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The end of the beginning - Aig toiseach linne ùire

The end of the beginning - Aig toiseach linne ùire


Postby Collaciotach » Sun Oct 25, 2015 4:37 pm

Munros included on this walk: Sgùrr Mòr (Loch Quoich)

Corbetts included on this walk: Sgùrr an Fhuarain

Date walked: 18/10/2015

Time taken: 7.5 hours

Distance: 24 km

Ascent: 1510m

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There are two areas in the Gàidhealtachd i find have an especially strong pull on me , one is Braigh na Albainn or Breadalbane and the other is Knoydart ,something deep inside and in my blood tells me i have ancient connections to both these places.

In 2011 when i scooted up Sgùrr na Ciche via Glen Dessary for the second time, something woke up inside me. I still remember the rush as i broke onto the summit and felt that uplifted air in my lungs as the view West beckoned toward Eilean Eige mo dhachaidh.... that was my ninth munro and the first in likely 15 years.

.....October the 16th 2015 and i am back on the borders of Knoydart looking for my last Munro summit on a misty morning with the promise of a superb day ahead.

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filleadh sgòthan


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A'Chabair


Cnòideart agus Na Garbh Criochan tir nam sluagh Gleann a' Gheàrradh ,Knoydart and the rough bounds , land of the Glengarry people ..... MacDonnels ,MacMillans , MacMartins ,MacPhees and of course the Camerons of the South facing glen of Deas Airidh . The population are gone but their presence remains and i think of the rich cultural legacy they have left us which lives in the placenames of the mountians

Sgùrr , Bidean , Sleibh , Monadh , Beinn , Binnein , Sliabh

Rùithe nam beann ............

We found the trail over the bridge and headed up into the sunshine over onto the Fèithe a Cìocheanas , a boggy place with the row of bawling stags echoing from every coire .

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Anns a' Mhadainn


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Sgòth


As we progress over the Fèith i see Sgurr Mor poking out her low ridge bathed in sunlight and i am glad l have left her till last , a decison i made over a year ago when the list of remaining hills started to shrink

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Sgurr Mor


The sloping ground into Kingie has an interseting name on her Glac a ' Bhreatunaich " the narrow defile of the british" which references the route that the redcoated troops , brittania's huns , took during the rape of these Glens after the 45' laying waste to every home ,byre and carrying away or slaughtering all livestock as they burnt their way back to the black garrison of Inverlochy.

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Gleann Ceannaige agus Glac a Bhreatunach


The river was very low and i can see that she could be a challenge in spate ,we scuttled over easily and headed straight uphill toward Bràigh a' Coire Bhuidhe but with a lean toward Sgurr an Fuarain the Corbett which i wanted to tackle first .

A long pull but we soon found ourselves on the shoulder

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Am Bealach agus druim


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An cù


The clarity was superb with visual perfection 360 degrees over into Gleann a' Ghèarraidh over Cnòideart and indeed every direction. We wander along the gentle incline and onto the summit of the Corbett

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A'Mhullach


From here the route over to Sgurr Mor beckoned ,sharp , clear and it was not going to take me long to leather back along the druim and onto her summit .

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Sgurr Mor


We trundled back after a good break on the Corbett , a nice wee hill in its own right with smashing underfoot conditions ,mossy ,easy grassy a pleasure to walk on .....The ascent was now well underway and i was soon looking at the last 50m of a long journey.

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Suas


I often wondered what i would think when i reached this stage and today in such pleasant weather i could only think of the old song " tha sior choineadh am Beinn Dorain" which describes the strange wailing that was often heard on that Breadalbane hill by the Gàidhealachd herdsmen and hunters and was reputed to herald approaching death

"Tha sior choinneadh am Beinn Dorain
tha gal is choinneadh a bheinn ud thal
tha glaoidh mo laoigh ..sa bheinn sa bheinn"

I m a hellish singer and Ben Dorain is a fair way from here so lucky i was the only fella on the hill at this point and i think even the stags stopped roaring in awe at the noise :D

Then all of a sudden i was there on the last of the munro summits no 282 !

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A' mhullach a h aon


So it was out with the dram and a wee seat to contemplate a decent achievement , fair chuffed with myself . It is a long road to get to this point and a lot of hill miles under the belt .

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S'mise agus an cu


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Loch Cuaich


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Cnòideart


Sin agad e ...as we say there you have it the end of the beginning so to speak but i am not finished yet.

