free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Corbetts: Ainshval.
Grahams: Trallval.
Date: 29 & 30/07/2016.
Distance: 9km + 11km.
Ascent: 320m + 1220m.
3 hours + 7 hours.
Weather: Friday afternoon pleasant but overcast. Saturday starting overcast, turning to wind and rain (then sunshine afterwards obviously).
I had talked a bit about my last Corbetts and Graham being a good weather walk only, but in reality it is pretty difficult to organize a trip to Rum at really short notice. So I had actually set the date for this with Greg way back in April as he was also keen for a visit. I thought about inviting other people along but I didn't bother in the end - after all, I didn't even know which day I would end up finishing the Corbetts and Grahams (two separate ones as it turned out).
We had both booked a long weekend to maximize flexibility, and I met Greg in Morrisons in Fort William, having got the stupid-o-clock bus down from Inverness. We grabbed some supplies and then set off for Mallaig, where it was warm and sunny. A spectacular run over on the ferry had us in Kinloch at 2pm, where we broke away from the other passengers and set off for Dibidil bothy.
Lochboisdale ferry helps out on the Armadale run:
First sighting:
Black Cuillin and Bla Bheinn:
Closing in on Rum:
Unfamiliar view of Eigg that is going to become very familiar:
Arrival at Kinloch:
I've heard various complaints about this path, but perhaps most of them come from folk who have already overstretched themselves on the full Cuillin traverse. It was certainly a bit wet in places, but the route down the east coast overlooking Eigg and the mainland was really enjoyable.
Bla Bheinn and Red Cuillin:
Mainland hills from the Dibidil path:
Askival:
There was a bit of up-and-down and the odd false alarm as I thought we were in the corrie with the bothy in it, when it was the next one along.
Coastline:
Eigg coast with An Sgurr behind:
Muck:
Glen Dibidil:
An amble of around 3 hours brought us to the bothy in time for a leisurely dinner. The plan was to stay at the bothy for at least 2 nights. I had suggested this so we could be in the heart of the hills, but still carry in a reasonable selection of food and drink.
Approaching the bothy:
Eigg:
Last river to cross:
One of the most impressive bothy locations:
…and pretty fancy inside as well:
This was certainly one of the tidiest and cleanest bothies I have been to, and pretty cosy as well due to cladding on the walls and floorboards.
Mainland from the front door:
Eigg becoming very familiar from this side:
We set off for the hills just before 9am the next morning. On a whim, we decided that trying to descend from Sgurr nan Gillean would be no fun, so we went up that way instead. We followed the path for a mile or so more around the coast before breaking off and heading up through the long grass. Thankfully this got shorter after some height was gained.
Leaving the bothy:
Eigg:
First ferry coming in from Mallaig:
Less steep side of Sgurr nan Gillean (still steep):
Back to Beinn nan Stac and the bothy:
The cloud was down on the ridge, but we didn't disappear into it until we were above the steepest section at around 600m. Glimpses of Papadil Lodge and the wild section of southwestern coastline were beyond, as well as the flat smudge of Coll and the more interesting bump of Muck. I thought I could just make out the Duchman's Cap in the distance as well.
Muck:
Plenty of goats about today:
An Sgurr of Eigg:
Loch Papadil:
We briefly discussed traversing round the coast tomorrow, from Papadil Lodge on to Harris then up to Guirdil bothy. We knew it would be rough but it looked interesting. In the meantime there were hills to be climbed in the cloud, and we were soon at the cairn of Sgurr nan Gillean. While there was little to see, the odd thinning of cloud revealed incredibly steep drops down into Glen Dibidil.
Goodbye Eigg:
Descending Sgurr nan Gillean:
There was some pleasant grassy walking at first, before a more rocky descent down to Ainshval. It started raining around here and the rocks were very greasy. It wasn't especially difficult but Greg was taking it slowly due to his glasses filling up with water and reducing his sight to practically nothing. An easier walk and more goats led us to Ainshval, where there was nothing to see either.
Spooky – summit of Ainshval:
I overshot the descent into Grey Corrie and almost took us down the difficult N ridge of Ainshval. I have looked through dozens of Rum reports in the past, but never paid too much attention to the detail. Neither of us had bothered reading up on the route, and I only had a vague hunch that this ridge was probably to be avoided. We retraced steps briefly before slithering into the corrie and down to Bealach an Fhuarain - bit of a tedious descent.
Lower down the clouds broke up a little allowing us to see what we were doing. In this murky, swirling mist, both our descent and the next ascent onto Trallval looked imposing and improbable. But it was nice to see something at least.
Loch Faichanais and Harris:
Cloud clearing from Trallval:
Back up Ainshval:
Trallval looking daunting:
Ainshval:
The more we looked at Trallval, the less likely a route up looked, although I knew most people doing the full ridge traverse came down this face. In the end, with the wind starting to gust a bit, we decided to contour under the SE face and approach up the less daunting looking eastern ridge.
Beinn nan Stac and Eigg:
It was a bit of a crappy traverse, and we both slipped and cut ourselves at some point, but soon we were heading up the east ridge. This was easy grass at first, but steeper and steeper sections loomed out of the murk. Most of the approach to the eastern summit was relatively unexposed, but the rock was greasy and slippery in the on/off rain, which did nothing for confidence. Looking along the exposed ridge to the true summit didn't help either.
I'm not an especially emotional person, but there was definitely an emotion evident now - Anxiety! Was I really going to get this close to the top of my final Graham only to be beaten back? Of course it was actually much easier than it looked, slippery rock notwithstanding. Finally there, and I could barely stand up for a photo! Luckily the wind was only gusting around the lower slopes, and it was fairly calm up here. I had brought up a couple of whisky miniatures, but this didn't seem to be the place to enjoy them so we scuttled back to the eastern summit before the next rain shower came on.
Greg near the summit of Trallval:
…and on the top:
Worst completion photo ever:
The correct way back down took a little finding, but we were soon on easier ground - thankfully as the rain had returned and Greg's glasses were misting over again. The rain got worse as we approached Bealach an Oir, and without needing to stop and discuss it, we both carried on down into Glen Dibidil. Corbett completion could wait for a better day, despite my plan to finish both rounds at the same time.
Looking down Glen Dibidil:
…and back up to the corries of Ainshval:
The glen was well worth a visit - waterfalls and massive slabs of rock on the floor, and exciting looking corries and ridges leading up into the clouds on Ainshval. It was exactly how I'd imagined Macgillycuddy's Reeks in Ireland to look.
We were back down at the bothy shortly after 3pm. Plenty of time and energy to have carried on over Askival, but absolutely no enthusiasm. Although the ridge stayed in the cloud for the rest of the day, it didn't take long for the sun to come out at the bothy, and it was a lovely afternoon. I explored the immediate coast and we had some dinner before cracking open a few beers. I'd have another crack at Askival tomorrow, assuming the weather stayed reasonable.
Back at the bothy:
Beinn nan Stac – no surprise that the weather would do this:
Shore below bothy:
Few drinks later on:
Sunlight on Eigg:
I knew Trallval was a spectacular spot to finish, but I hadn't realized how exposed it was - traversing over to the highest summit reminded me of the arête between the summits of Sgurr na Ghreadaidh on the Black Cuillin. Although not as narrow, it was way slimier. Say what you want about Stac Pollaidh being the most awkward Graham - I think Trallval is slightly more serious.
Link to part 2.