So i was looking forward to find most of the rough upper hillsides covered in smooth snow.
BUT 2 days of glorious weather probably melted 90% of the snow but there was still enough to make the hills look great and by flitting between patches of soft snow made the descent very easy on the knees.
Climbed Conival and Ben More Assynt by the usual route starting in Inchnadamph.
Biked in for 2 Km that probably saved about 30 minutes in total but more importtanly gave a pleasant free wheel descent at the end of a long day.
The path was very easy to follow and kept much closer to the river than i had expected.
- Looking back to start with Loch Assynt visible
- Conival on the right, heading to the bealach
- rock band
The main path cuts through the rock band about 10 metres to the right of the Allt a'Choinne Mhill but there are some better scranbling options further to the right.
- Looking down from the bealach
Canisp is in the centre of the shot with Suilven just visible on its right shoulder.
Cul Mor is further to to the left with Stac Pollaidh on its right shoulder.
- BMA from half way up Conival
- Conival summit with slight sea of cloud in distance south
- Looking across to BMA
The drop from Conival had an awkward bit initially due to the snow but it was easily bypassed slightly to the south.
- BMA summit , looking north west
- Looking back to Conival
- Zoomed in view of Quinag from BMA
- typical amount of snow on the ridge
- getting near top of Conival again
- Looking along the length of Loch Assynt, Quinag on right, Canisp on the left
So i carried crampons but never got them out the bag.
I had put these two hills off for a while thinking it would be a boring route but with a nice amount of snow, no wind and wall to wall sunshine - a great day out.
