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This was one of those trips which had been put back for so long that it just required doing,weather dependant
Kinley had posted about a sniff of high pressure at the weekend- would trust him more than Michael Fish
so it was now going to happen.
My initial thoughts were about a high camp on MnD, but work scuppered my plans
couldn't arrange an early finish or the day off, and finished later than planned. Plan B
Walk in and back out, in theory sounds great, practically a tad more difficult.
So set off from Johnstone at 0330 Sunday morning with flask of expresso for the journey, uneventful drive up. Stopped for a taste of the bean at Glencoe, and delighted in the sight of the Aonach and Bidean bedecked in moonlight and starlight, drank my coffee and back in the car- bloody freezing
Arrived at the Cluanie Inn at 0700,finished the coffee and dressed for the occasion. Headed off at 0730. The moon was still high in the sky and the sun rising slowly as I ambled along.
The path varies from grit to grass to gloop in stages, glad it was looking fine and not cats,dogs and buckets as I would have turned about- awful fear of drowning
The views around me were excellent, as well as what was in wait for me ahead
I eventually arrived at Altbeithe just after 0900, but didn't stop for long, a quick chat with two campers heading out the route I came in. Up the path behind the Hostel, through the gate and up the excellent grit path. Through the top gate and heading towards the bealach - 45/50 mins.
Headed for the top before An Socach and left my bag behind the small rise above the two lochans (puddles
) and off I went. The summit and back only took about 30mins.
Time to go a searching, I knew there was a cairn just west of the bealach so kept my eyes peeled and found it lurking behind a slab on my right hand side
To the left of this cairn is the beginning of a path which descends steeply to the out flow of the lochan. Across towards MnD and up towards a small area of scree, 2nd lowest point on the ridge- under the plume
The view back from my ascent. Cairn at the lowest point left of centre
Off to the distant Summit of Dheiragain. Certainly a bit of a hike.
from summit to Ceathreamhnan
Back across the tops and dropped down and headed for the biggest summit of the day. Started to cramp up in my right leg, so a packet of crisps and a Baby-Bel and a Red bull later- back on track.
Felt great now as the ridge narrowed and the summit came into view, no just a little higher
. Now I was there, the views all around were stunning. I just stood and stared
View back to MnD
The view to An Socach and the way backdown
The route to the Cluanie Inn, centre.
I was totally delighted to be in Glen Affric with the three summits ticked off, headed out with a beaming grin. I met a couple on their way up who asked if I had just done the one hill.I toldthem I had left johnstone at 0330 and been round the three, ' Oh' the man said 'Remember, you still have a long walk out' Thanks for reminding me
A slow pace back through the 'soup' on the way back, and decided to have a steak to celebrate. Changed and back to the car, a council van pulled up and placed a 'road closed' sign on the grass verge. apparently the Ferry to Skye was all the way back to the petrol station! A guy was standing at the roadside waiting for the bus and I offered him a lift to Fort William, we got chatting -as you do, and discovered he stayed in Ibrox, so dropped him off in Paisley. Small world
