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A route less travelled for Bruach na Frithe

A route less travelled for Bruach na Frithe


Postby martyn » Sat Dec 12, 2009 7:55 pm

Route description: Bruach na Frithe

Munros included on this walk: Bruach na Frìthe

Date walked: 14/05/2009

Time taken: 7 hours

Distance: 13 km

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Here's an alternative start to the walk - with an additional ridge and minor summit thrown in. Followed this route on 14 May 2009 - a cool, cloudless and breezy day......perfect for walking.
From the Sligachan Hotel, start off on the path that starts opposite the mountain rescue post, heading for the Allt Dearg Mor, using the footbridge, reached after a few hundred metres, to cross over and follow the path towards the Allt Dearg Beag.
The route gradually unfolds ahead (as in the first photo)
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After 2 kilometres of pleasant walking, the next footbridge is reached - do not cross over here but stick to the right (true left bank) of the stream - follow this until it peters out after about a kilometre. Straight ahead the stream can be seen coming down from the Bhasteir Gorge. My route took me across roughish, trackless ground on a bearing just a bit S of W, heading for the low col just to the N of Meall Odhar.
From here, just turn left and the N ridge of Sgurr a Bhasteir is the pretty obvious route straight ahead. To get established, I struck up the ridge slightly left of the ridge line itself. It gets steep in a few places (see photo)
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but any obstacles can be passed by the removal of hands from pockets and bypassed left or right.
All in all, once past the first rubbishy loose stuff at the bottom, it's a few hundred metres (along AND up) of pleasant, easy scrambling. On the day I was there, the very strong crosswind that wanted to dump into me Fionn Choire added to the sense of fun.....as did the view across to Pinnacle Ridge that unfolds towards the top (see photo)
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The fine airy summit - just a few metres short of Munro height - offers some fantastic views, including a really good one of Am Bhastier and the Tooth (see photo)
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From here it was a gentle stroll along the ridge to the Bealach nan Lice, where I resumed the route described.
The weather remained cloudless so I was able to get some good shots from the summit of Bruache itself and whilst descending its NW ridge on the route back to Sligachan.
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Apart from sharing the summit with 2 other walkers for lunch and "wow - look at THAT view"-type chat, I never encountered a soul all day until nearing Sligachan. All in all, a grand day out.
Attachments
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martyn
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 29
Joined: Sep 18, 2008
Location: Skye

Re: A route less travelled for Bruach na Frithe

Postby colgregg » Sun Dec 13, 2009 11:10 am

You certainly had a perfect day. Bruach is a superb summit and this seems a good alternative. I do like sgurr bhasteir and have walked the ridge from Bealach na Lice. As you said there's fantastic views from there.
colgregg
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 2182
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Joined: Aug 25, 2009
Location: Richmond North Yorkshire

Re: A route less travelled for Bruach na Frithe

Postby martyn » Thu Jan 07, 2010 3:28 pm

Just in case anyone thought about using this route description for the north ridge of Sgurr a Bhasteir, let me correct the error I have just spotted in my own report.
I mention "heading for the low col just N of Meall Odhar". Of course, it should say "heading for the low col just SOUTH of Meall Odhar", ie the low point between the rather nondescript summit of Meall Odhar and the foot of the north ridge of Sgurr a Bhasteir itself.
Enjoy.
martyn
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 29
Joined: Sep 18, 2008
Location: Skye

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