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What a November. Only last week we were trudging up Sail Mhor in knee deep snow. Can't believe how quickly it melted! Only a few days, and most hills have only but a few patches left and temperature has gone from -9 to +9*C...
On Saturday we visited the city of Inverness for the necessary Christmas shopping spree. It was so nice and warm I walked around with my coat unzipped. Still hated the experience - the town center was mad with crowds of loud shoppers... Next time I'll buy my Xmass gifts on Amazon
After swimming in noisy crowd, we craved a different kind of experience, some silence and solitude, a cup of tea on a quiet hill summit... So Sunday morning saw us driving west to Glen Shiel area
Our plan was to climb Beinn Loinne and hopefully enjoy the excellent views from this Corbett.
We have already climbed this hill - here is
my 2012 report - but due to cloud we didn't see any summit panos. This is a perfect little mountain for a wintry adventure, shame only that winter decided to pack up and leave for the time being
We took the usual approach to Beinn Loinne, from Cluanie via the old Tomdoun road, this is a bit of a trudge but the tarmac surface allows for fast walking. The final climb from the high col was wet ("splodgathon" Kevin said) but easy enough:
We arrived quite early and the sun has just awaken above the high tops of Kintail...
Ready for the exercise, South Glen Shiel Ridge behind me:
"Our" mountain was still asleep in a duvet of cloud, but other tops were clearing already and we were confident
that the clag should burn off:
As we started the easy part of the climb, we admired the excellent views across Loch Cluanie to the north side of the glen, where Am Bathach and Sgurr an Fhuarail took the center stage:
A'Chralaig with "crawling cloud"around the ridge:
Sunrise over Loch Cluanie:
It was a great feeling to escape the noise of the city, we haven't seen anybody so far (no other cars in the car park). Yes, of course there was some traffic on the A87 but it was so far away that it could be ignored.
The morning panorama:
Reaching the high col between Loinne and Creag a'Mhaim didn't take us long and when we got there, the sun was stronger, more blue sky showed up and the mountain summits were definitely clearing. I was all happy - good views were only a short climb away
Wakey wakey, mountains!
The "splodgathon" part of the walk. The true summit of Beinn Loinne is to the right, we climbed to the wee top to the left first, there is no obvious path so the exact line of ascent makes little difference:
We got gaitered up (is that proper English???) and left the comfortable track. It wasn't as wet as I feared, with the amount of snow that must have melted here recently I expected mud bathing
As we walked, we noticed the cloud touching the summit was dispersing. We didn't push it too quickly, let's give the hill time to clear!
In the meantime, we stopped for a photo session on the wee western top (540m). Even from here, views across the loch were already amazing...
We spent some time talking about Am Bathach/Ciste Dhubh route, and concluded it was our favourite ridge in this area. Not the Sisters, not SGS, but these two shy hills. They have already gifted us with a splendid winter adventure (was it in 2013?) and we will surely be back for more.
The Brothers ridge. The partly clouded peak to the right in the background must be Beinn Fhada.
A panoramic photo:
Creag a'Mhaim still cloudy but this was to change soon. Loch Quoich Twins to the left:
Brothers and Sisters:
Only from higher ground we could appreciate the details of Ciste Dhubh/Am Bathach ridge:
I always felt a bit sorry for poor Beinn loinne, such a fine viewpoint but still overlooked and neglected, being surrounded by so many Munros. But this wee outlier of SGS is really worth the day, especially when weather is fine and the sun is shining... It's a hill to climb with a smile!
On the wide, flat summit area we spent a lot of time taking photos from different vantage points. The cloud was all gone now and we enjoyed a bright, sunny day.
It was great to climb this hill in better conditions for a change. It was a good place to play "hillspotting". To the south, we spotted Loch Lochy Munros and Ben Tee:
Also the closer neighbours, Loch Quoich Munros:
Gairich and other peaks around Loch Arkaing:
Ben Nevis was also very prominent on the southern horizon:
No wonder Panther was ready to meaow!
View east is maybe the least interesting, with the Meall Dubh wind farm right in the middle of the photo
The true summit is marked with a trig point and not much more
There was very little snow even here, especially compare to the previous weekend! A repeat hill again but we don't mind repeats as long as they come with the benefit of good weather and wide panoramas!
Kevin and Lucy on the summit - she climbed her 32nd Corbett!
A happy sheep
To the north, A'Chralaig and Sgurr nan Conbhairean are the most prominent features in a long ridge...
...but our eyes always returned to the Black Chest... Summit in cloud for a short while:
Brothers and Sisters again:
We found a flat rock to sit on and had our well deserved picnic, with hot tea and cookies, stretched our legs and watched the sun moving west
It almost felt like spring at this very moment, for a few minutes I thought it was mid-March. Of course, something inside me is crying out for more winter conditions (my inner snow leopard I bet!) but it was good to enjoy a warmer spell of sunny weather for a change.
On the way down we took a slightly different line of descent, skipping the 540m top, but there was no chance to avoid the "splodgathon"
Find me a dry spot...
At least, we still had the views and some amazing snaps were taken, a few of those below.
Nevis:
Sisters of No Mercy:
The Black Chest:
When we returned to the tarmac, we were welcome by a small herd of deer:
Hello and Merry Christmas, people! just don't shoot at us please! We are related to Rudolph!
Of course this is a stalking estate and deer must be fed in winter, cause they were not afraid of us in the slightest, didn't even bother walking away too far!
We walked back to Cluanie in the fading light, the sun setting slowly behind the peaks of Kintail, our hearts full of joy and happiness after a well spent day.
Cluanie sunset:
It was a weird November. It presented us with weather covering all four seasons of the year
but amongst all those crazy changes we climbed a few awesome hills and we didn't allow the late autumn depression to take over. Now, fingers crossed for white Christmass and some more decent conditions to enjoy the Hogmany on the hills!
