 10:36 pm

Thanks dogplodder - a thoroughly enjoyable (and very helpful) WR with smashing pics on a great looking day....
wonder if it gets any better :)
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Re: A perfect day on the western Fannichs

Postby dogplodder » Thu Mar 01, 2012 11:57 am

Scotjamie wrote:wonder if it gets any better :)


I reckon it couldn't have got any better - except (for me) having the dogs along too!
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Re: A perfect day on the western Fannichs

Postby soulminer » Thu Mar 01, 2012 12:25 pm

Very similar to the day I did these two, with the exception of a cloud on each summit :) Sent my mate Doogz a picture of me and the dog on the summit of Breac , he posted it online only to discover- from replies, I was under the only cloud in Scotland that day :lol: :lol: It was very reassuring I can tell you :lol:
A great pair of hills all the same, I took the traverse path, but did not find it that bad- but I did know what to expect on route.
Cheers.
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Re: A perfect day on the western Fannichs

Postby dogplodder » Thu Mar 01, 2012 2:35 pm

soulminer wrote:A great pair of hills all the same, I took the traverse path, but did not find it that bad- but I did know what to expect on route.


That was certainly the more logical line to take - but the warning managed to put us off. :?
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Re: A perfect day on the western Fannichs

Postby BlackPanther » Thu Mar 01, 2012 2:38 pm

Lovely :D I think any mountain in the Fannichs is a good viewpoint, being so close to AnTeallach, Fisherfield hills and Torridon as well.
I checked my diary and we did these two Munros almost exactly a year after you, on the 12th of June 2011. Weather was similar, just a bit more cloudy and we walked through a couple of short showers. Our route was yours in reverse and I remember the path down the steep side of Druim Reidh was very slippy.
Three weeks ago we visited Loch a Bhraoin again, to climb Creag Rainich, a Corrbett on the opposite side of the loch. It's a fantastic area to walk even for non-climbers. Now I'm thinking of tackling Sgurr Ban and Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair from this point, see what weather allows this summer. :D :D
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Re: A perfect day on the western Fannichs

Postby Johnny Corbett » Thu Mar 01, 2012 3:15 pm

I've had one outing to the Fannichs so far on a mixed day and still loved it. You got a superb day. I have two more outings planned to finish them and hopefully i get days like you got :D
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Re: A perfect day on the western Fannichs

Postby ChrisW » Thu Mar 01, 2012 4:35 pm

Lovely report of a fine day out DP, I like the 'you taking her taking you' pics, made me smile, I'm glad you got such great conditions so we can all share in the beautiful views. really enjoyed this, cheers :D
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Re: A perfect day on the western Fannichs

Postby dogplodder » Thu Mar 01, 2012 7:40 pm

BlackPanther wrote:Three weeks ago we visited Loch a Bhraoin again, to climb Creag Rainich, a Corrbett on the opposite side of the loch. It's a fantastic area to walk even for non-climbers. :D :D


I've just recently started on the Corbetts so thanks for the idea of Creag Rainich for a shorter day! :D
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Re: A perfect day on the western Fannichs

Postby dogplodder » Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:51 pm

Johnny Corbett wrote:I've had one outing to the Fannichs so far on a mixed day and still loved it. You got a superb day. I have two more outings planned to finish them and hopefully i get days like you got :D


I read somwhere that it always rains in the Fannichs. :( Well on two occasions I got torrential rain and aborted after one hill when the intention had been to do more but on 4 other occasions I got fine days with great views. So here's hoping for the same for you the next time you go! :D
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Re: A perfect day on the western Fannichs

Postby dogplodder » Fri Mar 02, 2012 9:27 am

soulminer wrote:Sent my mate Doogz a picture of me and the dog on the summit of Breac , he posted it online only to discover- from replies, I was under the only cloud in Scotland that day :lol: :lol:


Here's me and the dogs on the summit of Sgurr nan Each when MWIS had predicted 70% cloud free summits. Visibility was nil and it rained so much we had some interesting burn crossings on the return! :lol:
DSC00784-large.jpg
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Re: A perfect day on the western Fannichs

Postby mikewest » Fri Mar 02, 2012 11:56 am

dogplodder wrote:
Johnny Corbett wrote:I've had one outing to the Fannichs so far on a mixed day and still loved it. You got a superb day. I have two more outings planned to finish them and hopefully i get days like you got :D


I read somwhere that it always rains in the Fannichs. :( Well on two occasions I got torrential rain and aborted after one hill when the intention had been to do more but on 4 other occasions I got fine days with great views. So here's hoping for the same for you the next time you go! :D


I did this section of the Fannaichs at Easter 1974, in cloudless skies, bothying at The Nest (I understand it's no longer there). Return was via Nan Each, Clach Geala, Sg Mor and Grasgaidh, climbing through mist to a sea of cloud and more hot sunshine. Hamish Brown was in the middle of his long walk and we exchanged correspondence regarding this day's weather when I later found one of his notes in a cairn on Meall na Teanga. I did the rest of the Fannaichs the following year, but in winter cloud.
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Re: A perfect day on the western Fannichs

Postby dogplodder » Fri Mar 02, 2012 10:18 pm

ChrisW wrote:Lovely report of a fine day out DP, I like the 'you taking her taking you' pics, made me smile, I'm glad you got such great conditions so we can all share in the beautiful views. really enjoyed this, cheers :D


Thanks Chris. It really was a fab day! :D
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Re: A perfect day on the western Fannichs

Postby dogplodder » Fri Mar 02, 2012 10:38 pm

mikewest wrote:I did this section of the Fannaichs at Easter 1974, in cloudless skies, bothying at The Nest (I understand it's no longer there). Return was via Nan Each, Clach Geala, Sg Mor and Grasgaidh, climbing through mist to a sea of cloud and more hot sunshine. Hamish Brown was in the middle of his long walk and we exchanged correspondence regarding this day's weather when I later found one of his notes in a cairn on Meall na Teanga. I did the rest of the Fannaichs the following year, but in winter cloud.


I read Hamish Brown's book about his long walk but it was before I'd climbed most of them and I think I'd have got more out of it if I read it now that I've done more!
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