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Tuesday's weather forecast was looking promising, so we decided on a big day out around Coigach - but not just hill walking. Achnahaird Bay was on the list, but low tide wasn't until the middle of the day so we did the short stroll to Rhue Lighthouse in the morning. Photos at the end of this report. After Achnahaird Bay (and several other roadside photo stops) we headed for the car park at the foot of Ben More Coigach.
The ridge, well seen from Rhue Lighthouse earlier, looked enticing as we walked down the road into Culnacraig:
Onto a path behind the cottages - a more obvious branch on the left is the return route from Sgurr an Fhidleir. Continuing ahead, the path ascends the slope diagonally then fizzles out before the Allt nan Coisiche. Pathless for the next kilometre or so:
The gully carved by the burn looked impressive as we climbed the shoulder to the right hand side of it:
Over the shoulder and the ridge could be seen in all its glory:
Grand views back to the Summer Isles from the foot of the ridge:
At first the way onto the ridge isn't clear, but find the way up between small crags and the path is soon found. The going is never difficult - no hands needed - and the route stays either on the crest or on the left side of it. From the top, fantastic views open up along Loch Broom towards Ullapool:
Ridge views:
The ridge felt longer than we expected, with lots of minor pinnacles and crests. Eventually the next one in line was the summit of Ben More Coigach itself:
Last view back from the ridge:
Views inland towards Strath Canaird:
The summit is broad and less interesting than the rest of the ridge, but it's a great viewpoint for it:
As for the view north towards Assynt... wow!
The next peak, Sgurr an Fhidleir, is on the left in the photo above. There's a fairly big descent and reascent to reach it (they're both Grahams), but the going is very easy on gentle, often grassy ground:
The wind picked up on the summit - it was blowing straight up the burn to the west. With a sheer drop on the sheltered side there was nowhere at all to have a bite to eat! So instead we had to be content with some of the most amazing views we've ever set eyes on. It was a photo similar to this one (looking north from this summit) which first made me excited about walking in Scotland:
Cliffs to the northwest:
Looking back to Ben More Coigach:
East:
In complete contrast to most of the rest of the walk, the descent is mostly on a good and gentle path (probably a bit boggy in wetter summers) down a wide shoulder between two burns:
Soon back at Culnacraig in under 5 hours since leaving. One last view back:
A wonderful afternoon's walk amongst some truly extraordinary mountains.
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