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Saor latha an Caisg a tighinn .... The Easter holidays approached with a good weather window on Thursday so I decided to hoover up a couple of Southern stragglers that have been on the to do list a while now Sgorr Gaibhre and Beinn Bheoil.
My plan was to ascend Sgor Gaibhre , head to Ben Alder Bothan , overnight there and bag Beinn Bheoil the next day before heading back to Corrour via Bealach Chumainn for the 3.20pm train back to the Black Garrison.
Rainig sinn gu Coire Odhair aig Ochd uairean ..... arrived at Coire Odhair 8.30am and found her still very much in the grip of Winter . kinda suspected this given the weather over the week !
- Leum Uilleam
So off down the road and a decision to head to the far end of the loch ............
My route would be up the Coire Chreagaich and onto Meall Nathrach Mor ,keeping out the Coirean which would be full of snow and keeping to the scoured ridges where possible. We made decent time to this point and aye the snow was deep indeed
- Coire Chreagaich
Pulled up the slopes toward the ridge line through soft snow ,bearable but hard going ,was glad to hit the Druim and firmer conditions underfoot !
- Air an druim
We made dead centre on the druim and stuck to that area , fair going but occasional unconsolidated sections which were a pain in the arse usually down around the bealach between tops ,soon over Nathrach and onto Sgurr Coinneach where we overlooked the target
- Sgorr Gaibhre
- Sgurr Gaibhre agus Bealach
Left the rucksack here and walked over to the summit , soft snow again and so far I did not use the axe or the crampon's . I lot of cornicing on the East aspect here , indeed the heaviest accumulations of snow were North and East facing where the South / South West winds had blown copious amounts of the white stuff, we soon made the summit
- Cárn
I then for the first time looked at the time , only past midday could I get to the Bothan before 3pm ? ...that would make an ascent of Beinn Bheoil possible before dark and with the weather forecast poor for tomorrow be a good move and allow me to "just" walk out on Friday ,maybe even get the 11.20am train
Decided to go for it we shot down the steep slope East to Carn a Bhalaich
Again I decided against dropping onto the Moine (moor) and stuck to the ridges of Meall a Bhalaich and Sron na Saobhaidh
- Saobhaidhe
The route was a good choice until I hit Bac na Craoibhe the name is a giveaway *place of the peats and where there is peat there is hags which I found on numerous occasions hiding under waist deep snow ,was in fine sour humour and wet boots by the time I reached the Bothan !
- Bothan Beinn Eallair
Bha e trichead bliadhna air ais nuair a bha mi a seo ..... been about thirty years since I have been here !
Still time was 2.45pm so a quick bag a berth inside , a wring of the socks and an immediate ascent of the Bealach Breabag , starting to feel the pace once we hit the snow again !
- An cu
Leathered on and finally summited at Sron Coire an Iolaire where we paused for a breath and a break , plenty time now
- Beinn Bheoil
- Bealach
We slipped over the bealach , good views to Eallair herself and a good clarity to the air although cloud was rolling in from the West as predicted , still was not going to spoil my views today
- Cárn Bheoil
- Coire
- Iarracht
- Beinn Eallair
Took our time retracing the steps back to the bothy by this time we were both tired and glad to reach the Bothan again at 6.45pm ,a good days work indeed .
Had a decent night in the Bothy and changed my plans again decided to go for the 9am train to the Black Garrison so up at 4am and away up the Bealach Chumainn by head torch and extremely heavy going from the 655m and West to the Uisge Labhair , a boggy snow filled creation of man trap sized holes and it took us forever to fight our way through this conundrum ,never be so glad to see dawn and Loch Oisin ! ........we made it to Coire Odhair 4.5hrs later at 8.45am for to find the train was an hour late
Footnote .........Clunaidh MacPherson was "out" in the 1745 rebellion and hid on the slopes of the Breabag and An Duin for ten years after Culloden ,sustained by his people and evading all the efforts of the brits to capture him . I can see now the advantage he had in the Bealach Chumainn ! ...... I 'd like to think many sojurs who wore the red coat of the british crown perished in this narrow defile looking for the Chief of Clan Chattan in this most inaccessible country it certainly killed my feet and I think an ghille dubh concurs
- An Cu
