Awesome solo ridge walk to mark 100
Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 9:41 amGreetings fellow walkers.
Gonna try and let the pics do the talking.
Had my best Monday morning ever recently. Should've been driving home to Englandshire after a few days in Crianlarich, but saw a super-favourable forecast for NW Scotland for Monday and, sitting on 93 Munros, I knew what I had to do.
Left Crianlarich at 0500 for an amazing dawn drive through Glencoe stopping briefly at the Commando Memorial for snaps up to the Cluanie Inn for 0730. Walking by 0745.
Saw my last people of the day at 0750 (campers on edge of Loch Cluanie). Just me and the ridge for the next 10 hours.
(Note on scrambling: This shot doesn't do it justice, but the ridge to Druim Shionnach was the worst part of the day for me as another self-confessed big-girl's(or boy's)-scrambling-blouse.
The WH Stage 3 route description of: 'The final section of ridge before the summit of Druim Shionnach is very narrow and can be avoided by the nervous using a bypass path just off to the left' I would say, downplays the whole utter trauma of it all a tad too much. Which is maybe a good thing, as I would never have done it otherwise. But even bypassing to the left was a harrowing experience.
Conversely, the section later on after Aonach air Chrith did not require any bottom shuffling, as described, and I didn't even realise I had passed the worst of it until it was over.)
More pics to follow...
Gonna try and let the pics do the talking.
Had my best Monday morning ever recently. Should've been driving home to Englandshire after a few days in Crianlarich, but saw a super-favourable forecast for NW Scotland for Monday and, sitting on 93 Munros, I knew what I had to do.
Left Crianlarich at 0500 for an amazing dawn drive through Glencoe stopping briefly at the Commando Memorial for snaps up to the Cluanie Inn for 0730. Walking by 0745.
Saw my last people of the day at 0750 (campers on edge of Loch Cluanie). Just me and the ridge for the next 10 hours.
- Stop off for dawn shot at the Commando Memorial
- Nevis range, I think, but I'm rubbish at identifying distant mountains
- Cluanie Inn, South Ridge looking promising
- Loch Cluanie
- Loch Loyne
- Anticlimax - Creag a'Mhaim summit
- Sun trying to break through
- First view from the summit
- Ridge ahead emerging from the rising clag
- Looking back to a now clear Creag a'Mhaim
- Doesn't matter - first blue skies on ridge ahead, Druim Shionnach next
(Note on scrambling: This shot doesn't do it justice, but the ridge to Druim Shionnach was the worst part of the day for me as another self-confessed big-girl's(or boy's)-scrambling-blouse.
The WH Stage 3 route description of: 'The final section of ridge before the summit of Druim Shionnach is very narrow and can be avoided by the nervous using a bypass path just off to the left' I would say, downplays the whole utter trauma of it all a tad too much. Which is maybe a good thing, as I would never have done it otherwise. But even bypassing to the left was a harrowing experience.
Conversely, the section later on after Aonach air Chrith did not require any bottom shuffling, as described, and I didn't even realise I had passed the worst of it until it was over.)
- Druim Shionnach summit
- Nice view down Loch Cluanie
- In my element
- No words
- Waow
- Aonach Mor in the distance to south?
- Aonach Air Chrith ahead with Maol Chinn-Dearg in background
- Gotta include the classic footsteps-going-up-snow-incline-with-blue-sky-backdrop shot
- Aonach Air Chrith summit
- Looking ahead to supposed scary scramble descent
- Breather in the bealach, hard stuff to the right now behind me
- Maol Chinn-Dearg ahead
- Looking south from bealach, Glen Quoich to right
More pics to follow...
