East side of Loch Shiel

[Benaden887]

The East side of Loch Shiel 18/04/2008

Bike / 10.5km 166m 1.5h On foot / 16.5km 1580m 7h.

Glen Finnan walkers carpark. The morning dry and warm with a good wind. Gear up and bike across the road into the monument grounds where a walkway leads to a track alongside loch Shiel. I`m Corbett bashing but more interested in the grade 3 scramble on the N ridge of Sgurr Ghiubhsachain to add to my collection. The peak soars into view as I cycle downhill and leave the bike at Guesachan. There are workmen here with large pipes and diggers. Loch Shiel shimmers in the heat as I shed clothing, rising thro heather and crags, a larger step I take direct for easier slabs above. Another higher crag leads after some thought and effort to the top of Meall a` Choire Chruinn @ 634m. The final wall is fun spurning the obvious weak line to eventually reach a broad terrace, gives a decent workout. Up a superb rib, then easier going past a top for a wide summit of Sgurr Ghiuibhsachain @849m. Disappointed there`s no trig point here. The views certainly rate one. Lochs Eil and Shiel, The Corbetts across the water to Glenfinnan and Cona glen, looking somber. The scramble turns here to continues back over Sgorr Craobh a` Chaorainn. Bin there and done that in a winter`s gale. Not my smartest day out on the hills. Tarsuinn lies just shy of 3km with a 200m drop on an arm that wraps itself around the head of Cona glen. An awesome place.
So, on to Meall nan Creag Leac @ 755 and follow the fence down to Bealach Scamondale, over the Tarsuinn ridge detour SW for a 1.5km walk out to look down into a forested Glen Hurich, which had been one of my proposed ascent routes. The Resourie bothy lies down there some where, for now it`s a return to the ridge, Bealach an Sgriodain and onto Druim Tarsuinn@770m. It looks a lonng way back from here. So return over down an up to Creag Leac, follow the fence to where Creag a` Bhlair steep edge drops to Allt Buidhe. Reach the Shiel track, 3k to the bike and 5k cycle back to the car.

Seen enroute Guys working , gone when I returned.Plenty deer and birds no one on the hill plenty at the monument. Now for a wash, a drink and something to eat then for Corran