Walkhighlands

I’ll be the first to admit that I can be a bit random and very impulsive at times. But we were pretty sure we were going to have a nice relaxing morning having breakfast at the pie shop and then taking a leisurely drive around to climb Sail Mhor on the way home.

It started well


And got better…


And then I started getting ideas above my station


We agreed that it would be too late to be doing anything big… so before we knew it, the bikes were dumped at our end point…


…I’d made sure Malky had put the key in his rucksack ….


…and we were heading off up the good stalkers path from Dundonnell. Midday? Pfffft


I was so excited and we flew out the blocks, making good progress up the steep path


Beinn nam Ban – around 500m, so clearly we had work to do


Beinn Mor Coigach started to poke out behind Beinn Ghoblach


There was a bit of a maze of paths so we sort of followed our noses and eventually something impressive came into view – the munro top of Glas Mheall Mhor


We were now properly on the mountain and were enjoying the views across to the Beinn Dearg hills above Ullapool


Into Assynt


It was kind of here we realised we hadn’t quite done what we expected – apparently there was a path up the ridge not marked on the map and we had split from the path up the corrie It wasn’t a big deal though, and saved us from having to go over Malky’s munro top


Corrie path


The ridge probably added a few metres of ascent as there some lumps and bumps but the views were worth it!


It looked a bit like a desert


The 2 munro summits coming into view


Still worth looking back though!


Finally we were on the ridge and looking at the final ascent to Bidein a’ Ghlas Thuil


Our descent route (more about that later )


The Western Isles were just about visible, the peak of Clisham easy to see


Malky’s missed munro top


Apparently this is used as a descent route




Having not met a single soul all day up to this point, we quite literally met an army


Sail Mhor – one for another day!


Sgurr Creag an Eich, our route off


And then….oofty


Made it – Bidein a’ Ghlas Thuil


Sgurr Fiona and Sgurr Creag an Eich


Assynt


The Fannaichs


Across to the other end of the pinnacles


South, behind Fiona


Given that it was lunchtime before we started it was definitely lunchtime now We enjoyed our last load of 2 day old sandwiches at the summit before carrying on, stopping for important business


Loch Toll an Lochain


I was struggling to fit it all in






Cool pancake rock




Sgurr Creag an Eich


Loch Glascarnoch


Ahead to Fiona


Now we were climbing up amongst it we could see the sheer scale of the rock here – absolutely huge


Malky included for scale


Looking back to Bidein a’ Ghlas Thuil


Big bird – someone may be able to help!


I managed to find a really awkward route to the top of Sgurr Fiona so when I popped my head around a rock and saw this…. Oofty


The Fisherfield hills – nice


The sun hitting the Coigach “wall”


Looking along the pinnacles


Loch Toll an Lochain


Summit of Sgurr Fiona




“Look, I’m standing on Lord Berkeley’s Seat!”




Sail Mhor


We sat around for ages just soaking up the views – it was a spectacular spot! Then we remembered what time it gets dark at this time of year and got going

Malky found a hand-shaped rock to sit on


Sgurr Creag an Eich – at least poor Malky would get one new munro top!


The Beinn Deargs again


The route off Fiona – looks impossible but there was a good path leading all the way down which made things a lot easier!


It was easy walking on our new ridge and before long we were able to inspect Fiona and her pinnacles from a different angle


The spectacular Fisherfield hills


Loch na Sealga


The route up Sgurr Creag an Eich was amazing – we were able to walk along a slabby ridge all the way!


Malky looking pleased with himself


Fiona and the pinnacles


Our route so far – looking a wee bit overcast now


Our ridge continues


Another look back!


Making progress down


Not too bad eh


Malky trying to run away again


Looking down on Shenavall




The Deargs


The sky was doing lovely things


Sun hitting the Fannaichs


Loch na Sealga and down to Gairloch


Wee bit of low cloud






Eventually we dropped off the ridge – it was steep and heathery to start with but the gradient got a bit better and soon we were off the steepest part


Malky leading the way


Looking back


From here we were totally off-piste and were very aware that the ground could be awful


It was slow and frustrating after a long day (and there was a horrible river crossing ) but actually the ground wasn’t too bad at all. We were very glad to finally drop onto a path though


The light disappearing over Little Loch Broom


From here it got steep and a bit awkward, especially as it decided to get dark and we were dodging the crags around huge waterfalls with a path that was barely obvious some of the time


Head torches went on and then Malky decided to run off and leave me Eventually we were back at the bikes and had 4km to cycle back along the road in the dark. Fortunately we had planned ahead and had lights, although we were only passed by 2 cars the whole way!

