- from the campsite
Starting from the Sligachan hotel at 8am we were quickly on our way at a cracking pace up the well made path. My legs were certainly feeling stronger after a week of living outdoors. We took the path up to the left of Pinnacle Ridge to go up the south-east ridge, sometimes known as the Tourist Route. I don't like this name, it makes it sound easy and it isn't. I hope it doesnt encourage people to go out ill-equipped and get stuck.
As the path rises up the hill the views open up towards Marsco then Blabheinn and up Glen Sligachan.
- this wee lochan has orchids and water lilies but not in flower. classic calendar view over to Marsco
- waterfall
- Bla bheinn with yesterday's snow
Sadly the brave lady who had fallen on Wednesday had to turn back with her husband at about the 600metre point as she was finding it too painful. we were all very sad but promised to meet later in the bar for a well-earned pint. so the five of us continued, hitting the ridge just after eleven o'clock. That was another "Wow" moment with the sprinkling of snow from the day before really accentuating the features of the mountains.
- pano of the Cuillin from the southeast ridge of Sgurr nan Gillean. Really no picture can do it justice.
A wee rest here for a bite and a drink and a chance to soak in the wild beauty of the place before the hard scramble up the ridge to the top. this was quite tricky in places especially with patches of snow on the north side of the ridge, and especially the very last few feet to the top which is narrow with nothing to hold on to.
- Expert guiding up the tricky bits, "take your time now"
- from near the top west to Am Basteir , Sgurr a Fionn Choire and Bruach na Frithe
- just up here and along that flat bit now
- The Top of Sgurr nan Gillean
So now, where do we go? Oh, down there!! Really??
the climb down from Sgurr nan Gillean was pretty tricky and there was a biting wind whistling up the northern corries as we zig zagged down the ridge. The north side was freezing cold and covered in rime frost, but on the south we were out of the wind and warmer. We were roped together and hooked the rope between us over rocks as we went, but all came down safely with no slips.
- Graham organising the rope for the way down
there's a short pitch where we were lowered off one by one
- Rudolph being lowered off
onto the cold side of the hill.
- rime frost on the cold side
Second lunch at the bealach before leaving our bags with rocks on them as we did worry a little about them rolling off down the hill into Lota Corrie, then we scrambled up the east side of Am Basteir. actually this was fairly straightforward apart from the "bad step" where there is a notch in the ridge. We were lowered off/climbed down with a rope here but it's only about eight feet or so. Returning the same way we also got to use the rope to climb up again and back to the bags.
- Top of am Basteir
After this all the tricky scrambling was over. we bypassed Am Basteir to the north and a quick pull up a fairly normal path took us to the summit of Bruach na Frithe
- nearly cracked it!
- Done it!!!
- No actually this is the top, that's just the trig pillar
- Oh all right then!
- and here's our fabbie guide - another good week at the office! he gets a day off tomorrow.
The walk back to the Slig was great. we could see where we were going all the way to the bar, good brisk bounce over nice grass and not boggy due to the recent dry spell.
We all met up including our two missing companions for a pint in Seamus' bar at the Slig. Mine was a pint of tea, can't beat it!! A lovely evening for the classic Sligachan photo, and after all too short a time we took our leave with hugs all round.
- A perfect end to a perfect week. Sgurr nan Gillean on the left, Am Basteir with its tooth in the middle, you can see the "bad step" halfway up, and Sgurr a' Bhasteir on the right concealing bruach na frithe
What a great week you had. Love that 'rime frost on the cold side' photo.
) so I'd like the names of guides that folk here can vouch for.
