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Not what you're thinking from the title I'm sorry to say; no shots in the buff... But rather an account to fill in the gaps of the Epic Isle of Skye Adventure from Monty's wee Character Building Tale... For the great man had several rest days and missed a total of four munros to rest his weary legs... Poor auld man...
This won't be a long account and I'll focus on the bits Monty missed; needless to say we'd all been looking forward to this trip for some time; at least I had; and I was fairly itching to get into the hills after a few weeks break... So Friday came which meant a wee jaunt up Gleouraich and Spidean Mialach en route to the Cluanie Inn in Kintail. The stalkers path up Gleouraich really is quite something, zigzapping it's way up the hillside and taking all of the steepness out of the ascent. A mixed bag of changeable weather with some snow on top but on the whole the first 2/3 of this walk is spectactular with great views, and only marginally spoilt by the walk out from Spidean Mialach which is a bit dull by the standards the rest of the walk sets...
A fair few beers in the Cluanie, and Day 2 of this walk fest saw the ascent of A'Chralaig in almost knee deep snow at the top... We bid a retrat from Mullach Fraoch-Choire about 300 metres from the summit; the snow was deep; conditions slippery; the ridge very narrow; and any fall would have been game over; so decision made. Mountain will be there another day...
From there it was over to Skye and The Skye Boat Lodge (
www.skyeboatlodge.co.uk). And what a place it is, set on the shores of Loch Harport in Carbost - a place where nothing seems important and daily life is exchanged for an experience far more pleasurable... Along with 66 bottles of wine; and various other poisons!!
Strong winds and rain welcomed Sunday and the remainder of the troops arrival at the Lodge but a couple of the gang wanted to go out, so Scraggles and I took them up to the Table in the Quiraing for a wee taster of what was to come...
Monty finally arrived three Munros late, to find a errrm few drunken folk clapping him into the Loch!
And then Monday morning came, we'd been summonsed by Graham and Annie (
www.skyehi.co.uk) as the weather had improved, so there was me waking everyone after but a few hours sleep... And off to the Cuillin we went... Refer Monty's report...
Three days in the Cuillin and Monty was shot; too tired to join us on the piddly little ascent of Blabheinn; he came up with a number of excuses... None any good.
And then came the final day on Sgurr nan Gillean where we also bid a retreat near the summit due to ice and lack of approrpiate safety kit to continue... Monty refused to carry the rope (again) because he was still too tired, but we were used to that by now...
And that's about it; save for one heck of a party on the last night at the Lodge where Graham and Annie joined us for Venison Wellington. They really are a fabulous couple; fantastic guides, and I think we spent most of the week laughing; telling crap jokes, with the odd belter...
And all too soon it was time to leave; but not to worry - the lodge is now booked again for later in the year; and we'll look forward to catching up with Graham and Annie; and who knows perhaps I'll finish these Munro things on Sgurr nan Gillean...
A spectactular week with superb people... Fun; laughter; and the best hills; what life is all about... Thanks to an awesome group of people for one of the best weeks of my life - it really had it all...
Monty's a Munro Bagger... Check out the final words of this song
- Before Skye - View from the summit of A'Chralaig
- The Skye Boat Lodge - looking toward the Cuillin
- Cutting some shapes in the Cuillin
- Two Dogs (I mean One Dog) found in the Cuillin... ;)
- Loving it after Sgurr Alasdair looking toward the In Pinn
- Monty and Dora celbrate the halfway point on the In-Pinn
- Suzie and Myself halfway up the In-Pinn
- YMCA on Blabheinn...
- Turning back on Sgurr nan Gillean
- A Double Hundred thrown in for good measure...
- A present from Scraggles for my Double Hundred - Gevrey Chambertin - Lovely :)
- The Crew + Graham & Annie from Skye Hi! Fab Folk...