Day 1: Glenfinnan to Glen Pean
8 June 2018
14.2 km, 1389 m ascent.
We left the car in Mallaig and took the train to Glenfinnan, setting off about 11 am towards the viaduct via the footpath behind the station. Game on!
- A beautiful blue-sky day for the start. The Hogwarts Express was standing in the Glenfinnan station when we arrived from Mallaig.
- One of the more spectacular spots on the way up to the summit. Sgurr Thuilm in the background.
- We reached the summit in gathering cloud, which was to stay with us for most of the rest of the trip, though it mainly stayed above the summits. Loch Arkaig just visible over the peaks.
- Spectacular view up Glen Pean with An Stac (716m) centre. It was a pretty grueling descent on steep grassy slopes with some rocks that needed picking around.
- Camp 1 - just east of the Lochan. Here we saw the third person of the day after leaving the Glenfinnan track - a lone hiker heading west on the far side of the burn.
Day 2: Glen Pean to Sgurr na Ciche
9 June 2018
18.6 km, 1269 m ascent.
With the weather looking a bit more changeable and the slopes up to Carn Mor looking uninviting to say the least, we decided to take the line of least resistance and headed east down Glen Pean and then up Glen Dessary. We weren't sure what the next move would be, but probably to head up the Alt Coire nan Uth and camp in the bowl below the other Sgurr nan Coirachan. The idea of climbing both Sgurr nan Coireachan's in a row seemed quite appealing.
- View looking back up Glen Pean, with Sgurr nan Coireachan (the Glenfinnan one we had climbed the day before) on the left and the Glean Pean bothy on the right.
- Unfortunately in the early afternoon, on the way up Glen Dessary the gathering cloud finally broke and the rain came. We decided to miss out the 'other' Sgurr nan Coireachan and headed up Glen Dessary towards Sgurr na Ciche. The rain kept the crowds away, all of them in fact, we didn't see a soul all day (a bit surprising for a Saturday).
- It brightened up by the time we were making our way up to the lower slopes of Garbh Cioch Mor and Sgurr na Ciche.
- We camped just below the gully up to the Feadan na Ciche, at about 660m.
Day 3: Sgurr na Ciche to Meall Buidhe
10 June 2018
10.4 km, 1315 m ascent.
- We were up early and headed up the gully the next morning towards the Feadan na Ciche, leaving the tents set up and the heavy packs behind - what a feeling of release! From the bealach we first headed southeast to Garbh Chioch Mor, following the line of the wall.
- The summit of Garbh Chioch Mor, with the clouds drifting in and out. Loch Quoich in the background. From here we retraced our steps along the ridge and then up the other side to Sgurr na Ciche.
- Summit of Sgurr na Ciche looking east, Loch Quoich on the left.
From the summit we retraced our steps back down the gully to break camp and pick up the heavy packs once again. Then we made a short traverse over the ridge to the top of the Coire na Cuairtich, and made the long descent down the steep, grassy coire, but without too much difficulty. We crossed the Carnach river without any trouble after the long dry spell and headed straight up the opposite slope to the Coire Ile below Meall Buidhe.
- The camp in the spectacular bowl of the Coire Ile, just below the small lochan. Outstanding views of Sgurr na Ciche and the Coire na Cuairtich that we had come down earlier that day. Maybe less surprising given our route and timings, but we didn't see anyone the entire third day either, but seeing as it was Sunday we were beginning to wonder if the apocalypse had come while we were out of town.
Day 4: Meall Buidhe to Stob na Muicraidh
11 June 2018
11.5 km, 1374 m ascent.
The next day we made the short climb up to the ridgeline with the packs and stashed them to follow the ridge west along to the summit of Meall Buidhe.
- Some fun (without the heavy packs) scrambling on the way to the summit.
The clouds were down for the summit and after that we retraced our steps to pick up the packs and complete the ridge climb around to Luinne Bheinn, where the clouds lifted with spectacular views of Loch Hourn and Loch Nevis on either side..
- On the second summit of Luinne Bheinn, which shows as about a metre lower on the OS map, but is probably about the same height given the cairn and the added rock. Loch Hourn down below.
- From Luinne Bheinn we descended the ridge to the high point on the Mam Barrisdale then climbed the grassy ledges and slopes of the Stob na Muicraidh, to camp on the ridge below the crags leading up to the Stob a' Chearcaill. The route up the crags isn't at all obvious until you get right up to it (just follow the eroded path line at the crest of the ridge right up to the crag and it becomes obvious). The scrambling isn't anything like as exposed as it looks from a distance and is quite short. We finally saw some people (the first in nearly 3 days) descending the route as we neared the ridge - confirming that we would still need to go to work the following week.
Day 5: Stob na Muicraidh to Inverie
12 June 2018
13.6 km, 722 m ascent.
- There are several bits of scrambling up to the summit of Ladhar Bheinn which are sustained right up to the final summit slopes. Unfortunately the cloud was down, so we couldn't see what was obviously a magnificent situation - definitely one to repeat!. I feel sorry for people that have only climbed it from the west, which was a chore in descent and must be a slog going up.
- At the trig point, which according to the OS map (as we couldn't see it to confirm) is not the highest of the 3 mini-peaks on the Ladhar Bheinn summit ridge.
- The race to the pub began properly on the forest track back to Inverie.
- A well-deserved if overpriced pint at the pub (although I would have paid a lot more for it at the time).
