Carn Eige sandwich! Mam Sodhail and Beinn Fhionnlaidh.

[haringit]

I'd been to Glen Affric a few times, at the Tom a' Choinich/Toll Creagach walk car park. Some wooded areas here but nothing much to speak of. Also,to the top end of the glen, which has a bare and unforgiving look about it. So i'd always wondered where Glen Affric got its title of " The Most Beautiful Glen In Scotland." Untill today!
I started from the car park at the end of the public road at 11.00am and headed along the track to Affric Lodge. Low cloud was breaking up fast, the sun was out but clag was still holding onto some of the distant peaks. The lodge was the starting place of the fine scenery.

A good path veers right from the lodge and leads into the heart of the stunning Caladonian pine forest above Loch Affric.

Kinda wished i'd chosen this route for my An Socach/Mullach na Dheiragain walk even if it is a few extra miles. The scenery would've jogged along my tired feet.
Lots of insects on the wing today, some nice to look at;

Nice dragonfly!

Some not so nice;

Fiendish clegg. Hopeful and trying her luck on my rucksack!

Yes, cleggs were out in their droves today, and I know from past experinces that a T-shirt is no barrier to their bloodlust. I reached the bottom of Coire Coulavie and took the path it houses. This tops out onto the ridge just below and south of Mam Sodhail cone. Thought this path would've been much wetter. Struggled with the heat and cleggs, was glad when the remnants of the now lifted clag drifted in front of the sun.

Coire Leachavie

Looking down Coire Leachavie

The corrie wall

From the ridge top;

Sgurr nan Ceathremhnan

The view north

A quick shimmy to the top of Mam Sodhail then sat for a bite to eat. A couple of other walkers had beat me to the top.

Beinn Fhionnlaidh and Carn Eige from Mam Sodhail

Decided to do Beinn Fhionnlaidh next. Cut straight accross Carn Eige's west flank from the col and picked up on the far side path running north from Eige's summit.

Beinn Fhionnlaidh

Dumped my bag at the foot of B.F. and wasn't too long 'till I'd topped out. Stopped and chatted to another walker en route.

Loch Mullardoch from the summit.

Carn Eige from B.F.

Now for what's possibly the hardest part of the walk, The ascent of Carn Eige ~ and my last Munro on mainland Scotland!

Many rests later - Carn Eige's summit.

Took the ridge route back via An Leth-chreag then dropped the 100 odd meters to Garth-bealach in what seemed like the width of 10 meters.

The ridge to An Leth-chreag

Started descending from the bealach aiming in a generally straight line for the burn in Gleann nam Fiadh. Had some crags to negotiate before dropping down to the next step of Coire Mhic Fhearchair.

Looking up Gleann nam Fiadh

Joined up with the path over the moor between Sgurr na Lapaich and the Am Meallan bump which meanders down to Affric lodge. Not as wet as I thought it would be.
Spotted a noisey raven harrying an eagle! Too far away for pictures.
Also a red legged partridge family. The tiny chicks were pecking at the roadside when I stopped the car for a photo. Before I could get the camera ready they'd squeezed through and dissappeared like water into the vegetation. I wasn't risking standing on one chasing them like some paparattzi (sp?) guy. No photos there either!

[PeteR]

Some nice photos you have there. Great weather you had for these Still got them to do so always good to see a report on them. Keep hoping to get there some time this year....but we'll just have to wait and see. Prefer to do them when the Cleggs have gone

[haringit]

Hahaha, yes Peter I recommend that, I couldn't even sit and rest for long!

[Collaciotach]

My abiding memory from a forestry visit to Glen Affric ..... clegs

Never seen them as bad anywhere else but they are coarse here this Summer !

Grand report , I ll wait till the clegs is gone before im back in Affric

[rockhopper]

Enjoyed that - and only a few left on the islands for you now It's a great area with some cracking views on good days like this - was also lucky to get good weather and a camp just below Carn Eige - cheers

[haringit]

Enjoyed that - and only a few left on the islands for you now It's a great area with some cracking views on good days like this - was also lucky to get good weather and a camp just below Carn Eige - cheers

Yup, only 6 left Shouldn't be too long now!