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Had a fine morning walking over part of Quinag.
This would be the sixth time I've done a walk including Spidean Coinich but only the third time I've gone further than the 745m top. On this occasion I was interested in getting some early morning pictures from both Spidean and of the crags on the 687m top.
Why so many visits including Spidean Conich? Well I would place it as one of the twenty best viewpoints in Scotland. A little difficult to capture why in a photo but just seeing an inviting ridge laid out before you with the sea and islands as backdrop for me makes the ideal mountain view. That is what you get when you look north and all around there are other great views including the Assynt coast, Suilven, Ben More Assynt and Loch Assynt.
For the benefit of anyone else going this way I'd point out that to pick up the new path to the east ridge of Spidean you have to walk for half a kilometre before reaching the turn off. Next thing to bear in mind is that it is worth keeping to the path from the 620m top onwards as you can otherwise end up in unnecessary boulder field battles, as I have done in the past.
Felt like a long descent at Bealach a Chronaidh (in fact only 144m) but the 176m climb up the other side is softened by the gently angled path that contours along the east side of the 745m top.
From the 745m top itself there is an amazing view of the ridge beyond with some dramatic sheer cliffs and crags falling away to the west of the 687m top. In amongst these is a narrow protrusion that, as others here have pointed out, provides a great platform for photographs, whether to pose on or to shoot from. Descent to this point and ascent to the 687m top beyond is quick and easy so a worthwhile detour for anyone looking for impressive views to photograph.
![DSCN0436.JPG]()
- sun rising
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- wayside pool at the dip in the south/east ridge
![DSCN0475.JPG]()
- the way north
![DSCN0568.JPG]()
- cloud rolling in from the north east
![DSCN0531.JPG]()
- the 687m top and its crags
![DSCN0562.JPG]()
- shoogly looking protrusion
![DSCN0586.JPG]()
- more crags; foreground is the north side of the 745m top
