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.

3 Scots + 2 Aussies + 1 Guide = The In Pin

3 Scots + 2 Aussies + 1 Guide = The In Pin


Postby RussellR » Sun Sep 09, 2012 7:56 pm

Route description: Sgùrr Dearg and the In Pinn

Munros included on this walk: Inaccessible Pinnacle

Date walked: 25/08/2012

Time taken: 7 hours

Distance: 10 km

Ascent: 970m

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

We are sitting in the Old Inn, Carbost. It is Saturday night, the Inn is packed with the usual mixture of tourists, walkers and locals all in for a good night with the local folk band. We have secured one of the few remaining seats in a corner grateful to rest our legs after an afternoon scramble up Marsco, a fine hill. Looking out the window onto Loch Harport a dingy is approaching the shore; three people get out and pull the dingy up the foreshore. A novel way to arrive for a night out, we think.
Five minutes later the three have joined us at our table. We find out that they are all Australian and have just berthed in the loch for the night having sailed across from Benbecula. Our first thoughts are that they are on a journey round the world, however we soon find out that they chartered the boat at Malliag and are on a weeklong sailing trip. They have heard about the mountains in Skye and ask if we are here to climb them, yes we say, we are hoping to do the In Pin tomorrow. They sense our nervous anticipation and are intrigued so we take them through the bar and show them the picture up on the wall. “Wow, can we come with you?” we are asked. We look them up and down, and then explain that we have arranged a guide and that we are unsure if he can take any more. Undeterred they explain that father has climbed extensively in New Zealand and son has amongst other things sailed singlehanded across the Atlantic, soon we are the ones that are starting to think that are we up for them.

Anyway after a couple of rounds of drinks we get a text back from our guide confirming to bring them along in the morning. Someone suggests that we should celebrate our newfound friend by sampling the local Talisker malt (wrong move). Several more drinks later we agree to meet at 8 in the morning before departing to our bunks and them to their yacht via their dingy thinking this would be the last we would see of them.
Wrong, in the morning we are sitting nursing our heavy heads when we notice life on the boat and soon the dingy heading in our direction. One has decided not to join us but father and son are raring to go so off we head down to Glenbrittle to meet our guide. Weather is looking good with a few clouds stubbornly hanging over the summits of the Cuillin.
We meet Jonah; he gives us all the once over, asks our newfound Australian friends about their experience and seems satisfied. He then explains his plan for the day and soon we are off! We are all grateful to get moving, as the midges are the worst we have ever experienced.
Image
DSC02247 by Munro Bagger, on Flickr
We push on, despite the hangover building, until we leave the grassy lower slopes and it is safe to stop for a brew. Experiences and stories are shared and it is clear that our antipodean friends are far travelled and experienced.
Image
DSC02250 by Munro Bagger, on Flickr
In no time at all we reach the top of the ridge and the Inn Pin appears above the outline of the ridge. We stop to take in what lies before us. A few climbers are outlined against the skyline, and when we get right up to the base, we see that there is already a bit of a queue, we soon discover that most of those ahead of us have bivvied out overnight on the ridge.
Image
IMG_1598 by Munro Bagger, on Flickr
Image
IMG_1607 by Munro Bagger, on Flickr
However by the time we get our climbing gear on and a bit of a brief from Jonah, the first three are down at the foot of the Pin waiting to go. Jonah looses patience with two who are climbing using climbing gear and he asks if we can go past. Before we know he is off and in no time he gets past the lead climber and is secured in at the belay point.
Image
DSC02295 by Munro Bagger, on Flickr
Then we are off, three of us roped together about 3m apart. I remember what he has told me; focus on the square meter of rock in front of you. There was one tricky move, but soon we are all secured onto the belay point and he sorts the rope out and is off again. We lose sight of him as he races off up the face, a minute later we get the shout and we are off again. Waiting on my turn to go I get a bit brave and whip the camera out and take a few pictures. The last remaining clouds have lifted and the Cuillins reach out in all directions, jagged ridges apparently going on forever.
Image
IMG_1617 by Munro Bagger, on Flickr
Image
DSC02259 by Munro Bagger, on Flickr
The next section gets a bit easier and I feel I can almost manage without my hands, however I keep a good hold until I am on the flat section at the top.
Image
IMG_1624 by Munro Bagger, on Flickr
We congratulate each other and take in some more of what we have just done. Jonah rigs the abseil and in no time I am walking backwards off a cliff, safe in the knowledge that I have just watched the others do it first.
Image
DSC02318 by Munro Bagger, on Flickr
Re assembled at the bottom we take in a few more shots and grab our lunch whilst Jonah takes our Australian friends back up the same route. I take the opportunity to take some more photo’s, particularly of them on the ascent and abseiling down.
Image
IMG_1654 by Munro Bagger, on Flickr
Re-assembled, my son Euan finds his hipflask and we all toast our success.
Image
DSC02343 by Munro Bagger, on Flickr
We descend by the same route and we can see the bad weather building that is forecast for the evening over towards Muck and Eigg.
Image
IMG_1661 by Munro Bagger, on Flickr
Jonah, our excellent guide.
Our Australian sailors are concerned about their boat in the loch given the forecast wind direction so after a discussion with Jonah, they decide that they will sail in down the loch into a sheltered harbor near the mouth of the loch (and close to Jonah’s hotel as we later find out).
After a celebratory drink back at our digs, the sailors, not satisfied that they have just climbed the Inn Pin are off to give Euan a sailing experience down Loch Harport.
Image
IMG_1680 by Munro Bagger, on Flickr
Image
IMG_1683 by Munro Bagger, on Flickr
We pick them up two hours later and retire to Jonah’s for some excellent food, a few drinks and stories about our last 24 hours!
User avatar
RussellR
Hill Bagger
 
