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When a dozen of us booked to stay three nights at the Lochinver Bunkhouse we were hoping for normal May Weekend weather and to be honest, if I'd not paid up front, the uninspring forecast might have tempted me to pull out. But I'm glad I didn't.
Various ideas were batted around the night before. It was a toss up between Quinag, Canisp and Braebag with a low level option of a visit to the Old Man of Stoer. I fancied Quinag but by the time we headed for our bunks no firm decisions had been made. In the morning Rob, Mary and I were first up and raring to go and I felt the slight frustration of not having the use of my own car and having to wait to see what the car drivers were doing. Five were doing Canisp, two were going to the Point of Stoer but there was still the logistical problem of three of us without a car getting to the start for Quinag (and more to the point returning after it). Then Martin and Grace appeared from their B & B (after a delay searching for Grace's lost specs) and to our delight they were keen to climb at least Spidean Coinich of Quinag - and then we would see.
So it wasn't a particularly early start from the parking area on the east side of the A894, which is a little beyond the turn off from the A837 north to Kylesku.
Spidean Coinich from road (zoomed)
The path is excellent, much work having been done by the John Muir Trust which owns the mountain and is keen to restore a healthy population of deer to allow plant life to recover. The path leads quickly to a large cairn marking a fork, with the left turn heading towards the broad east ridge of Spidean Coinich.
Fork in path
A closer look at our initial target - Spidean Coinich
Taking in the views to the north
Zoomed to the north
A level area of slabs gives easy going, although they may need more care when wet, and from this wide pavement we got our first views of Loch Assynt.
South east to Loch Assynt
View down into the bealach and Lochan Bealach Cornaidh
Zoomed north to a rare patch of sun
Our summit now looking close
This bouldery section was more challenging for Mary with her recovering broken ankle
Spidean Coinich means the mossy peak but I don't think I saw any moss on it at all. Higher up there was snow lying among the rocks but very little green that I noticed. It was a mostly monochrome mountain on the day we climbed it.
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At 620m there is a short descent down a rocky band to a lower point in the ridge before the climb resumes up to the summit. While having a coffee break earlier we had been overtaken by a group of twenty mainly younger folk, some from a hill walking club and some of their friends and when we reached the rocky band they had stopped for their own break and were sitting on either side of the path as it dropped down through a cleft in the rock. It felt rude to walk right through them so we looked for another way down but the path followed a natural line and considering Mary's ankle it seemed daft not to go the easiest way so we just had to barge our way through them. I understand they had stopped there because it gave some shelter from the wind but I think if I'd been the leader of that group I might have suggested it wasn't the best idea to sit on either side of a narrow path making it awkward for other walkers.
Lochan at the dip in the ridge
Return of winter
Loch Assynt
The path up to the summit was steep with snowy patches and I suspect we wandered off it to the right a bit, going over a bouldery area we avoided on the way down and which made life a bit more challenging for Mary. So by the time we reached the top the group was already there, occupying the higher of the two cairns. They of course had every right to do so (and some we spoke to were very pleasant) but after the effort of getting to a summit I have to admit to a sense of anticlimax if I have to share it with too many other people - especially a group as large as they were.
Suilven looking dark and forbidding
View west from Spidean Coinich summit
View west out to sea and zoomed to Stoer Point
The group of twenty asked if one of us could take their photo as they were up there to celebrate the 30th birthday of twins in the group - so there was much excitement and congratulating going on!
Martin doing the honours
Because there were so many of them sitting round the cairn eating their lunch we didn't get the traditional summit cairn photo. But we did get the views - which considering the earlier forecast were much better than expected!
The other three while Martin was busy with group photography
Loch Assynt, Conival, Ben More Assynt and the lower cairn
A continuation to Sail Ghorm and Sail Gharbh was tempting but the path down was steep with pockets of hard packed snow. It didn't look a good idea for Mary's ankle and we all agreed we would leave the other two for another occasion.
The rest of the ridge
Canisp, Cul Mor and Suilven as seen on the descent
Above the rainbow
One benefit of shortening the walk was that we were back in the bunkhouse by 3.45 and had first use of the showers - which is a big deal when two showers are being shared by up to 14 folk who've spent the day out on the hill. Later we did the Loch an t-Sabhail circuit which gave lovely views of the whole of Quinag. We have unfinished business with this beautiful mountain range and will be back!
Quinag from Loch an t-Sabhail
