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"And even if I came in sight of paradise, what price its moon without Blaven?" asks Gaelic poet Sorley MacLean. My own fascination with Blaven began in 1986 on holiday in a friend's cottage on the Sleat peninsula. The sunsets from Ord over Loch Eishort were stunning. I also have memories of my dad chopping wood surrounded by a black cloud of Skye midges and refusing to stop until the job was done! But the presence of the midge was a small price to pay for the view of Blaven across the water.
Don't know if Sorley ever climbed it, but back in those days with four small children it didn't seriously occur to me that climbing it was an option. We did many a walk in and around the Cuillin Munros but I assumed the summits were out of reach to anyone but rock climbers. Then in 2003 my son and I set off to climb Blaven, but we left too late in the day and by the time we reached Coire Uaigneach the cloud was down and we turned back.
So last week when we had a cottage booked at Broadford the tantalising thought returned - could we climb Blaven? Moira said she could do Wednesday but the forecast was for low cloud and rain and in the event it rained solidly all day. Thursday was the best day for weather but Moira couldn't do Thursday - which left Friday. So Friday it was.
After wet, misty weather on Sunday to Wednesday, Thursday was one of those stunningly beautiful days on Skye. So we went to Elgol to take the boat trip to Loch Coruisk on the Misty Isle and can thoroughly recommend this trip and the Misty Isle crew Seamus and James. Our dogs weren't too happy with the disembarking arrangements but strapping boatman James carried them off and on no bother at all!
Dogs at Loch Coruisk
Cuillin ridge from Elgol
On the way home we stopped at Torrin to photograph Blaven, target for the following day.
View from east side of Loch Slapin - Blaven, Clach Glas, Sgurr nan Each and Garbh-bheinn
Highest point is Blaven's north top - where we were heading
This was Blaven's sunny, smiling face giving high hopes of views from the top the next day!
In the end Rob (rockwalker) was able to join us and we met at the Elgol road junction in Broadford and drove to the spacious car park on west side of Loch Slapin.
A little cloud about but Blaven still looking benevolent on morning of our ascent
We followed the excellent path up the north side of the Allt na Dunaiche, passing pretty waterfalls on the way.
An Stac and Moira (gizmogirl) near start of climb
First sign of autumn
Summit cloud-free
I expected burns to be swollen after all the rain of previous days but crossing the Allt na Dunaiche and its tributary weren't a problem - with just one wobbly rock to watch out for. After the crossings the going becomes stony as the path climbs into Coire Uaigneich, the secret corrie. We stopped here for the two who left early from Inverness to have a second breakfast.
Beinn na Cro, Beinn na Caillich and Loch Slapin
At this point we met a couple coming down the path with two beautiful retrievers - a golden and black. I had planned to take the fitter of our labs for the climb but the day before a local had advised against it saying she had seen dogs accustomed to hill walking coming off Blaven with bleeding paws. So I left Tess with Pete for the day. I asked if these two had been to the top - they had and coped fine. But having walked on that abrasive gabbro I think it was the kinder decision to leave her behind.
We knew as soon as we could see the lochan on the left we had to turn right so we looked for the start of the path. We couldn't see any evidence of it but went in the right direction and very soon picked it up, zigzagging its way up the slope towards an area of fallen boulders which presented no difficulties and led into the scree gully.
Sparkling Loch Fionna-choire and Loch Scavaig beyond
A couple ahead of us had turned up the rocks to the right of the gully but we stayed with the path leading into the gully. I found it was easier to cross the gully to its left side as there was solid rock to hold on to on the way up the loose stones and about half way up I was lured out of the gully, climbing on to the rocky ledge on the left. There was evidence others had done the same thing and it worked for me.
Rob and Moira climbing the scree gully
Above the gully the gradient eases and the going becomes easier with lovely views of the islands to the south.
Over the south east ridge to the islands of Eigg and Rum
Mountainous Rum and the steep side of Blaven's south top
The path passes close to the rim of Blaven's eastern cliffs, with vertigo-inducing views down into Coire Dubh. By this time the wind had strengthened and was gusty enough to make us very cautious as we took a detour to the right to get the best views!
Vertical gash on the Great Prow
Clach Glas
I didn't realise until I came off I was standing on a prow of overhanging rock to take the last two photos. It's difficult to make out because of rock beyond the gap but here are Rob and Moira perched on said overhanging rock.
The views from now on were majestic.
Loch Slapin and over the Sleat peninsula to the Sound of Sleat and beyond to Loch Hourn
The Red Cuillin and over to Applecross
A small cairn on the path indicates a short detour to the right to views of Clach Glas and beyond. We realised at this point the weather was changing from balmy and bright to sombre and chilly with cloud closing in.
Soon after this the path funnelled us into a narrow gully with a short scramble. Rob with his longer legs managed it fine but there was a projecting rock and without any obvious footholds I couldn't immediately see how to get over it. Moira who was below me had already felt strain on her twice-operated-on ankle and decided this was not the way for her so I dropped down to join her and we descended the gully to find another way up the rocks on the left. It was reassuring at this point to have Rob standing above telling us it looked a viable way to go, which it was.
Once above the gully we stopped to don extra layers. The wind was gusting strongly, it was raining with more than a hint of sleet, and our hearts fell as we watched Rob disappear into the cloud ahead. This was the less welcoming face of Blaven and illustrated how quickly mountain conditions can change.
To say we were disappointed after such a promising start not to get the wonderful views of the Black Cuillin is an understatement. If only we'd been half an hour earlier or had been able to come yesterday! But this is Skye and as the locals say, if it's sunny in the morning it will likely rain in the afternoon and if it's raining in the morning the sun will be out in the afternoon - as happened for Annie climbing her first Munro and getting such glorious views from the top. Moira and I looked wistfully at Annie's summit photos the evening of our climb!
No views but still smiling (photo taken by Rob with Moira's camera)
We stayed for 20 minutes on the top, waiting to see if the cloud would shift, but it was bitterly cold and another climber who arrived while we were there touched the cairn and and turned straight back down again. So we regretfully headed down and as far as we know the cloud didn't shift - which would have been even more galling!
The descent was straightforward and once we were out of the cloud we got a fine view of Fionna-choire lochan.
Despite the lack of summit views we are delighted to have climbed Blaven, said by some to be the most beautiful mountain in Scotland!
PS This was a most frustrating report to post! I had uploaded all the photos with the text (after a previous disaster, saving as I went along) and as I tried to upload Moira's summit photo (which I'd forgotten to downsize) everything went berserk. I lost what I hadn't saved and what I had saved was all jumbled up with some photos missing, some repeated and all alongside the wrong bits of text. So I had to delete them all and start again! What's all that about?
