Three Sunny Ridges, Fifteen Munros

[weaselmaster]

All this amazing sunny weather - yet another weekend blessed with dawn to dusk sunshine, although if I have a complaint it would be that it's been a little warm for hillwalking Never happy , are we? I'd been keeping the Glen Shiel Ridges for a good weather window, so needed no persuasion to get up to Shiel Bridge on Thursday night and put our cunning plan into action. Disliking the uncertainties of transport to/from the ends of Glen Shiel, we decided to leave the tent at Shiel Bridge, which would allow us to do the South Ridge on Friday, leaving the car at the Clunie and return over the Sisters and Brothers on Saturday. Given Allison's recent problems with shin splints I was a little concerned that she'd struggle with the distance two days in a row, but we'd give it a go. I was also suffering from a nasty toothache, facing a dental appointment when I returned home on Monday. This did not make for an altogether pleasant weekend.

Arrived at the campsite around 8pm - still roasting but with enough breeze to keep the midges away. I've never seen the ground so dry in the site. Of course the reception was shut - it closes at 6, and wouldn't open til 9 next morning - by which time we'd be on the hills. I can't fathom out this campsite - it is used mostly by walkers who will tend to be late back and early out and the opening hours are quite unsuited to this clientele. There's not even an honesty box, or indeed a letterbox in the shop door (I'd brought a cheque for the 3 nights we were staying as I guessed we might struggle to coincide with the man. He must lose so much money from folk that would pay, but can't. Anyway - his problem.

A quiet night, very warm in the tent. We were up around 6.30 and up at the Clunie by 7.15. Although it had been sunny at the Shiel Bridge end of the glen, we were under cloud cover at the east end - I was guessing a cloud inversion that would burn off soon. I'd forgotten just how long a walk it is from the Clunie to the start, almost 7km. Not complaining as it's easy walking. We started off up Creag a'Mhaim and broke through the cloud inversion at around 600m Good views south to the Quoich hills and across the glen to the north lot of Ciste Dubh et al. We were hounded by clegs - the first encounter of the year. They seemed to be in particularly bloodthirsty mode too

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Mialach & Gleouraich
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Ciste Dubh
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There's not an awful lot to say about this ridge - there are a lot of ups and downs but the path is good and it never really felt tiring. Having said that, it seldom felt very exciting either. I'd noticed that my toothache improved when we were going uphill and worsened when we stopped or descended. Very odd - physiologically I could only guess it had something to do with faster pulse rate.

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On Sgurr an Doire Leathan we met a couple of Cockney geezers we'd run into last week on Braeriach. It's a small world. Allison noted how seldom we met Cockneys up in the hills. Descending from the final summit, Creag nan Damh, we met a couple of ladies to whom we chatted for a while - they seemed only to have come up for the most westernly hill. I asked if the river was dry, as we were out of water - "no", they said, "there are plenty of clear pools too". That sounded good to us in our parched state. I remembered the descent as being endless, but it's not that bad. We stopped by the waterfalls, filled our bladders and had a good splash around, invigorating. I half expected a cluster of little water jets to come from my torso from the holes the clegs had made, biting through my top.

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From there down to the road, then a 7km road walk back to the campsite. As we were going downhill, the distance didn't seem too great. Back at the tent in just under 11 hours - a shower then some food and an early night.

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Saturday - another fine morning. We got away about 7 and walked round to Allt a'Chruin - I had wondered about going directly onto the ridge from the campsite, but the bracken looked impenetrable. The sea was mirror calm, the clegs not yet in evidence. My mouth was painful. Up the hydro track, along the Allt, once again losing the path where it crosses over to the south side of the river. Upwards, gradually the long shoulders of Fhuaran and Carnach came into view. It was hot already - perhaps shaping up to be hotter than the day before. Knowing there would be little chance of refilling water supplies today I made an effort to restrict, or at least pace my drinking.

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We reached the summit of Sgurr nan Saighead. Still a few whisps of cloud inversion evident up the east end of the glen. Such impressive cliffs on this ridge - much more exciting than the tamer hills on the other side of the road. Much more ascent/descent too. We dropped down to Bealach Buidhe then began the long climb up to Sgurr Fhuaran, with some little scrambly bits I'd forgotten about. It had taken us around 3 and a half hours to get this far. Onto Sgurr Carnach, from where we could see the ridge continuing, the cliffs of Sgurr nan Spainteach dark against the sky. We met a few folk, all coming the opposite way, from the Battlefield. Over Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe, Spainteach til we reached the bealach between the Sisters and Brothers.

Fhuaran
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Saighead
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Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe
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Spainteach
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It was now coming up for 2pm. We were really hot, I felt a bit dehydrated and was rationing my water so that I would last the day out. A combination of pain, heat and dehydration was making me mildly delirious Or that's my excuse anyway. Ahead of us stretched the three grassier hills of the Brothers ridge. The hardest part was over. Up the slopes of Saileag where we met a couple of lads from Aberdeen who had started on Ciste Dubh and were doing the whole ridge. Had it been a less scorching day we might have added Ciste Dubh on at the end - but way too hot for that today. Up to Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg, where we came across a patch of snow just down from the path. Shovelling handfuls of snow into the remaining water in my bladder gave a heavenly cool drink - at that moment in time beating just about any drink I could imagine. Up to the wee promontory, Allison showing off my standing on the top of the large cairn. Aonach Meadhoin was now in view - we knew the end would soon be in sight.

Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg
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The last gasp...
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Ciste Dubh - a shade too far in today's heat
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Over the summit, then the Munro Top of Sgurr an Fhuarail before taking the southern ridge down to the Clunie. Under new management, they've changed their menu for the better but have also put up signs like "Private" in the walkers' car park and "Toilets for customers use only" which seemed not altogether friendly. Anyway, a pint of lemonade/lager shandy tasted sweet and heavenly. Back to the campsite where the effects of the long day (ten and a quarter hours) plus the heat were taking their toll - I felt exhausted and my toothache was throbbing. I lay down for a bit then fetched an altogether inadequate (for Allison) tea of soup and a bit of rhubarb pie. I had no appetite myself, she was left starving, poor dear. We had company from Mike and Deirdre who had arrived separately, Mike from doing the Clunie 5, Deirdre in her new shiny van doing the South ridge tomorrow. We chatted for a while until the midges emerged then headed to bed. Slept poorly because of my teeth.

We had no definite plans what we'd do with Sunday - as before it was a cracking sunny day. It would have been good to head for Skye and do Sgurr Dubh Mor, but that was too far in the wrong direction. Of the 19 other Munros I had left the most obvious choice was the Aonach Eagach, which would be grand to do in this kind of weather. However, given my recent experiences on Skye where exposure put me into a blue funk the Aonach was mentally a considerable challenge for me. Determined to try and wrest back some of my confidence in a scrambling setting I thought this was probably the best way to go about it.

We arrived at Glencoe about 10am, busy bustling car park. Boots, rather than the approach shoes of the last 2 days, poles left in the car. Up to Am Bodach, where we found a couple of guys sunbathing, having decided against the ridge. I remembered the descent from Am Bodach was a tester, a chance to calibrate my fear. Yes, still got some fear there However, it was going to be done, no way back now. Up to Meall Dearg without too much anxiety - we stopped for lunch before heading to the ridge proper. At least the focus on the job in hand (or the increased heart rate brought on by the excitement of it all) was keeping my toothache manageable.

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What followed was almost enjoyable - we kept to the crest, didn't bypass and I managed to get myself over the pinnacles in one piece, which intermittent jelly legs. Whilst not as comfortable as last time I did it - when my confidence was higher - I felt it had done me good to put myself through this today. We walked along to the summit of Sgorr nam Fhiannaidh then headed down, avoiding the Clachaig Gully route. Descent took a while and we knew we had the long return walk ahead of us. Passing the Clachaig we headed in for a drink and ended up having food too as I had found enough money to cover this in my rucksack. Refreshed, we set off along the roadside path back to the car park - which was much more pleasant than I had been anticipating - there's less than 100m ascent from the Clachaig back to the car park.

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Sgorr nam Fhiannaidh
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Ossian's Cave
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So, a fair wheen of my remaining hills climbed this weekend. And a little bit of confidence on the scrambly stuff restored too

[PeteR]

Fair play to you both, achieving all that in the heat. I'd planned a trek in to Knoydart, but bailed as a result of the hear......way too hot for me to be lugging a heavy pack. As it was the clegs got me even on a short walk.

One benefit of the recent weather though, for those who do venture out and upwards is that visibility looks to have been superb. And on that count you got yourself some great views for all your efforts

[weaselmaster]

Fair play to you both, achieving all that in the heat. I'd planned a trek in to Knoydart, but bailed as a result of the hear......way too hot for me to be lugging a heavy pack. As it was the clegs got me even on a short walk.

One benefit of the recent weather though, for those who do venture out and upwards is that visibility looks to have been superb. And on that count you got yourself some great views for all your efforts

Funnily enough Allison and myself were talking about you when we were out on Saturday and wondering if you were going to get those last three done in the good weather. I agree it’s a bit hot for big packs at present although you can cut out a lot of the usual kit (rain gear, warm jackets etc) with relative impunity at the moment.

Clegs are mean.

[Alteknacker]

Heck, that's some bout of sustained walking, especially in the present conditions. There's fit, really fit, and ...

Like you, I found the heat pretty tough on a recent foray up north.

But where for you from here?? Charlie Ramsey round???

[weaselmaster]

Heck, that's some bout of sustained walking, especially in the present conditions. There's fit, really fit, and ...

Like you, I found the heat pretty tough on a recent foray up north.

But where for you from here?? Charlie Ramsey round???

That’s way out of my league. I do have a hankering to try the mullardochs in a day, but suspect that’s beyond me as well. I’ll just keep chipping away and hopefully come up with some good wanders. Some Fannichs action in a couple of weeks if the weather plays ball