No Place Like Gnome

[weaselmaster]

A heatwave! That's what they said was coming. Unfortunately accompanied by great big winds, but never the less, temperatures of 15 degrees plus in February are not to be sniffed at. There wasn't going to be any snow, that was for sure, and any existing snow that had lingered over the past couple of warm and wet weeks would be getting short shrift too. I felt like doing some further away hills - had it not been for the winds I might have gone over to Rum, but as it was I decided a wee group of Corbetts around Cannich would fit the bill. I saw from my logs that we had a similar weekend in Cannich, at the end of March 15 where it had also been very windy, but with a lot more snow on the ground.

I planned Beinn a'Bha'ach Ard for Friday, Carn a'Choire Ghairb and Aonach Shassuin for Saturday with a wee trip up Sgorr na Doilliad for Sunday. I had apprehensions about the Affric pair on the Saturday, which was forecast to be the windiest, but I didn't fancy leaving them til Sunday and then having to drive down the road after a 30k day in the hills. On the plus side, we'd get to visit one of our favourite campsites, at Cannich. The road was unusually quiet on Thursday night and we arrived at the campsite in 4 hours, having taken it easy. We pitched in our usual spot amidst the pines and had a late tea.

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Set off for Strathfarrar on Friday morning, arriving at the parking place about 10am. Won't be long before the Glen's open again for the spring. We walked along the road to Culligran Power Station, the subterranean portals of which were open as we passed, and followed the track along to the dam, before heading up hill on a newish track that dwindles out at a ford. Then it was boggily uphill, stopping for a bite to eat near the 774m spot on Creag a Gharbh Choire. The wind wasn't too bad so far. There was very little snow to be seen on the surrounding Munros, although visibility was dampened by clag. Continuing to the summit of Beinn a'Bha'ach Ard there were views towards the Strathconon hills (soon, my pretties, soon).

P2220292 by Al, on Flickr

P2220293 by Al, on Flickr

Summit
P2220296 by Al, on Flickr

Our route continued along to Sgurr a'Phollain then down to the two Simms to the north of that summit. On Sgurr a'Ghlaisein we found a gnome sitting quite blissfully at the top of the summit cairn. Made of solid concrete and weighting goodness knows how much - why he's there I have not a clue, but he seemed to be enjoying the view. His general demeanor was somewhat careworn and he looked like he could do with a freshen up. Now, of the many things Allison keeps in her rucksack, a set of enamel paints expressly for touching up gnomes has - until now - been the least useful she has carried. But for the first time in six years she got to make use of them and - voila!

To Sgurr a'Phollain
P2220298 by Al, on Flickr

Simm-ward bound
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Loch Orrin
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Gnome
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After a tidy up...
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We continued across to the second Simm, the summit of which is marked by what looks like a gravestone, with the letter "G" carved upon it. Seriously weird hills these two. We continued back towards Sgurr a'Phollain, bypassing the summit this time on the eastern aspect and rejoining the ridge, following some old fence posts down fromCarn na Gabhalach. The descent is quite boggy in places and eventually brings you out in what has previously been a field of farmed deer, although none were in evidence today. We returned to the campsite in time for tea. Being February, I hadn't put the camping chairs in the car as yet, but we co-opted one of the picnic benches and brought it down to our tent so that we could dine in style.

? Grave on the second Simm
P2220304 by Al, on Flickr

Beinn a'Bha'ach Ard
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Another mild but very windy night - we could hear the pines creaking above the din of a party of owls holding parliament. We had to be up a bit earlier on Saturday, as it would be a long day so I dragged myself out of bed about 7.30 after not the best night's sleep. It didn't seem too windy at the campsite, but by the time we arrived at the furthest car-park in Affric, the wind was whipping the birch trees and generally howling. We set off far from sure that we would be able to complete the walk, much of which is a t high level. I was hoping that the eastern Kintail hills would shield us to some extent from the gales.

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Last time we'd done Aonach Shassuin first - however as I had a few Simms I hoped to get done today I thought we'd do the route reversed, which meant that if we had time we could include the Simms, all of which ran down from Sassuin. Track initially, as far as the bridge over the Allt Garbh. I knew we headed down the west side of the river, but that didn't stop me continuing along the track...After some shenanigans we found the faint footpath that follows the riverside and then the fence-line past the trees. Ascending Na Cnapain came next, all the time the wind getting stronger and the sky darkening, rain on the way. The next section, to Carn Glas lochdarach was the windiest and I asked Allison if she wanted to turn back, envisioning us being launched into space higher up. Fortunately she is made of sterner stuff and we pressed on. The wind lessened as we walked along the long plateau between lochdarach and Carn a'Choire Gharbh. Lunch was had in some shelter before the final push to the top.

