Munros One Hundred and Forty Four and Forty Five

[Chris Henshall]

Tuesday, 19th. July, 2016:
Having come through from Corrie Hallie on the Dundonnell Road via Shenevall in rain and wind during the previous couple of days, it was great to wake up to clear skies and sunshine at Lochivraon Bothy.

Sunrise at Lochivraon

Al McGilchrist and I had a bunch of students with us practising for their D of E Gold Award so, once we'd made sure that they had cooked some breakfast, packed up their tents and were leaving the place at least as tidy as they had found it, we pointed them in the direction of Kinlochewe and set off to have a day on the hill for ourselves. First on the list were the two peaks at the western end of the Fannichs, A' Chailleach and Sgurr Breac, which my brother and I had missed out when we had come through here back in 1982.

our_route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

An easy river crossing of the Abhainn Loch a'Braoin took us roughly south up the valley of the Allt a'Ghleibh before we turned east and climbed onto Ceann Garbh A' Chailleach, the south ridge of the day's first Munro. The way up the outcrops and steep screes was highlighted by a remarkable dry stone wall heading up to the ridge from a small lochan - an interesting way onto the tops. Too early for anyone heading up from the A832, the summit was deserted and a lovely place to be - a reason to pause, take in the views and enjoy the sunshine.

On the summit of A'Chailleach looking south west to Beinn Eighe and Slioch

Now, though, we had a path to follow for the first time in the day and we enjoyed the views as we headed east over Toman Coinnich to Sgurr Breac still untroubled by other walkers.

Al McGilchrist looking north west to An Teallach from Sgurr Breac

From the summit, we descended steep grassy slopes south to the Nest of Fannich (where I had camped with my brother 34 years previously and where we now encountered an isolated herd of highland cattle) and then set off for Kinlochewe along tracks made by the Hydro. It was a fair step - the day coming in at somewhere around 20 miles overall - so we enjoyed a beer in Kinlochewe that evening all the more.
Next Report: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=68873.