free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
There have been so many reports on this route - most recently listed by ChrisMac in his WR
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=55033- which gradually helped create a strong desire to visit Arran - that I don't intend to write a report. I'm just posting some mountain porn to add to the universal opinion of Arran - that it's a truly brilliant place.
Who cares about Munros?
Despite the short notice (Tuesday), brother Frank managed to get away; so Saturday afternoon saw us driving to Brodick. No car spots available on the ferry, so we carried all our camping gear across.
IMG_1115. Tomorrow's route. Looks seriously enticing!
IMG_1117. Got up at 04.00 but then spent nearly an hour searching for the map (left it in the toilet block of the campsite). Dr Frank on the FB in Glen Rosa at 05.20, where you turn off to the left to get to the shoulder to Beinn Nuis. The view is looking back down Glen Rosa.
IMG_1118. Picture from the FB looking up Glen Rosa towards Cir Mhor. It's looking pretty good!
IMG_1124. Looking back towards Brodick in the early morning light.
IMG_1126. First views of the dramatic cliffs on the Glen Rosa side of the approach to Beinn Nuis.
IMG_1130. The early morning mist is beginning to clear, revealing Beinn Nuis.
]IMG_1134. Goat Fell from Beinn Tarsuinn; but we're still optimistic: the forecasts were all positive
.
IMG_1135. Like everyone else before me, I couldn't resist snapping the Old Man of Tarsuinn!
IMG_1137. Pagoda Ridge with A'Chir behind, from Beinn Tarsuinn.
IMG_1138. Goat Fell looking seriously atmospheric in the morning sun.
IMG_1141. The descent down this gulley was surprisingly challenging because of algal growth on the sheltered rock.
IMG_1146. Where the fun starts....
[
IMG_1147. Quite straightforward scrambling...
IMG_1148.
IMG_1149.
IMG_1150.
IMG_1151. Tick food up on the ridge....
IMG_1152. More action...
IMG_1153. Looking along the ridge to Casteal Abhail.
]IMG_1154. And back towards Tarsuinn...
IMG_1156. I'm very cautious about embarking on downclimbs without having seen the route from the bottom; so having got to a point where the downclimb looked a bit tricky, we decided to go back. The descent down the West face isn't looking a particularly easy option either...
IMG_1157. The descent route for this was surprisingly exposed.
IMG_1159. So back the way we came!
IMG_1158. Cir Mhor.
IMG_1160. More dramatic stuff on A' Chir.
IMG_1161. Descending the West side of A' Chir. I don't recommend this. It was quite tricky with the downsloping slabs, and I suspect we'd have been better off downclimbing the face we avoided.
IMG_1163. Looking back along A' Chir. Yet more dramatic stuff.
IMG_1164. Path to Casteal Abhail.
IMG_1167. Looking back towards A' Chir from the bottom of Cir Mhor.
IMG_1169. Looking back along A' Chir on the ascent to Caisteal Abhail.
IMG_1170. More fun ahead as we reach the top of Caisteal Abhail...!!! Straight up the front. Beautiful!
IMG_1171. View from the top of Caisteal Abhail: Cir Mhor in the foreground, Goat Fell(s) and Mullach Bhuide in the background (LHS). It doesn't look like nearly 450m ascent from the Saddle to Goat Fell summit, but it is
.
IMG_1173. Cir Mhor from the bealach on the Caisteal Abhail side.
[
]IMG_1174. Approaching the top of Cir Mhor.
IMG_1181. Glen Sannox from Cir Mhor.
IMG_1184. Descent from Cir Mhor: good scrambling again!
IMG_1186. Looking back along the ridge from the saddle. Beinn Tarsuinn more or less in the centre.
Big surprise on the Saddle: just as we were about to start the ascent of North Goat Fell, who should arrive via Glen Sannox but Sick Kid (aka Alison), trusty partner of Weaselmaster! The first WHer I've run into on my walks. We chatted briefly, before we continued.
IMG_1188. Looking back to Cir Mhor from near the summit of North Goat Fell.
IMG_1190. Dr Frank chewing a sarny, with Mullach Bhuide in the background (10 minute walk from North Goat Fell). A dog pinched my sarny while I was stowing the sacs prior to the trot across the Mullach Bhuide
.
IMG_1195. Looking South towards Brodick from the summit of Goat Fell.
IMG_1197. Looking back from Goat Fell to North Goat Fell (yes, we had to climb all the tors!!).
IMG_1201. A final look back at Cir Mhor and Caisteal Abhail...
IMG_1202. .... before a jogged descent of the Goat Fell shoulder, and back to the campsite by 16.15. Sadly a bit too late to catch the 16.40 ferry.
...............................................................After a slight detour to visit a building of cultural, architectural and historic interest (aka the Ormidale Hotel)....
IMG_1203. ..... we stroll slowly to the ferry. Goat Fell is looking magnificent in the late afternoon light.
IMG_1214. The golden island.... ....Fabulous memories.... ....what a day!
IMG_1219.
