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Creepers on the Crest to Sgurr na Banachdich

Creepers on the Crest to Sgurr na Banachdich


Postby Cairngorm creeper » Sun Aug 28, 2016 3:54 pm

Munros included on this walk: Sgùrr na Banachdich

Date walked: 20/08/2016

Distance: 9.44 km

Ascent: 980m

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We are working our way along the Cuillin Ridge in bite size pieces, today was the section of the ridge from Sgor Dearg to Sgurr na Banachdich.
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The route

We started out from the campsite at Morvich
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06:40 Approaching Kyle and the Skye bridge

We parked by The Glen Brittle YH and were walking by 07:40. The smaller parking areas were already busy so we were pleased to have made the early start.
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Past Eas Mor waterfall
Then taking the left hand branch of the path into Coire na Banachdich.
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Coire na Banachdich
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There was an obvious path which led high up into the Coire and stayed on the right hand side of the Altt Coire na Banachdich all the way, contrary to the map which showed it crossing the burn then back again. We by stopped for a drink and filled our water bottles by a sparkling clear pool near the final branch in the burn. Here the still obvious path continued up along its right hand branch and when the stream finally dwindled away the path continued to the foot of a gully on the right of the line of crags. There were occasional cairns marking the route.
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Then up the gully
At the top of the gully the path ran to left under a line of crags until it reached the scree slope leading up to the Bealach. There were mutiple paths in the scree but we found the easiest line ran up the right hand side bringing us out by some stange shaped bouldery outcrops.
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11:15 and we are on the bealach
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Now the ridge.
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Locals on the ridge.
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I had always imagined the Cuillin Ridge to be an exposed committing scramble, all the way along and I know many sections of it are, but here, although the crest is definately an exposed scramble, there is a bypass path most of the way.
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The second and narrowest pinnacle
We had thought we had cracked knife edges on The Saddle, until we encountered this. The drop on the east is several hundred metres. We traversed the western side where the drop was just a few metres to the ground and it had better handholds.
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Just crossed the narrowest section of the ridge

Another lesson for me is that the narrowest part of a ridge doesn't always mean that it is unavoidable or exposed on both sides. :lol: .
The danger of paths Is that once you are on them the temptation is to just keep going and it takes willpower to move back onto the crest. We were busy bypassing the central pinnacle :lol: and when the error of our ways was realised we had to climb up the side to regain the crest. :roll:
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The consequence of being carried away by the path
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Almost there
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Creepers back on the crest
You find wild flowers in the most unusual places and I received a ticking off for taking pictures of these while the OH was risking life and limb.
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Roseroot (Sedum rosea).

The very brave may descend the centre pinnacle by its very sharp nose but this seemed to lead into a gully so we came down to the west just before it.
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Descent from central pinnacle.
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Looking east through the gully
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Summit Pinnacle
Rather than follow the last section of crest we diverted to look at the cone sheets of dolerite.
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Cone sheets forming a convenient ledge

Then back up to the ridge and onto the summit.
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13:00 Sgurr na Banachdich
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Pose on the second summit
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Summit views
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More summit views
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Superb situation for a brew up

Then time to come down, except we couldn't make up our minds which descent to choose.
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We considered Sgurr Nan Ghobar but were not sure not about the steep descent from the summit.
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An Diallaid was our planned descent but we followed the scree path too far down and did' want to go back up.
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So we just continued straight down.
The going was hard but the views made up for it.
16:09 and back to the car.
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Cairngorm creeper
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Re: Creepers on the Crest to Sgurr na Banachdich

Postby Huff_n_Puff » Sun Aug 28, 2016 4:32 pm

Beautiful, stunning photos and I love seeing the places you choose for a brew up :lol: :lol:
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Re: Creepers on the Crest to Sgurr na Banachdich

Postby Cairngorm creeper » Tue Aug 30, 2016 10:07 pm

Huff_n_Puff wrote:Beautiful, stunning photos and I love seeing the places you choose for a brew up :lol: :lol:
Thank you. Not sure how we would make it back if we were deprived of our summit brew. :lol:
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Cairngorm creeper
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Re: Creepers on the Crest to Sgurr na Banachdich

Postby oslaallen » Wed Aug 31, 2016 2:06 pm

Brilliant pictures! Scrambled up Sgurr Nan Ghobar in the clag and pouring rain last month, so it's excellent to see what we missed :) After seeing all your recent posts I know you'd have had no problems whatsoever going down Sgurr Nan Ghobar. Your recent reports have been giving me loads of ideas for future scrambling adventures, so thanks for posting!
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Re: Creepers on the Crest to Sgurr na Banachdich

Postby BlackPanther » Wed Aug 31, 2016 4:36 pm

I was up Banachdich twice but always via the easy route, well, this looks much more technical. If I ever brave it, I must remember to take spare pants :lol:
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Re: Creepers on the Crest to Sgurr na Banachdich

Postby Cairngorm creeper » Thu Sep 01, 2016 11:11 am

oslaallen wrote:Brilliant pictures! Scrambled up Sgurr Nan Ghobar in the clag and pouring rain last month, so it's excellent to see what we missed :) After seeing all your recent posts I know you'd have had no problems whatsoever going down Sgurr Nan Ghobar. Your recent reports have been giving me loads of ideas for future scrambling adventures, so thanks for posting!

Thank you for the encouragement. Such a shame you missed the views and good weather, it is a stunning spot. Happy scrambling :lol:
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Cairngorm creeper
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 716
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Location: Grantown-on-spey

Re: Creepers on the Crest to Sgurr na Banachdich

Postby Cairngorm creeper » Thu Sep 01, 2016 11:16 am

BlackPanther wrote:I was up Banachdich twice but always via the easy route, well, this looks much more technical. If I ever brave it, I must remember to take spare pants :lol:

Spare pants are always useful in Skye :lol: :lol: but from your walk reports I know you are decidedly braver than me so doubt you'll need them.
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Cairngorm creeper
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 716
Munros:147   Corbetts:24
Fionas:6   Donalds:1
Sub 2000:1   Hewitts:15
Wainwrights:9   
Joined: Jun 4, 2013
Location: Grantown-on-spey

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