Five sisters of Kintail

[Frigate]

A weekend trip away for all team members on the May holiday, bunked up at the Ratagan Hostel for 3 nights. After a protracted planning meeting where we only just had enough bottles and cans to make a 3D map of all the hills in scotland the route of the five sisters was picked.

Looks easy from here

After a 01.30 lights out an early revellie was sounded by Ian Bayne at 06.00 with a rousing chorus of 'the sun has got his hat on hip hip hooray', very rousing for one person not in our group.
Breakfast, packing etc, left the hostel at 07.45 to drop off a car opposite the Kintail Lodge Hotel and drive to the layby for the Bealach an Lapain access. On the hill for 08.30 and the sweating started, a crabbing traverse bought us up to Bealach nan Spainteach under Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe and on to the ridge.

Climbing above the tree line

Up to thr Bealach nan Spainteach

The cloud level which was just below the tops as we started out retreated upwards to give clear views and pepper us with light hail/frozen rain showers in the keen northerly wind.
The scenery to the north was really impressive with gouged and riven steep sides of Beinn Fhada and Meall an Fhuarain Mhor, exposed slabs of fractured rock above Gleann Lichd. The ridge over Ciste Duibhe, na Carach, Fhuaran and nan Saighead made for some fine walking. Particularly around the east cliffs and north east face of Sgurr na Saighead. Couple of exposed bits here above the slabs of rock where the updraft rustled the hair - well not mine.

1st/last house in Glen Shiel

Descent started over Beinn Bhuidhe and not being purists Sgurr na Moraich did not appeal (on this trip at least)

Should this be the Pap of Glen Shiel

Followed the good path along the Alt a' Chruinn and down to the village, the final part of the descent (200m) had been flagged with stones to stop erosion but in my opinion it made for hard walking.

Loch Duich, the home straight

Had a short double shuffle to pick up the cars and see them safely consigned to the Kintail Lodge car park where we repaired inside for a light refreshment.
Unfortunately they don't start to serve food until six so we just had to wait, something to pass the time until the next planning meeting.

With Pigeon, Huck Finn, Jim, Ian Bayne and the dug Jake.

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[Huck Finn]

It was a good day, i really enjoyed this one, but i do agree, the walk of the hill was a sore one on the knees

[monty]

Nice report Frigate. Thats a nice walk although the clag, hailstones and steep ascent must have made it seem like the wrong hill choice initially. Cleared up nicely though.

[Ian Bayne]

Good report kev you must have been taking notes to remember all that detail all i know i was ******** it was a good haul all the samea good start to a good weekend

[pigeon]

Good one Kev,think the 3D map was more like the munro's and the corbett's combined

[Frigate]

Cheers Monty, if I lose another stone I might get some long walks in (or am I running out of short hills?)

Ian, still had a brain cell left after the 'planning meeting'

Pigeon, think I said ALL scottish hills, the recycle bin was full

[Huck Finn]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pNfo2GAn2M&feature=youtu.be