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Had noticed this interesting top during the summer when out for a walk with the family at the fairy pools.
I decided to read up on it and find out if there was a route up for a non-climber and was glad to find out there was
I was going to do this walk/scramble with a climber earlier in the year but we opted for pinnacle ridge instead, our plan of attack was to go up the spur hit the ridge and head on to Bruach na Frithe, this being unknown territory i never really had a plan for Saturday, i would take it as it comes, and being on my own i would be proceeding with caution..
Weather was good with not to much snow on the tops, was actually quite mild, down to the mid-layers by the end of the day.
After an hour and a pleasant walk up the well constructed path past the fairy pools i arrived at the bottom of the spur with the menacing gash of Waterpipe gully next to my route up(that hopefully is for another day).
Views from the spur and looking down into Waterpipe gully
After an hour i arrived at the top of the spur with splendid views of the ridge and the scary looking Bidean Druim nan Ramh straight ahead
- The summit of the Spur
Looking north and back towards the spur
Looking over to Bruach na Frithe
After a quick cup of tea and a phone call to my climber buddy, i was heading along the ridge with the intension of getting on to Bruach na Frithe.
skirting below Bidean where i had a close encounter with a rather large rock which decided it wanted to move after i lay my hand on it, it was up on to the ridge which was wet, slippy and frozen in places.
With the nerves a bit jolted after the moving rock i came across a rather large gash on the ridge which my friend forgot to mention, it was only a large step or a small jump but with the conditions underfoot the way they were if i was to slip here there would be no second chances, 2000 odd ft drop either side, it was time to bail out.
Retracing my steps and back towards i think the corrie of Tairneilear which looked the best option.
Some times the head has to rule over the heart, i know i will do this route again so it was the sensible choice to bail out at this point.
Looking down at my exit route and some more photos of around.
- Looking towards Blavin
It was a fine day which i will repeat one day to complete it, but never the less the Spur is a fine route on it's own and as you can tell from the photos this is a serious scramble and not for the faint hearted but well worth a visit.