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So EJ is well into his completion count down now which means as a relatively inexperienced walker I'm getting to do some weird and wonderful hills (I long for a mid morning start in the Cairngorms).
Early start and I pick up Johnny before heading racing on Fochabers to pick Jennifer up at 6.
We meet EJ in the car park and are soon heading off. Considering the forecast the sky looks good and Jennifer even gets the suntan lotion out.
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- Looking good
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- Quite a walk in
Its along walk in through the glen but pleasant in the morning sun. After crossing the river and heading SW we're soon gaining height, when suddenly we're up on the bealach and hit by the wind...so MWIS wasn't lying about the 60mph "gusts" and by gusts I mean its constant.
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- Are we climbing yet?
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- Getting there
Feels like bracing against the wind at every step as the path zig zags up to Sgurr Choinnich and at one point my glasses get blown off my face. Ski goggles on to stop that happening again - hope we don't bump into anyone.
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- A little breezy on top
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- Views are pretty good
We finally make it to the summit and it is blowy so we quickly drop down to the next bealach, in almost no time we're on Sgurr a Chaorachain.
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- Still a long way to go
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- what a place
After sheltering from the wind at the cairn we head NE down the shoulder to the bealach with Maoile Lunndaidh. Recuperating in the shelter with sandwiches its decision time...number 3 or head home. Well it is sheltered and a long walk for one hill on its own so we decide to go for it.
The pull is steep but we soon make the plateau and we're hitting the wind again. Forgot about that! Next thing we know the long awaited "showers" start. By shower I mean full on prolonged horizontal rain, and its too windy to get on waterproof trousers!!
Well the plateau is large and open so we had a lot of fun finding the cairn in poor visibility (camera is well away at this point) before quickly making a break NW for the glen...the wind will be easier down there surely?
I have never been as wet by the time we fll into the walker's shelter at Glenuaig...thank you to whoever looks after that! After wringing out our socks we make a break for it and march the long walk out along the landrover track back to the cars.
Well at least we've got the bunkhouse to look forward too
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- Weird behaviour at Gerry's bunkhouse