If you have read my post before you probably can guess that i'm political , that i detest the unionist cabal and the geo- political term "british" as much as i detest their empty failed state. The cultural appropriation of my people has been a tragedy and the genocide commited by the british establishment is largely unrecognised but our extermination experience echos that of the First Nations people the world over.

The munro bagging lark has taught me much but most of all it has learned me that you will achieve a goal eventually, overcoming the obstacles and trials on the way and at times thinking you are never going to get there . That lesson can be described perfectly by the Gaelic proverb

Chan ann leis a’chiad bhuille thuiteas a’chraobh .....it is not with the first stroke the tree falls

and that is a lesson not lost on a movement that is not going to go away . I have a flag that i have kept for this day, it is our future and we will take its control back into our own hands .... tis only a matter of time.


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Am Bratach Ban


Cheerie an drasta
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Collaciotach
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Re: The end of the beginning - Aig toiseach linne ùire

Postby dooterbang » Sun Oct 25, 2015 5:58 pm

Congratulations Colla on achieving your goal :clap: It has been a pleasure following your journey these last few years, in all conditions, with little mini adventures and challenges on route. I see you got another cloud inversion, some finish you've had :) I did think you'd have compleated last weekend given the great weather :wink: That Fisherfield walk/camp will take some beating eh!

's math a rinn thu! :D
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Re: The end of the beginning - Aig toiseach linne ùire

Postby weaselmaster » Sun Oct 25, 2015 6:07 pm

Many congratualtions, Colla - a fine hill on a fine day, and a fine message to end on too. :thumbup:
Been a pleasure reading your reports.
Al
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Re: The end of the beginning - Aig toiseach linne ùire

Postby scottishkennyg » Sun Oct 25, 2015 6:27 pm

Meal a naidheachd, Slàinte mhath.. Colla...liking the flag too...Cheers Kenny :clap:
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Re: The end of the beginning - Aig toiseach linne ùire

Postby mountainsofscotland » Sun Oct 25, 2015 6:30 pm

Congratulations. What a fantastic way to complete the Munros. Great pics.
:clap:
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Re: The end of the beginning - Aig toiseach linne ùire

Postby mrssanta » Sun Oct 25, 2015 7:21 pm

Oh that was smashing. What a day for it. Has the wee dog walked them all with you? He looks like he enjoys a good view.
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Re: The end of the beginning - Aig toiseach linne ùire

Postby Tomsie » Sun Oct 25, 2015 8:31 pm

Congratulations :clap: :clap:
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Re: The end of the beginning - Aig toiseach linne ùire

Postby malky_c » Sun Oct 25, 2015 8:39 pm

Congratulations 8) . End of the beginning as you say - I'll be looking forward to seeing more reports from your local area in years to come :D
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Re: The end of the beginning - Aig toiseach linne ùire

Postby Jaxter » Sun Oct 25, 2015 9:44 pm

Congratulations!! :clap: I can't even imagine what that moment must feel like - it's such a long way away for me :lol: Looks like you had a perfect day for it as well. Absolutely love your flag as well, face of the next Yes campaign? But seriously, awesome all round :D
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Re: The end of the beginning - Aig toiseach linne ùire

Postby mountain thyme » Sun Oct 25, 2015 9:48 pm

Congratulations Colla :clap: :clap: :clap:
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Re: The end of the beginning - Aig toiseach linne ùire

Postby Alan S » Sun Oct 25, 2015 10:21 pm

Congratulations , A fine hill to finish on 8)
Have always enjoyed your reports and pictures.
Glad you got good weather for this and were able to sit with a dram and the flag with pride :D

Cheers
Alan
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Re: The end of the beginning - Aig toiseach linne ùire

Postby harry hill » Sun Oct 25, 2015 10:36 pm

Cogratulations :clap:

If you stop posting reports all the gaelic I've learnt is going to disappear.

Ps










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Re: The end of the beginning - Aig toiseach linne ùire

Postby inca » Sun Oct 25, 2015 10:58 pm

Congratulations on reaching a finish :clap: Like others have said, I've enjoyed your reports. And your last point resonates with many. Thig Ar Latha.
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Re: The end of the beginning - Aig toiseach linne ùire

Postby rockhopper » Sun Oct 25, 2015 11:23 pm

Many congratulations :clap: :clap:
Like AlanS, have always enjoyed your reports as you always have something interesting to say about the land, the people, the history etc
Well worth waiting for a great day such as this for your compleation - cheers :)
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Re: The end of the beginning - Aig toiseach linne ùire

Postby BoyVertiginous » Mon Oct 26, 2015 12:30 am

All the very best on your compleation! Can see why you kept this one to last.
:clap:
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