by Benaden887 » Wed Mar 14, 2018 9:43 pm
Date walked: 18/09/2009
Time taken: 4 hours
Distance: 5.2 km
Ascent: 600m
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The Cioch Nose, Sgurr a`Chaorachain @ Applecross Friday 18th Sept 2009
We had been here before of course, 5 times in zero visibility, gale force winds or driving rain.
I did Beinn Bhan and this Corbett on compass bearings, this time however, it was clear – strong winds but dry at least. Kenny and I can see the Cuillin ridge from here - tops covered in cloud. The KMC are having a Skye meet this w/e. So we left a day early, had an overnite @ Plockton where a snap recce yesterday had shown the way down, thus a quick drop into Coire a` Charurachain - up the scree, along the ledge to the CN mark on the rock and we were there.
The Nose juts out like a pointing finger into the glen below, its sheer slopes beckoning or threatening depending on your strengths - creating steep rock corries on either side - Our climb starts at its tip.
Gear on, rope up. Starts with a layback, then 3 awkward corners over a 40m pitch. It`s hard- too old perhaps – or wrong footwear - well maybe, but it takes us to a 15m offset chimney. The Cioch Nose corner. Too intent, we do not realise until passed, that this is the magical pitch that Tom Patey and Chris Bonnington commit to legend. “Come on man – it’s incredible ”
Pass the nose and up to sit in the famed belay ledge – 210mtr of clear vertical air below us - still 90mtrs to climb. The sandstone is rough on fingers and clothes and a little piece of us is left on every pitch but worth it. So true! The views, the best I’ve seen. This really is some v.diff, an some day. Magnificent scenery - the rough corries and glowering clouds, while far below, white scudded waves chase each other across Loch Coire nan Arr. The gusting winds carry a hint of rain- time to push on. 5m traverse along the face, then 40m up on rounded slabs. The holds are good, yet still a keen awareness of the space below our feet. The route disappears upward easing slightly. Two more airy pitches of 30m then 20m scramble to reach the top and we are there. The rain does not come and sun smiles on a panorama you could not buy.
But the way does not end here – to reach the radio tower and Bealach na Ba where the car awaits we still have some 300m of rock ahead. So drop to the neck for a path up huge blocks, up a groove at a steeper section to a slab and on. Cross a number of false summits, the climbing is good and we breeze them. One tricky down climb, during a rest, as we espy, posing securely on a ledge a white headed Sea Eagle that eyes us with a curious disdain probably wondering what the hell we are doing up in his domain,
A final push as the radio mast comes into view and tired legs walk down the track towards the car. Elation is building- Yeeha finally the Nose is in the bag. What a tremendous day. We did it at last. A team performance - so cross it from the list never needing to climb it again unless perhaps in the area and the weather is reasonable.......
The weather broke that night on Skye giving a w/e of incessant rain.
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