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I was staying at the Station Bunkhouse in Plockton with the Cioch Mountaineering Club this weekend and had some plans to head to Glen Sheil for some ridge walking. However as I drove through Glen Sheil on Friday evening it was fairly obvious that winter is still very much in control for this part of the world so I had to look for an alternative.
That alternative took the shape of one of the two Corbetts on Skye. Four of us (Brian, John, Olly and I) had a relatively lazy morning and then travelled to the head of Loch Ainort to tackle Garbh Bheinn. We were fortunate with the weather as although it was a bit supposed to get a bit breezy it wasn't too cold. It turned out to be a fantastic hill, a really nice walk in up to a well defined ridge. As you get to the top there is a need for some scrambling and there is also a couple of exposed steps. All good fun.
The plan was to do an anti clockwise circular route but when we got to the top there was still a lot of snow on the descent towards Belig so we ended up going back the way we came just to be safe.
Lovely morning at the car park at the end of Loch Ainort
It was a fairly gently walk in. A little boggy lower down and no real paths. We did find a path further up that made things a bit easier.
You soon hit the ridge and although the path is full of scree its not too difficult.
Once on the ridge you get views of the Cuillin Ridge. It really was looking fantastic.
The views east over Raasey with Dum Caan popping up.
There is still a lot of snow up on the hills although it was fairly clear that by steering to the right we would miss most of it.
Views of Rum to the south
View of the Cuillins
View back down the ridge. I think that is the other Corbett Glamaig the background.
View over to Sgurr nan Gillean
It got a bit scrambly towards the top. It was a little tricky as there was a some snow around and the rocks were wet.
The view up towards the top
Once at the top I scrambled down towards Belig but it was a little dangerous as there was a lot of snow on the main path and the alternative route was also a bit precarious so once I reported back to the main party we decided to descend the way we came up.
Although we didn't realise on the way up we did find an alternative route back down the avoided the snowy ridge. There is a lot of scree to contend with but given the rock was so wet and some of it covered in snow we felt it was easier to take this route.
A cropped photo of the Cuillin Ridge.
