Sgurr Dubh too much!

[haringit]

Back at the Memorial Hut after a nights camping, 5.00am and i'm freezing, (6 degrees C on the car therm,) i'm tired and hungry. Dry bread and corned beef sarnies were the order of the day, oh, and Jaffa Cakes! (BOGOF .) Took half an hour to eat and prepare my packed lunch before setting off into the clear morning. Made my way along to the path up from the campsite, bees buzzing in the flowering sycamores lining the initial route. A lovely morning!
Started my ascent upon reaching the path.
A bit tired from yesterdays walk up Sgurr Alasdair, so I wasn't expecting any gold medals today.
A pair of black throated divers on a lochan as I passed, my second sighting ever of these birds.
I thought i'd be the sole person around this time of the morning but I bumped into a nice chap meandering about trying to photograph deer. He spurred me to take a few of photos for myself en route.

Drinker moth caterpiller.

Common spotted orchid.

Common milkweed.

Jura

Another pair of black throated divers on a lochan further on. These two noisier than the last, quite a ruccus for such a demure looking bird.
Fringed the buttress of Sron na Ciche and ascended in earnest toward Coir' a' Ghunnda, first sun of the morning greeting me face on. So nice after my cold start. It didn't last long. A little scramble into the shaded corrie then headed around the lochans north shore, aiming for the col between Caisteal a' Garbh-choire and Sgurr Dubh na Da Bhienn

At the head of the col.

to pick up on the route from Sgurr na Eag once on the other side.

Coir' a' Ghunnda

Some of the nastiest, crazy looking rocks in the world.

Once there the crag on the left had to be circumnavigated so had to drop down a sketchy scree path, crossing over large boulders and onto another scree path as soon as was possible for an ascent onto Sgurr Dubh na Da Bhienn west ridge.
Was feeling a tad daunted by this stage. Pretty much in the guts of the Cuillin and surrounded by a jumble of towering rocks. It didn't help sliding on scree and catching my shin on a intruding rock. I did think about returning but there was no pain despite blood forming a lump at one end of the graze.
Ascended the scree onto SDnaDB's ridge and had a breather on the little shoulder at its head. Bands of scrambling involved up SDnaDB seperated by well trodden platforms near the top. Tried going left before the summit to reach the ridge leading to Sgurr Dubh Mor but couldn't, then I tried right, still no can do. Only one option available - over the very top! Spirits lifted when I saw the connecting ridge stretch before me.

Sgurr Alasdair from SDnaDB.

Sgurr na Eag.

Sgurr Dubh Mor

A short scramble down and onto a path on the right hand side of the apex which I mistakenly stuck to. More route finding and scrambling to get back up onto the end of the ridge and past a couple of huge boulders for SDM's climb. Found a grassy ledge with path so walked it 'till it ended and climbed up, the rest was a bit of a blurr except for one point where I found myself having to snake under a protruding, rounded rock while trying not to catch my rucksack. Before I knew it my head had popped over the edge and onto the summit.

Summit!

Walked to the other top too!
Had to find my way back now. The only problem I encountered was having to cross the protruding, rounded rock again. A different tactic had to be executed this time. Both hands on the opposite side, pull and bend my body around it.
Right hand side of the ridge for the return, much easier to avoid the huge boulders. Droped down screes, ascended again then crossed the apex for the left side path.
Enjoyed a well earned break back in Coir' a' Ghrunnda for some not so mouth watering cornedbeef sandwiches. Yum!

Glen Garry on the drive back.

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