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Well this was the weekend of the much anticipated WH Summer meet - my first and an opportunity to meet up with some of the folk on here. Could I handle it? Could I handle Skye?? Having been up for a scrambling course on the island a few weekends ago I was nervously looking forward to putting my new skills through their paces, preferably in the company of a few other people who knew what they were doing.
The forecast for the weekend kept getting worse over the week before - windspeed predictions went from "strong" to "gales" and rainfall prediction also increased - what was I letting myself in for? Ach well, it's a possibility the forecasters might be a little wrong and we'll get out to do something...
Driving up after work on Friday night looked as if there might be something in that - some late sunshine, little wind and the hills mostly in view. Arrived at Sligachan about 8.30 and pitched in a comfy looking spot, midges were even subdued - which was a good thing as I'd forgotten to bring my midge net
Sligachan Campsite on arrival
P1030686 by
23weasels, on Flickr
River Sligachan - The calm before the storm...
P1030687 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Off to the pub - note the dry grass around the tent...
P1030688 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Over to the Pub and first meeting with a crew of other WHers, who were mostly staying in the Bunkhouse with the exception of hardy souls like ourselves, PeteR & The Rodmeister. After a short visit up to the Bunkhouse to see how the other half lived we headed back in the dark to our little abode for the night. Still dry, not much wind either. All that was to change about 2am when the promised storm descended upon us. Winds shrieked, pushing the tent into strange shapes and the rain hammered down for much of the night. We could hear campers around us getting packed up through the night - wimps! we thought. However, in the morning we found that we were kind of floating...the campsite had become extremely waterlogged and we were in our own private pond for about 6 inches under the tent. And the groundsheet was not doing too good a job of keeping the waters at bay. There we were, floating inside the tent on our airbeds with the worrying thought that the river nearby might spill its banks and take us off downstream.
Tent in the morning
where's everyone gone???
P1030689 by
23weasels, on Flickr
After lying in increasingly soggy sleeping bags for a while as the waters rose around us, I reckoned we needed to move...problem was it was still pouring and blowing a gale. Managed to move uphill to a non-flooded area, noticing that what had been a moderately busy campsite the night before was now something of a ghost-site, and re-pitched - unfortunately sustaining a pole breakage in the process
My DIY skills with gaffer tape saved the day, but did leave me anxious about how the tent would stand up to the even stronger winds that were forecast. We ended up staying in the tent most of the day, braving the blasting wind and drumming rain in our soggy sleeping quarters to prevent a "Dorothy in the wiz of oz" moment. It wasn't much of a day for doing anything outdoors anyway, disappointing when we'd come up for the Cuillin...
Seeking refuge in the car
P1030690 by
23weasels, on Flickr
About 5pm the rains abated and the sun even came out for a microsecond. tried to get the bags aired in the still strong - but quite warm- wind then headed over to the Pub for a meal and gathering of the Meet. Enjoyed the evening, Allison's re-branding as "the sickly child of Walk Highlands" - cheers Davey! and even the bit where Allison and myself were "volunteered" with no get out clause to arrange the next meet
The back to the warmth of the bunkhouse for a few (more) whiskies, nobly turning down offers to stay the night up in the warm and dry environs. No, we would brave the delights of an injured tent and wet sleeping bags. Fortunately the whisky numbed any pain (and the fumes of it within the tent worked well as a midge repellant
). The Sunday forecast wasn't that much better according to MWIS - less rain but still 40-60mph winds...damn.
A little hungover, but desperate to do something we hooked up with PeteR who had targeted Bla Bheinn as being the most suitable hill to try on a challenging weather day.
P1030692 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Headed along to Broadford, then down the little road alongside Loch Slapin to the car park. The hills were brooding ominously in rainclouds and it looked like being a "full waterproofs" day right from the start.
P1030696 by
23weasels, on Flickr
P1030697 by
23weasels, on Flickr
The path from the roadside, along Allt na Dunaiche, made for reasonably easy going, passing some impressive falls along the way.
P1030700 by
23weasels, on Flickr
P1030701 by
23weasels, on Flickr
The obligatory river crossing to vex Allison - not as full or rapid as might have been the case given the 2 metres or so of rainfall we'd endured in the preceeding 24 hours
P1030702 by
23weasels, on Flickr
It's up there, somewhere...
P1030705 by
23weasels, on Flickr
View over to An Stac & beyond
P1030708 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Back to Loch Slapin
P1030710 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Looking to West - views improving
P1030712 by
23weasels, on Flickr
We headed round into Coire Uaigneich then up the scree slopes where we met some walkers on the descent - who had no views at all from the summit. Stopped for lunch at the top of the scree pull and ensured that the raven who sat eying us carefully throughout got a bit of my peanut butter & jam piece
P1030713 by
23weasels, on Flickr
The next section was over some bigger rocks, but nothing challenging. Weather was - incredibly - clearing and allowing us views over to the main ridge. PeteR had obviously worked his "visible summit window of opportunity" timing he'd spoken of earlier to good effect
The contrast between the Red Cuillin to our right and the Black ones ahead was breathtaking.
P1030714 by
23weasels, on Flickr
P1030715 by
23weasels, on Flickr
P1030716 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Approaching the top
P1030718 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Clach Glas
P1030720 by
23weasels, on Flickr
View to Raasay
P1030722 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Main Ridge
P1030724 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Red Cuillin
P1030725 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Loch an Athain
P1030729 by
23weasels, on Flickr
P1030733 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Got up to the trig point and looked out at the astounding scene for a bit then quite fancied a nip over to the south top - hmm - got about halfway along the little ledge before thinking twice and making my way back to the main top - probably not something to do with the remains of a hangover.
South top with raven pair
P1030734 by
23weasels, on Flickr
P1030735 by
23weasels, on Flickr
By this time we'd been joined by another group and there was much sitting and looking at the vista across from us.
P1030736 by
23weasels, on Flickr
"sickly child" gets raven flypast - probably seeing if she's dead yet
P1030737 by
23weasels, on Flickr
P1030738 by
23weasels, on Flickr
First Skye Munro for me!
P1030741 by
23weasels, on Flickr
P1030744 by
23weasels, on Flickr
The walk back down was following the same route -
P1030751 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Low level rainbow
P1030752 by
23weasels, on Flickr
P1030756 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Rain threatened a few times, but by the time we were back at the car the sun was shining and waterproofs had been discarded.
Look - even some blue sky!
P1030758 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Was really pleased to have got a hill out of this weekend given the weather and the views from the top put the icing on the cake. Nice to have some company apart from the "sickly child of walk highlands" for a change too (she's off to see her GP today with suspected tonsillitis
) My first blue balloon on the feared isle of Skye has been planted
