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The high pressure forecast for Sunday and Monday had persuaded us that a trip up north was in order. We spent Sunday night at Carbost, on Skye, in the excellent bunkhouse there. Waking up to a glorious morning with not a cloud to be seen, we were soon on the way back past Sligachan to our start point at the head of Loch Ainort. We elected to do the hill anti-clockwise heading up the boggy slopes to Drium eadar do Choire.
- View towards Garbh Bheinn
There is a path but it is indistinct and (in November) pretty wet, until you start to climb a bit. The walk up to to the point at 489 m was straightforward and the views to the southa nd towards the Cuillin itself were fantastic.
- The Red Cuillins in the sun
From that point however the nature of the hill changed from friendly grassy lump to scary black cuillin. We dropped down a bit and then up the main ridge. It wasn't technicallly difficult but certainly scrambly enough to warrant putting the walking poles away and using hands.
- looking up the north ridge
The final 50m along the ridge to the summit itself was airy and exposed - and we eventually scrambled up to the top from the north. Some cracking views but the wind had gotten up and we were getting a bit worried about our descent so didn't hang around.
- The summit of Garb Bheinn
We continued to head down the north east ridge. This proved easier said than done. Looking down the ridge the descent route wan't clear and when we found it (heading south and then north in a traverse) it was pretty exposed. The rest of the ridge wasn't too bad but we were glad to get to the bealach between Garbh bheinn and Belig where we stopped for lunch. Having been pretty sick the day before I decided that I didn't have the strength to attempt Belig so we headed down from the bealach and followed the Abhainn Ceann Loch Ainort back to the road. The path was pretty boggy (no surprises there). Didn't take many pictures as I had forgotten my camera and was using my phone instead. Reckon this will be my last new Corbett of 2011 as i'll be heading off to Canada next month to live .... oh well - it'll give me something to come back for.