Return to Torridon Day 2 - Brilliant Beinn Eighe.
Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2019 10:21 pmWas up early in the morning, in Gerry’s Hostel. In fact, felt like I was up all night! Perhaps, heavy snorers ought to consider if shared dormitories are for them 
Not that it was the only distraction that night. Anyway, don’t have the time, or energy to record all the goings on. Thankfully, it meant I was up and on the go, fairly early and forecast of blue skies looked spot on.
After my admittedly minimalist efforts at breakfast, I was soon on my way round to Glen Torridon. As previously, just had to stop for photo’s despite my propensity just to drive and get to the start point. On such a day, I get the feeling that if I don’t get that photo, it might never look so special, or I might not pass this way again!
Anyway, as is often the case, opted to try the circuit, as per WH’s recipe, i.e., heading anti-clockwise so as to descend the scree chute, rather than the opposite. Started from the Coire Mhic Fhearchair car park, walking along the road. Even at that time of morning, before 8am, there was plenty traffic moving in the glen.
It seems pointless to talk of the great views, which begin to open up, as they are virtually there, all the time, but was taken with the sight of the moon, hovering on the ridge of Coire an Laoigh,as I made my way, to the steep, scree path up the headwall. Simple things
Once I had made it up, I made my way over to the top of Stuc Coire an Laoigh, which looks and is pretty simple, but standing right at the top, looking into the glen, soon makes one realise how steep the drop is from here! As described, Liathach just looks mighty. Made my way back to the main track and up the final stage to the trig point on the main ridge. In today’s conditions, it was no bother to cope with the relatively easy final haul to the summit. Think I was about two and a half hours to this point.
Spectacular viewpoint. Opted not to explore the eastern summits, which look quite dramatic. Took plenty photo’s, way too many photo’s, before heading down the ridge, tracking a chap from the Borders, who I seemed to bump into from time to time. Apparently, he had previously ran some of these hills. Way too hot for that today!
The ridge round to Coinneach Mhor, was a pleasure to walk, looking ahead to the somewhat oddly shaped, second summit of Ruadh-Stac Mor, back to the dramatically perch of Spidean Coire nan Clach, or the neighbouring Torridon hills. Superb! Took a quick glance at the descent into Coire Mhic Fhearchair, in passing, before the last, relatively benign trek, to the final Munro. Think I was about four and a half hours, or so.
By now, was meeting several more walkers and the inevitable, “which way are you going” and wisdom thereof question, was debated. The picture of a couple of lads who had just ascended from the corrie had me believing, I may have made the right option – I think the term is sometimes refered to as schadenfreude
There is also another saying, “don’t count your chickens,” which soon came to mind, as I made my way onto the steep, scree slopes. Saying that, I found it not too bad, benefiting perhaps, from the lads recommendation to stick to the right hand side. It definitely wasn’t a patch on the Great Stone Chute of Sgurr Alasdair!
Have to admit that once I had passed the worst of the scree, I went walkabout a bit, drifting on and off track, probalby not concentrating too much, thinking the worst was over and to some degree it is, but there is also plenty rough ground and some clambering around, to make it to the edge of Loch Coire Mhic Fhearchair. The magnificence of the place is quite breathtaking, from the cliffs of the Triple Buttress, round Sail Mhor, blue lochan and the splendid corrie itself.
From here, it was a relatively straightforward hike out the well trodden path, passing plenty folk on the way. Was seven and a half hours, in all and pretty happy not to have to march that couple of kilometres back up the road, as I was jiggered and a bit toasted. Nothing now remained but, to head for my lodgings for the night, Ledgowan Bunkhouse. Met a few chaps there, chewed the cud for the evening and sank a few beers to satisfy the thirst, looking forward to tackling a couple of hills the next day, all being well.
Not that it was the only distraction that night. Anyway, don’t have the time, or energy to record all the goings on. Thankfully, it meant I was up and on the go, fairly early and forecast of blue skies looked spot on.After my admittedly minimalist efforts at breakfast, I was soon on my way round to Glen Torridon. As previously, just had to stop for photo’s despite my propensity just to drive and get to the start point. On such a day, I get the feeling that if I don’t get that photo, it might never look so special, or I might not pass this way again!
- Liathach beginning to warm up nicely early morning.
