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With an MWIS forecast of above 90% chance of cloud free Munros what could we do but head for the hills? Just to make it better, we could head for an area we'd never been to before, to climb a hill that would mark our progress half way round the Munros.
Even before we set off the day was promising to be a cracker – as you can see from scene of the early morning dog walk (yes, even when they will be spending most of the day on the hills the dogs still want a quickie before they leave home
)
Dawn porn?
A couple of hours after setting off we were pulling into the parking space just south of the Vagastie Bridge. We'd had our first glimpse of Ben Klibreck as we were leaving Lairg, just before we ran into some early morning mist, but by the time we stopped the mist had vanished and our goal stood clear across the road.
We followed the WH route up the all terrain vehicle track wondering if we'd suddenly got transported back onto the bog fest we'd encounter 10 days earlier on the Shenavall circuit, but as we got higher the overnight frost still held and the going got firmer. We soon reached the first cairn on Cnoc Sgriodain – a signal to stop, get out the map for a bit of mountain identification and a photo opportunity.
Ben Mor Assynt
Ben Loyal
The dogs loved the terrain, they quartered it enthusiastically, but we met very little wildlife on this trip (must have heard us coming
). There were several pairs of ptarmigan, mainly going about their own business and ignoring us, although the dogs did flush out a couple! The humans were awed by the scenery – we get used to mountain ranges in Scotland, but in Sutherland it is as if some minimalist designer has placed individual mountains well apart to best show off their features. It certainly worked for me – I could easily get hooked on Sutherland. (Roger reckoned the landscape was like the landscapes he designed playing Sim City – with mountains strategically placed for wind farms!
)
The weather was brilliant – sunny, clear and with just enough of a breeze to prevent over heating, although in the afternoon it became increasingly hazy.
Ben Klibreck
But back to the route – from Cnoc Sgriodain there is a section of peat hags, which look worse than they are – it was easy to thread our way through them then off along the flank of Creag an Lochain.
The second cairn on Cnoc Sgriodain, with peat hags - and then the route to the top.
Most of the snow had melted with the spring heatwave of the previous few days, but where it hadn't the melt refreeze, melt refreeze cycle had made for some icy patches. Even the footprints on this section were icy!
The final pull up to Meall nan Con from Chioch looks benign but close too the ice covered boulders made for slow progress.
Good views across to Creag an Lochain nursing Loch an Fhuaran.
The snow on the final 20 meters was so icy I decided to don crampons – Roger was happy just with the ice axe. By the time we reach the summit the wind had got stronger and colder – giving both Biggles and me bad hair days. Even so we stayed to take photos then headed off for a more sheltered spot and lunch.
(The devoted looks form the dogs are due to the biccies we were holding to keep them in one place!)
From Ben Klibreck to the sea!!
We followed the same route back, spotting some muir burn on the way, that hadn't been visible when we set off.
The frozen sections of snow were thawing again – making the going easier. Back at the cairn I snapped a lovely (well to me) silhouette of three of the males in my life.
As we dropped down from Cnoc Sgriodain to the road the going got wetter and slippier and boggier – the morning frost had thawed and the bog fest was unkind to tired legs. Added to which we were walking straight into the sun. I put my food on what I thought was some flat ground only to sink knee deep into a hidden burn. A quick throw forward and roll out, and with Roger's help I got back to my my feet – somewhat damp and niggled!!
But a great day out on the hills is a great day out – damp clothes dry – eventually.
