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Torridon from my favorite viewpoint across Loch Torridon
Beinn Eighe covered in snow from Glen Torridon
There are some mountains which impress by there sheer size and location and Beinn Eighe is one of them. Standing proudly next to a single track road in Torridon, it is easy accessible, with the added bonus of a campsite and youth hostel just 5 min drive away. The car park was busy when I arrived and getting geared up I saw Rocket Ron (another Walkhighlander) and his friend Michael - what a coincident. Having a brief chat, I told Ron my plans to do the mountain anti clockwise and was promptly told to do it clockwise as it is much nicer. Always happy to follow good advise, I changed my plans and it also meant that I would be able to join them for the first hour, before they would turn towards Liathach to climb of the snow covered gullies. We set off having a good banter until it was time for me to continue on the path and say my good byes. Walking along the views towards Beinn Dearg and Beinn a Chearcaill were gorgeous and with a slow rising path it was the perfect warm up.
The path nice and easy
Turn right at the cairn
Liathach from its north site
The Corbett Beinn Dearg looking amazing
I walked and walked and after a good 2 hours of walking I felt that I must have already walked around the whole mountain.
So confused that I had to check my map, only to realize it is indeep a looong walk around the mountain.
By the time the path finally started to climb upwards, the views towards the back were amazing. Certainly no place to rush. By the time I got to the lovely lochan I was full of Ohhhs and Ahhhs, what a place! The triple buttress looked majestic and the reflection of Sail Mor in the lochan was amazing. It was a place which had to be admired.
The path( far right) starts to climb gently
The climb towards the loch
The lochan and the buttress
The lochan with the reflection of Sail Mor
Looking ahead I decided that the most logical way up was towards my left, but I wanted to follow the burn a bit more and on my climb I cam across many lochans, some still covered with a layer of ice and the pretty burn which trickled down the hill.
I walked straight up from here
Making my way up the scree slope was a lot less painful than I had expected and the whole mountain seemed to be covered in pipe rock, something I had not seen to such extent. Stooping frequently to get a closer look, I stood soon on the bealach leading towards the first Munro of the day Ruadh-stac Mor.
Looking back - lovely
From a bit higher up
Looking forwards Coinneach Mhor
Pipe rock
The first Munro Ruadh-stac Mor
View from the Munro towards Coinneach Mhor and the ridge
Once I had reached the summit of Ruadh-stac Mor I did not linger as the top of Coinneach Mhor looked rather inviting. The climb did not took long and by the time I reached the wee cairn the ridge spread out ahead of me.
Leaving the summit with rewarding views
The summit of Coinneach Mhor, looking back towards the first Munro
Coinneach Mhor to the left and Ruadh-stac Mor on the right
Panoramic photo of the 2 Munros and the ridge
From the ridge
Hazy Liathach
Looking back
and ahead again
Towards the valley below
The last climb
Not the summit yet
Summit views of Spidean Coire nan Clach
Myself at the cairn
and with the ridge behind me
It was hard to drag myself from the summit, but knew that some how I had to get back. From the map I knew the way back would lead down this way
Following a track and some footprints I soon stood on the summit of Stuc Coire an Laoigh and looked down into a steep abyss
Was that the path? Digging my map out I realized that I had walked too far
Looking back I tried to make a path out , but was unsuccessful. Fields of snow led far down below were the path was supposed to be.
On the summit of Stuc Coire an Laoigh looking back,the path was supposed to be down the right hand site?
Where is the path down?
That looked rather steep
Walking along the edge I could not see any other foot prints and made the decision to just climb down. Looking for a suitable slope I held my ice axe in one hand, walking pole in the other and made my way down...it was pretty steep
Looking back up the way I climbed down
Looking back down, still a bit further to go
By the time I stepped on grass again I was relieved. Even though the steep hill covered in snow had looked scary from above, it had been a godsend, as I did not had to deal with scree.
Looking up
From the edge of the snow I was able to find the path again and enjoy a pleasant walk back to the road.
Looking back up
Lovely colors
The road
In the low afternoon sun I stepped on the road and after I had walked two hundred yards was lucky, as another hill walker stopped to offer me a lift in his car. ( If you should read this, thanks again for the lift
) Driving along I looked up at Ben Eighe with a smile on my face-what a fantastic day it had been.
The road back.
