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Tremendous Torridon - Big Beinn Eighe!!

PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 9:29 pm
by dooterbang
Yesterday I started my WH spring meet with MCD, it was a great day! I managed to secure myself a wonderful camping pitch at Gairloch afterwards which was only a 3 minute walk to the youth hostel and 2 minutes to the campsites 5 star shower facilities.

My pitch next to the beach 8)
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Thursday evening I was informed the weather would be great on Friday so I decided to take advantage and do some Torridon giants solo - Beinn Eighe Western Summits.

An early rise at 6.00am to crashing waves and that sandy beach filled me with excitement for the day. I popped into the youth hostel for breakfast before heading to Torridon.

On reaching the car park at Torridon I was rather miffed at the rain that was pounding down, I did think about leaving these for better weather but eventually convinced myself the weather would improve.

So off I went on my merry way, without crampons, an ice axe, or poles :shock:

5K in a nice little lochan looking to some Torridon Corbetts.
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Before long I reached Coire Mhic Fhearchair and those Triple Buttresses and beautiful lochan.
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I walked around the lochan, after having a 30 minute lunch, and eyed up the ascent up the scree chute. I didn't much fancy this, alternatively I set my eyes East and decided to scramble up the boulder field which would just about top me out at the 1st Munro.

On starting my ascent the wind got up and I endured some snow storms! I just kept pushing upwards, always mindful of loose builders, and soon reached the ridge. I had a short walk to the summit of Ruadh - stac Mor.

First Munro Summit.
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Didn't hang around and quickly made my way to the bealach, sneaking a look at the scree chute I avoided
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Ahead of me a group of 6 walkers ascended up the snow filled ridge to Coinneach Mhor, I followed their footsteps. At the cairn they went to bag a nearby top. The clag meant poor visibility so I pulled out my compass only to see it vanish :shock:

I now faced a dilemma! Head back down, wait for the clag to clear, or follow the small group and ask for a loan of a compass. I felt the best bet for keeping safe was to follow the group. As I reached them and explained my situation the clag cleared and I could see my destination clearly. I was offered a compass but took the counter offer of tagging along with the group as they would be heading to do the second munro - Spidean Coire nan Clach. The group were all members of the Austrian Alpine Mountaineering Club, most of them based in Yorkshire.

So off we all went along a most brilliant ridge :)
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The summit was soon reached
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Due to not having an ice axe I decided to descend the West side of Stuc Coire an Laoigh as the East side was steep and smothered in snow, I did try this route but it was too dodgy. My descent was fine as the underfoot conditions presented a mixture of scree and bouncy grass.

My descent route
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I was soon back at the car and had a nice chat with an older couple who informed me they climbed these two hills over 40 years ago, I'm sure the gear was different back then! Great to see them still returning after all those years.

I jumped in the car and headed back to Gairloch, had my dinner, had a shower and waited by my tent for the sun setting...just awesome!! Great end to a great day! Tomorrow I would take on Slioch with some WH members :D

Sunset looking to the Isle of Skye...
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Re: Tremendous Torridon - Big Beinn Eighe!!

PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 10:43 pm
by Collaciotach
You just drop the compás then ?

Re: Tremendous Torridon - Big Beinn Eighe!!

PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 10:45 pm
by dooterbang
Collaciotach wrote:You just drop the compás then ?
Yes, the wind appeared to have blown it away. I wish I had the power to make things vanish :lol:

Re: Tremendous Torridon - Big Beinn Eighe!!

PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 1:16 am
by pollyh33
Smashing photos Paul :thumbup:

Lots of great memories of that hill although unlike you I didn't mind going up the pink chute :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

Re: Tremendous Torridon - Big Beinn Eighe!!

PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 9:08 am
by BlackPanther
Beinn Eighe looks fantastic, as always. I must go back and do the whole ridge :D

The stone chute from CMF is not as bad as it looks, we've been up it in icy winter conditions, didn't even bother to put crampons on.

I agree the Sands campsite is fantastic. Wish we had more time to enjoy the sunset... Kevin spent most of the evening pumping the air bed :lol: :lol: :lol:

Re: Tremendous Torridon - Big Beinn Eighe!!

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 9:40 am
by dooterbang
pollyh33 wrote:Smashing photos Paul :thumbup:

Lots of great memories of that hill although unlike you I didn't mind going up the pink chute :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
Ha ha, I do recall you mentioning a liking, when hiking, for some chute action :wink:


BlackPanther wrote:Beinn Eighe looks fantastic, as always. I must go back and do the whole ridge :D

The stone chute from CMF is not as bad as it looks, we've been up it in icy winter conditions, didn't even bother to put crampons on.

I agree the Sands campsite is fantastic. Wish we had more time to enjoy the sunset... Kevin spent most of the evening pumping the air bed :lol: :lol: :lol:
Nice to meet you both again after all this time, cheers :)

Re: Tremendous Torridon - Big Beinn Eighe!!

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 12:14 pm
by Jaxter
I also enjoyed the pink chute, although if there had been snow on it things may have been different :shock:

If you do learn how to make things disappear, feel free to vanish some of my work :D :lol:

Re: Tremendous Torridon - Big Beinn Eighe!!

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 12:43 pm
by The Rodmiester
A superb looking day on an awesome hill, a good second day of a very productive WH meet. Love your camping spot, very jealous :D

Re: Tremendous Torridon - Big Beinn Eighe!!

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 9:33 pm
by malky_c
Better weather than I was expecting to see there 8) . Looking forward to doing some more walking in Torridon.

Typical weegie, camping by the road for free and using the campsite facilities :wink:

Re: Tremendous Torridon - Big Beinn Eighe!!

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 9:41 pm
by dooterbang
malky_c wrote:Typical weegie, camping by the road for free and using the campsite facilities :wink:
Ha ha ha!! That's actually in the campsite, the last pitch before the road ends...and I did wait around till it opened Sunday morning to pay my fees :wink:

Hopefully see you at the next meet

Enjoy Torridon.

Re: Tremendous Torridon - Big Beinn Eighe!!

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 9:47 pm
by Jaxter
malky_c wrote:Typical weegie, camping by the road for free and using the campsite facilities :wink:


I'd take that as a compliment :D :lol: :wink:

Re: Tremendous Torridon - Big Beinn Eighe!!

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 10:39 pm
by dooterbang
Jaxter wrote:
malky_c wrote:Typical weegie, camping by the road for free and using the campsite facilities :wink:


I'd take that as a compliment :D :lol: :wink:
I did use the Youth Hostel facilities for free...oops :lol:

Re: Tremendous Torridon - Big Beinn Eighe!!

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 10:46 pm
by ancancha
You get 30 minutes for lunch :shock:
Gees a job :lol:

Nice photos and report, the ridge does look fabulous 8)

Re: Tremendous Torridon - Big Beinn Eighe!!

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 10:56 pm
by dooterbang
Jaxter wrote:I also enjoyed the pink chute, although if there had been snow on it things may have been different :shock:
Ha ha, "carry on hiking" :lol:

Re: Tremendous Torridon - Big Beinn Eighe!!

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 2:55 pm
by LoveWalking
Great report. That ridge looks amazing....but your camp spot looks even better :D