walkhighlands

Share your personal walking route experiences in Scotland, and comment on other peoples' reports.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

WH Summer Meet vol2: where panthers dare

WH Summer Meet vol2: where panthers dare


Postby BlackPanther » Mon Aug 12, 2019 6:01 pm

Route description: Sgùrr an Airgid

Corbetts included on this walk: Sgùrr an Airgid

Date walked: 13/07/2019

Time taken: 5.25 hours

Distance: 11.5 km

Ascent: 875m

1 person thinks this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

Saturday, the main day of WH Meet, didn't start very promising - low cloud and little perspective of views from higher tops. With a good forecast for Sunday, we decided to delay our scrambling expedition to Beinn Fhada and instead, revisit an easier Corbett, Sgurr an Airgid. We had done it before (early spring 2010 in winter conditions) but didn't see much from the summit. Today, one would think, not much chance to catch any views either, but we were lucky in the end.
There is very little room to maneuver, when it comes to plotting routes for Sgurr an Airgid. Any kind of traverse would involve a lot of unfriendly terrain, so we stuck to the standard ascent/descent procedure, the good stalkers path from Strath Croe:

Track_SGUR NA AIRGID 11,5 KM.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts


There's a good car park next to the Clachan Duibh burial ground:
2019-07-13 whm kintail 103.JPG

The path starts from the gate at the opposite side of the road, leading steadily uphill, first through some trees and shrubbery, but soon it emerges on the open hillside. At the moment, it was still a gloomy late morning and nothing suggested the sudden change later on:
2019-07-13 whm kintail 012.JPG

I was glad we delayed the traverse of Fhada. The western ridge was still shrouded in cloud:
2019-07-13 whm kintail 015.JPG

Panoramic view from the stalkers path to Beinn Fhada (left) and Sgurr na Moraich (right):
2019-07-13 whm kintail 019.JPG

As we gained height, we really appreciated the views east to Loch Duich and the surrounding mountains. The clag was slowly lifting and even Kevin (who still suffered a bit from his back injury) showed signs of optimism :wink:
2019-07-13 whm kintail 112.JPG

The path is generally very good, a few short wet sections, but it offers an easy access to the main ridge:
2019-07-13 whm kintail 116.JPG

Looking down the gorge of Allt na Ruarach:
2019-07-13 whm kintail 029.JPG

The path emerges on the wide col between Beinn Bhuidhe 9an outlying top we didn't bother visiting) and the main summit of Sgurr an Airgid. A small cairn marks the end of the made-up stalkers saction...
2019-07-13 whm kintail 036.JPG

...but the path continues, more or less defined, all the way to the summit. From the 582m wide col, we aimed due west, jumped over a few peat hags, before climbing another 250m up a mostly grassy slope:
2019-07-13 whm kintail 042.JPG

I was very happy with Kevin's performance, he outrun me on the way up. It looked like his injury was healing, though he was still complaining of a stiff lower back, especially after sitting on a rock for too long :lol:
2019-07-13 whm kintail 123.JPG

About 50m below the summit we walked into stronger wind, so it was time to wrap up:
2019-07-13 whm kintail 136.JPG

Beinn Fhada and A'Glas Bheinn, in a short moment of brightness. There was another group of Walkhighlanders on A'Glass Bheinn today and I wondered if they caught the gap in the cloud:
2019-07-13 whm kintail 047.JPG

We reached the summit at 1pm, after a late start, and it turned out the right decision: the clag lifted and we were treated to reasonable views. Still some mist around the higher peaks, but we were out in the open :D
Looking south to Beinn Sgritheall:
2019-07-13 whm kintail 058.JPG

Since our last visit, the trigpoint suffered from either erosion or possibly a lightning strike. Lucy bagged her 102nd Corbett:
2019-07-13 whm kintail 056.JPG

Cloud lifting off the south Glen Shiel ridge:
2019-07-13 whm kintail 064.JPG

The WH route suggests the 500m detour to Sgurr na Seamraig, mainly for the views to the western end of Loch Duich and to Isle of Skye. We had plenty of time and weather was holding, so why not?
2019-07-13 whm kintail 061.JPG

On the summit of Sgurr na Seamraig, Kevin went to work with his camera:
2019-07-13 whm kintail 145.JPG

Looking in south-eastern direction from the subsidiary top:
2019-07-13 whm kintail 079.JPG

Beinn Sgritheall:
2019-07-13 whm kintail 090.JPG

South Skye on the horizon. Sadly the Cuillin Ridge was not visible today.
2019-07-13 whm kintail 087.JPG

The Sisters:
2019-07-13 whm kintail 091.JPG

After a short tea and cookies break, we retraced our steps down the stalkers path. Weather on the way down stayed nice and we were treated to lovely views, when descending to Strath Croe:
2019-07-13 whm kintail 092.JPG

A furry friend :wink:
2019-07-13 whm kintail 096.JPG

We were back in Ratagan early enough to cook our overspiced curry and settle down for the quiz with a bottle of stout. We might have not done anything big today, but considering the gloomy conditions in the morning, it still ended up a good trip :D
...................................
So now it's time the "biggie". My next TR will tell the story of the infamous Sgurr a Choire Ghairbh, the western ridge of Beinn Fhada. I suggest you all fasten your seat belts for this one :lol: :lol:
User avatar
BlackPanther
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 3839
Munros:268   Corbetts:182
Fionas:136   
Sub 2000:75   
Joined: Nov 2, 2010
Location: Beauly, Inverness-shire

1 person thinks this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).



Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: amcneill, desmondo1, malky_c and 81 guests