The Cioch and the Corrie Lagan Round
Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 10:43 pmThe Round of Coire Lagan via the Cioch. 9km. 7.30h. 1200m. 21/ 06/ 1997
Having climbing experience of the Cioch via “Coich Direct” and “Arrrow route”, I`m happy to share / lead fellow club members to achieve their goals. The club meet is @ Skyewalkers this w/e – forecast is for good weather - so with Avril and Alan, time for a repeat show.
We park at the Glen Brittle hut, gear up, and walk past the Eas Mor waterfall to a lochan. The path splits at a triangular shape stone, the entrance to Coire Lagan. Sited between the rock walls of Sgurr Dearg and Sron na Creise, the corrie sits on two levels; the smaller - higher by some 200m - contains a lochan and gives access to three munros; (The Cuillin ridge being unusual in the fact it has the only Scottish hills named after people.) We take the lower path, cross a broad sloped basin, strewn with boulders, rocks, scrub and burns, for the awesome face of Sron na Ciche.
Follow the cliff base up on scree and rock to the bottom of the Sgumain Stone Shoot. The Cioch soars above us, beckoning. Past the gash of Eastern Gully to reach and pass two prominent blocks of rock, the start of our climb. A feint rh track leads up, then round the steep face of Eastern Gully to reach a wide terrace below the Cioch.
The Cioch slab rises at rough angle of 50* and from our viewpoint, is some 70m high; add a nigh vertical 60m face above that. It is some place. The slab is ribbed with cracks and pockmarked, jist the finest gabbro one could ever be on. “Collies route” takes a long rising twin cracks L. “Arrow route” soars above us but we opt for “Slab Corner” a 50m diff., which does what it says on the tin. Climb to a rounded neck, with a sheer drop on the other side, then R up, onto the Cioch itself.
You really have to be here to know what it feels like. A superb viewpoint for the corrie below. – words just do not do it justice. Enjoy the moment until it`s time to move on. Down climb onto the neck and squeeze under the upper wall, along the rib to reach the top of Eastern Gully. A wee step here gives a walk up the broad ridge for the top of Sgurr Sgumain. Climb a short wall and the ridge narrows, pass three pinnacles to reach Bealach Sgumain. We snub the “Mauvais pas,” by climbing on the Coire Lagan face, so bypass the bad step. On superb rock now, an easy “Alpine climb” follows to the top of Sgurr Alasdair for great views of the ridge, Blaven and islands beyond. Down climb into and cross the great stone shoot – 5m R and an awkward step sees the top of Sgurr Thearlaich with the loch of Coruisk far below. Along the ridge, then down L, across slabs, above the stone shoot to Bealach Mhic Choinnich and contemplate Kings chimney. In the end Collies ledge wins out so we cross the mountains face for a return to the ridge. R here, climb a steeper section on basalt slabs to reach the summit of Mhic Coinnich for a long break @ the trig point, to drink in the views.
A return down on big blocks into Coire Lagan for the low point of the ridge, toil up scree slopes for a chimney on the ridge. Climb this, then up, for the top of An Stac and the start of the Inpin. Another a rock step, then we are on the route. The rope is tied out between us, but not really needed and we top out on the big top block. Great views again, along the ridge and out to sea. We`ve had a stunner of a day. Looped into the steel hawser we absail down, then walk up Dearg`s slope to sit with smug contentment, viewing our travelled route..
The return to the car was uneventful, some bits of down climbing, a blast when running the screes to reach the path for our inward route.
Back at the bunkhouse a great time was had, the envy of the rest of our group.
Sunday saw Avril and I climb the Bhasteir Tooth via Lotta Coire side (Collies route, mod.) then, from the”Nick” reach the top of Am Bhasteir before a return past the gorge for the Slig and motor.
In all a great w/e with good company
Having climbing experience of the Cioch via “Coich Direct” and “Arrrow route”, I`m happy to share / lead fellow club members to achieve their goals. The club meet is @ Skyewalkers this w/e – forecast is for good weather - so with Avril and Alan, time for a repeat show.
We park at the Glen Brittle hut, gear up, and walk past the Eas Mor waterfall to a lochan. The path splits at a triangular shape stone, the entrance to Coire Lagan. Sited between the rock walls of Sgurr Dearg and Sron na Creise, the corrie sits on two levels; the smaller - higher by some 200m - contains a lochan and gives access to three munros; (The Cuillin ridge being unusual in the fact it has the only Scottish hills named after people.) We take the lower path, cross a broad sloped basin, strewn with boulders, rocks, scrub and burns, for the awesome face of Sron na Ciche.
Follow the cliff base up on scree and rock to the bottom of the Sgumain Stone Shoot. The Cioch soars above us, beckoning. Past the gash of Eastern Gully to reach and pass two prominent blocks of rock, the start of our climb. A feint rh track leads up, then round the steep face of Eastern Gully to reach a wide terrace below the Cioch.
The Cioch slab rises at rough angle of 50* and from our viewpoint, is some 70m high; add a nigh vertical 60m face above that. It is some place. The slab is ribbed with cracks and pockmarked, jist the finest gabbro one could ever be on. “Collies route” takes a long rising twin cracks L. “Arrow route” soars above us but we opt for “Slab Corner” a 50m diff., which does what it says on the tin. Climb to a rounded neck, with a sheer drop on the other side, then R up, onto the Cioch itself.
You really have to be here to know what it feels like. A superb viewpoint for the corrie below. – words just do not do it justice. Enjoy the moment until it`s time to move on. Down climb onto the neck and squeeze under the upper wall, along the rib to reach the top of Eastern Gully. A wee step here gives a walk up the broad ridge for the top of Sgurr Sgumain. Climb a short wall and the ridge narrows, pass three pinnacles to reach Bealach Sgumain. We snub the “Mauvais pas,” by climbing on the Coire Lagan face, so bypass the bad step. On superb rock now, an easy “Alpine climb” follows to the top of Sgurr Alasdair for great views of the ridge, Blaven and islands beyond. Down climb into and cross the great stone shoot – 5m R and an awkward step sees the top of Sgurr Thearlaich with the loch of Coruisk far below. Along the ridge, then down L, across slabs, above the stone shoot to Bealach Mhic Choinnich and contemplate Kings chimney. In the end Collies ledge wins out so we cross the mountains face for a return to the ridge. R here, climb a steeper section on basalt slabs to reach the summit of Mhic Coinnich for a long break @ the trig point, to drink in the views.
A return down on big blocks into Coire Lagan for the low point of the ridge, toil up scree slopes for a chimney on the ridge. Climb this, then up, for the top of An Stac and the start of the Inpin. Another a rock step, then we are on the route. The rope is tied out between us, but not really needed and we top out on the big top block. Great views again, along the ridge and out to sea. We`ve had a stunner of a day. Looped into the steel hawser we absail down, then walk up Dearg`s slope to sit with smug contentment, viewing our travelled route..
The return to the car was uneventful, some bits of down climbing, a blast when running the screes to reach the path for our inward route.
Back at the bunkhouse a great time was had, the envy of the rest of our group.
Sunday saw Avril and I climb the Bhasteir Tooth via Lotta Coire side (Collies route, mod.) then, from the”Nick” reach the top of Am Bhasteir before a return past the gorge for the Slig and motor.
In all a great w/e with good company