Anyway, as is often the case, opted to try the circuit, as per WH’s recipe, i.e., heading anti-clockwise so as to descend the scree chute, rather than the opposite. Started from the Coire Mhic Fhearchair car park, walking along the road. Even at that time of morning, before 8am, there was plenty traffic moving in the glen.
- Way up to the right of the burn.
It seems pointless to talk of the great views, which begin to open up, as they are virtually there, all the time, but was taken with the sight of the moon, hovering on the ridge of Coire an Laoigh,as I made my way, to the steep, scree path up the headwall. Simple things
- Moon landing, Coire an Laoigh :)
- A black - and white, Sgurr Ban.
Once I had made it up, I made my way over to the top of Stuc Coire an Laoigh, which looks and is pretty simple, but standing right at the top, looking into the glen, soon makes one realise how steep the drop is from here! As described, Liathach just looks mighty. Made my way back to the main track and up the final stage to the trig point on the main ridge. In today’s conditions, it was no bother to cope with the relatively easy final haul to the summit. Think I was about two and a half hours to this point.
- Another hiker enjoying the views from Stuc Coire an Laoigh.
- Liathach. Stunning in any colour.
- Some of the ridge round from Spidean Coire nan Clach.
- Selfie across to Liathach.
- Final stage of climb, to first summit, Spidean Coire nan Clach, ahead.
- Yes, yet another of Liathach. There could be more to come!
Spectacular viewpoint. Opted not to explore the eastern summits, which look quite dramatic. Took plenty photo’s, way too many photo’s, before heading down the ridge, tracking a chap from the Borders, who I seemed to bump into from time to time. Apparently, he had previously ran some of these hills. Way too hot for that today!
- Spidean Coire nan Clach and ridge east.
- Pano West. Liathach rount to Ruadh-stac Mhor, the second Munro.
- Toward the eastern side of the ridge.
- Across to Beinn Alligin.
The ridge round to Coinneach Mhor, was a pleasure to walk, looking ahead to the somewhat oddly shaped, second summit of Ruadh-Stac Mor, back to the dramatically perch of Spidean Coire nan Clach, or the neighbouring Torridon hills. Superb! Took a quick glance at the descent into Coire Mhic Fhearchair, in passing, before the last, relatively benign trek, to the final Munro. Think I was about four and a half hours, or so.
- Liathach and Beinn Alligin.
- The reverse side of Spidean Coire nan Clach.
- Descent from 1st summit.
By now, was meeting several more walkers and the inevitable, “which way are you going” and wisdom thereof question, was debated. The picture of a couple of lads who had just ascended from the corrie had me believing, I may have made the right option – I think the term is sometimes refered to as schadenfreude
- Sail Mhor and Lochan Coire Mhic Fhearchair, out to Baosbheinn.
- Cliffs of the Triple Buttress.
There is also another saying, “don’t count your chickens,” which soon came to mind, as I made my way onto the steep, scree slopes. Saying that, I found it not too bad, benefiting perhaps, from the lads recommendation to stick to the right hand side. It definitely wasn’t a patch on the Great Stone Chute of Sgurr Alasdair!
- Descent route chute.
Have to admit that once I had passed the worst of the scree, I went walkabout a bit, drifting on and off track, probalby not concentrating too much, thinking the worst was over and to some degree it is, but there is also plenty rough ground and some clambering around, to make it to the edge of Loch Coire Mhic Fhearchair. The magnificence of the place is quite breathtaking, from the cliffs of the Triple Buttress, round Sail Mhor, blue lochan and the splendid corrie itself.
- View across the loch to Baosbheinn and Beinn an Eoin.
- Triple Buttress.
- Lochan Coire Mhic Fhearchair and Triple Buttress.
- Posing again!
From here, it was a relatively straightforward hike out the well trodden path, passing plenty folk on the way. Was seven and a half hours, in all and pretty happy not to have to march that couple of kilometres back up the road, as I was jiggered and a bit toasted. Nothing now remained but, to head for my lodgings for the night, Ledgowan Bunkhouse. Met a few chaps there, chewed the cud for the evening and sank a few beers to satisfy the thirst, looking forward to tackling a couple of hills the next day, all being well.
- A photographic puzzle, for anyone who can figure it out?
Well worked out. I doff my hat to you.