Posts: 39
Munros:270   Corbetts:9
Fionas:1   Donalds:1
Hewitts:20
Wainwrights:28   
Joined: Jan 31, 2012

Re: 3 Scots + 2 Aussies + 1 Guide = The In Pin

Postby pollyh33 » Sun Sep 09, 2012 11:43 pm

Well done on your excellent report :clap:

And very timely too, I'm heading to the In Pinn next week- don't if I'm glad or not that I looked at your fantastic photos :shock: :shock:
User avatar
pollyh33
Walker
 
Posts: 2577
Munros:282   Corbetts:18
Fionas:5   Donalds:2
Sub 2000:1   
Joined: Mar 30, 2011
Location: Rutherglen

Re: 3 Scots + 2 Aussies + 1 Guide = The In Pin

Postby xpfloyd » Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:16 pm

Great report Russell and what a way to bag your 100th!
User avatar
xpfloyd
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 519
Munros:105   
Joined: Aug 22, 2010
Location: Clydebank, Glasgow

Re: 3 Scots + 2 Aussies + 1 Guide = The In Pin

Postby RussellR » Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:05 pm

xpfloyd wrote:Great report Russell and what a way to bag your 100th!


Oh yes! I forgot to mention it was my 100th!
User avatar
RussellR
Hill Bagger
 
Posts: 39
Munros:270   Corbetts:9
Fionas:1   Donalds:1
Hewitts:20
Wainwrights:28   
Joined: Jan 31, 2012

Re: 3 Scots + 2 Aussies + 1 Guide = The In Pin

Postby RussellR » Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:07 pm

pollyh33 wrote:Well done on your excellent report :clap:

And very timely too, I'm heading to the In Pinn next week- don't if I'm glad or not that I looked at your fantastic photos :shock: :shock:


Thanks pollyh33 - It looks more scary than it actually is. Just read your excellent report on Liatach, it has something to live up to!
User avatar
RussellR
Hill Bagger
 
Posts: 39
Munros:270   Corbetts:9
Fionas:1   Donalds:1
Hewitts:20
Wainwrights:28   
Joined: Jan 31, 2012

Re: 3 Scots + 2 Aussies + 1 Guide = The In Pin

Postby McD0na1d » Fri Oct 07, 2016 6:16 pm

Great report, I somehow recognise that tail and feel like I was there!

Sounds like it would be great to do on a misty day in September after a hard night (or two) in The Old Inn :crazy:
McD0na1d
Rambler
 
Posts: 1
Munros:119   Corbetts:1
Joined: Feb 29, 2016

4 people think 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: Charlie05, jamesb1966, zoeeke and 73 guests