Back at the car we threw everything in and had the long drive home – as this was my stupid idea in the first place I figured it was probably my turn to drive

This looks like the section in the Saturday Supplement where the series goes something like "I'm Nine Years Old and Won an Adult 10k race By Mistake",, "I Was Crushed by an Elephant", "My Dog Stole My Tractor" and "I Accidentally Bought a Giant Pig." Maybe not quite snappy enough, but preferred by hill walkers any day. Lovely pics Especially Fisherfield.

You couldn't have had better conditions so if that's how it goes bring on the accidents!

Wonderful place in wonderful weather, with some superb pics to remember it by...

I was surprised to see you only sitting on the trig point...

Jaxter wrote:
Apparently this is used as a descent route

Actually it is a descent route which I took in summer on my way back because I thought it would be easier and quicker than going back the same way over Meall Garbh - well I better should have gone over the pinnacles but as I have missed the summit of Bidein a'Ghlas Thuill and got on Sgurr Fions first it was no real option....

Although the views were great it made no sense to stay and suck in the phantastic views because it was heavly stormy at the summits - you were so lucky!

Great picture and nice report, thanks!

Big bird .... Golden Eagle

Wow Some of those views you've captured there are phenomenal
Must surely have been accidentally on purpose

Sgurr wrote:This looks like the section in the Saturday Supplement where the series goes something like "I'm Nine Years Old and Won an Adult 10k race By Mistake",, "I Was Crushed by an Elephant", "My Dog Stole My Tractor" and "I Accidentally Bought a Giant Pig." Maybe not quite snappy enough, but preferred by hill walkers any day. Lovely pics Especially Fisherfield.

Thanks - it sort of felt a bit like that But definitely better than being crushed by an elephant

dogplodder wrote:You couldn't have had better conditions so if that's how it goes bring on the accidents!

Thankyou - I don't expect my stupidity to stop any time soon

Alteknacker wrote:Wonderful place in wonderful weather, with some superb pics to remember it by...

I was surprised to see you only sitting on the trig point...

I knew someone would pick up on that... It was windy and I wussed out

Grisu wrote:

Jaxter wrote:
Apparently this is used as a descent route

Actually it is a descent route which I took in summer on my way back because I thought it would be easier and quicker than going back the same way over Meall Garbh - well I better should have gone over the pinnacles but as I have missed the summit of Bidein a'Ghlas Thuill and got on Sgurr Fions first it was no real option....

Although the views were great it made no sense to stay and suck in the phantastic views because it was heavly stormy at the summits - you were so lucky!

Great picture and nice report, thanks!

It looks possible but not a lot of fun going down that way Although we were also toying with dropping into the next corrie around which looked even worse so I'm glad we went down the other ridge!!

Collaciotach wrote:Big bird .... Golden Eagle

Yasss

steviesea wrote:Wow Some of those views you've captured there are phenomenal
Must surely have been accidentally on purpose

Thanks - well, sort of Seemed like too good a day to waste!

Absolutely fantastic. I was there in June (didn't climb An Teallach) in persistent overcast conditions, reading your report is like "lets have a look at what you could have seen".

Nice report as always but what a shame that this mickey mouse outing has now taken over as the standard route - rather than the classic circuit from Corriehallie A direct ascent of the Corrag Bhuidhe is quite steep, but it can easily be outflanked on the L where I remember the scrambling was no more than grade 1. Prince managed it OK - with a bit of help and even had the energy to chase an Ullapool cat next morning

Great report - enjoyed reading it Really must make an effort to go to the pie shop next time I'm up - it's next door to a shop run by one of my wife's cousins. Thanks

al78 wrote:Absolutely fantastic. I was there in June (didn't climb An Teallach) in persistent overcast conditions, reading your report is like "lets have a look at what you could have seen".

That must have been frustrating! I guess it's the perfect excuse to go back (as if you'd need one )

rockhopper wrote:Great report - enjoyed reading it Really must make an effort to go to the pie shop next time I'm up - it's next door to a shop run by one of my wife's cousins. Thanks

Thanks - and yes, can't recommend the pie shop enough! Although the Coffee shop & gifts place just down the road is also excellent - they sell this amazing chocolate called Salmiaki that is liquorice flavoured