P2230313 by Al, on Flickr

P2230315 by Al, on Flickr

View over to Mam Sodhail
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Getting wilder
P2230319 by Al, on Flickr

Plateau to Carn a'Gharbh Choire
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Struggling to the summit
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From here the route continues along a horseshoe that touches the farthest northern point of Sail Chaorainn - we're really in Kintail as Mullach Fraoch Choire is immediately to the west. It's an ideal opportunity to pick off the northern Munro Top of Sail Chaorainn - I did it last time we were on these hills for my first round and by crikey I did it this time for my second. Hardly any deviation from the route and only about 50m extra ascent. Can't say fairer than that. Munro Tops have been sadly neglected of late - I have 30 left in the second round...

The route ahead
P2230322 by Al, on Flickr

Allison balanced on Tigh Mor na Selige
P2230325 by Al, on Flickr

An Elric
P2230326 by Al, on Flickr


We continued over the unclassified summit of An Elric before dropping 200m to Bealach an Amais and facing the steep pull up Aonach Shassuin - looks worse than it is getting up there however, just a steady slog over short heather. Clag was hiding the summit then the wind would blast it clear. We stopped at the shelter to check the route - it was only 3pm so we had time to head over the Simms that lie down the eastern ridge from the summit of Shassuin. I had determined that we wouldn't go out to Carn a'Choire Bhuidhe as this added a kilometre onto the walk, but we could do the other 3 on the way back to the car...Allison seemed agreeable although I don't think she was aware there were 3 to do...not too much ascent to be honest, although a steep section climbing up to Cnap na Stri. And some peat hags to negotiate between there and the final summit of Creag na Calman. From there a grassy descent into some new forestry and a return to track. We turned off the good track westwards to pick up a boggy footpath that wends its way on the east side of the Allt Garbh and hence back to the car park. My GPS battery died around the time that we joined the track, but I was able to correct the data for the walk. Dusk falling by the time we set off along Glen Affric - quite atmospheric driving along the narrow tree-lined road in the darkness, not another car in sight although we disturbed several birds which flapped out of the trees suddenly in front of us.

Aonach Shassuin
P2230327 by Al, on Flickr

P2230328 by Al, on Flickr

P2230329 by Al, on Flickr

Sweep towards summit
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P2230331 by Al, on Flickr

The eastern ridge
P2230332 by Al, on Flickr

View back to Shassuin
P2230333 by Al, on Flickr

Cnap na Stri & Creag na Calman
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P2230336 by Al, on Flickr

The Affric Munros
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Semi-correct data - distance should be 29.9km
P2230342 by Al, on Flickr

Another windy night, with some heavy rain. However Sunday morning was fine, with blue sky and sunshine - though much colder (2.5 degrees) than of late. We packed up the tent and set off up Gleann Cannaich as far as the metal bridge at Muchrachd.

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Parking on a bit of forestry road near the bridge we got ready for Sgorr na Doilliad - with the obligatory couple of Simms tagged on. This involved a pleasant horseshoe, beginning with an ascent of An Soutar and a high level walk round to Sgorr na Doilliad via its west top. I'd recommend this as a good route to use as the views to the Mullardoch and Strathfarrar hills are well worth the extra couple of kilometres. Warm sunshine welcomed us as we made our steady way uphill, watched intermittently by the heads of deer poking above the skyline. We stopped for an early lunch behind a large boulder on An Soutar, the wind by no means having disappeared. Then a perambulation across several tops, each defended by troughs of peat hags. Fine views of the western Strathfarrar and Achnashellach hills. Looking south, The Ben was clear (and largely clear of snow).

An Soutar to the left
P2240345 by Al, on Flickr

West Strathfarrar hills in backdrop
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Achnashellach hills
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Diollaid west top
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Saddle now visible
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South to The Ben
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Getting from the west top to the saddle summit of Na Doilliad takes longer than you might imagine, due to layer after layer of rocky strands and the ever present peat hags. But we made it, climbing the eastern top (true summit) upon which my hat was blown off my head and lodged somewhere in the rocky crags behind me. After a visit to the western top we hunted for the hat, Allison managing to spot it, all puffed up with air, as if it had parachuted down to its landing spot. Retrieval was made and we headed down to the car, enjoying the spring afternoon and hoping that this is a taste of the weeks to come.

P2240372 by Al, on Flickr

Summit
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Strathfarrar
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P2240375 by Al, on Flickr

The retrieval of the hat
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Loch Mullardoch
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[BlackPanther]

Familiar views

We haven't been on the southern Affric Corbetts since the hydro mess has started, but I see you managed to avoid walking along bulldozed tracks and pipelines. Shame the glen between the two hills has been spoiled

Crazy weather recently. We did Beinn Dearg yesterday and crossed one patch of snow on the way up, apart from that, it felt like summer. Well, maybe the wind was still cold, especially on higher ground. But I saw more snow in late May...

BTW this is how Carn a'Choire Ghairb and Aonach Shassuin looked two weeks ago...