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Our route is a back to front version of Walkhighlands, with two slight diversions, one planned and one that was more spontaneous
.
- The route
The weather (unusually) was very true to the forecast, low winds, sub zero temperature and lots of Sunshine.
We left home at 07:20 and further north a snow covered Ben Wyvis was glowing pink in the morning light. As we parked the car at Achnashellach Station all the mountains to the south of us had good covering of snow. By 09:15 we we were on way past the red telephone box and down the track.
- 09:15 on our way
The junctions on the track were all easy to identfy and although there was evidence of forestry work underway, today there were just a couple of guys in a van cutting branches. The junction between the path to Coire Lair and the forestry track was again easy to identfy and we had to wonder at a sign on the path saying to no admittance to the forestry track if felling was taking place. It was a bit late to stop you if you were on your way back
.
Once the more northern mountains came into view we were surprised and a little upset to see that the snow cover in this area was very sparse. We had been saving Beinn Liath Mhor for a winter adventure and waiting eagerly for the right conditions. We wondered about changing our plans, but who can resist a Torridon peak on a sunny day,
, not us
.
- Fuar Tholl from the junction between track and path.
We were approaching Beinn Liath Mhor from Coire Lair as we suspected that the crags from the bealach at the end of the Coire may best be tackled in ascent. One walker overtook us, exchanging pleasantries and another was close behind, just as we turned down the Coire path. Both the other walkers continued on the path up the mountain.
The entrance to the Coire is dominated by the crags of Sgorr Ruadh on the left and the sandstone face of Beinn Liath Mhor on the right.
- Entrance to Coire Lair
The terrain was well frozen and by the time we reached the far end of the Coire most of the earlier cloud had cleared and the promised sunshine had arrived.
Rather than walk right to the end of the path we planned to take a short cut up the side straight to the second bealach and little lochan. This route was mainly OK, apart from the traversing of some icy slabs, with a long drop below, which had me squeaking.
The OH wondered what I was making such a fuss about
.
- A bouldery rib on our shortcut
Our water strategy rather depended on boiling snow for lunch and a brew, so we decided to stop at the bealach in case the white stuff was in short supply higher up.
- A scenic lunch spot
Lunch over and time to head up the path between the crags.
The path was quite eroded with snow and ice in all the wrong places, so although it wasn't difficult it was rather inelegant at times.
- The path Icy in the wrong places .
About half way up we met one the guys walking in the reverse direction, quick chat about the day and what lay ahead for all of us and we were on our way.
And 15 minutes later we were on the Beinn Liath Mhor ridge with splendid views in all directions.
- Bein Liath Mhor
- Sgorr Rhuadh
- Heading up to the summit. Maol Chean Dearg and Beinn Damph behind
- 14:00 The summit
Beinn Liath Mhor is a wonderful ridge walk, broad and bouldery in places, at other times rocky with some minor scrambling and a one point narrowing down to a short arete.
- Looking back at the summit
- The ridge ahead
- Easy scrambling
- The narrowest section
- More snow on approach to second summit
- 15:10 second summit
- Rocky towers on the way to the third summit
- Going over them this way is optional
- 15:50 The third summit
Now all we had to do was walk down. Still on a high and in brilliant sunlight we didn't give a thought to looking at the map or taking a bearing until 20 minutes later, when we were making our way down a steep and broad boulder field. Shouldn't we be following a path
.
We checked the map, confirmed our reference with the GPS (navigation for numpties
) and paced our way towards the path which we indentified quite easily, but it kept disappearing into snow. Then, despite being careful about our navigating we were unable to work out the point at which it headed down the steep ground between the crags. Rather than risk being cragfast or worse, we checked the map and identified a less steep descent about 400m to our left on the other side of a gully. We traversed some steep heathery ground to reach the gully which we were able to cross easily and then make an easy descent to join the path path in Drochaid Coire Lair just as the moon was rising in the east.
- Could be Venus over Fuar Tholl
A pleasant walk back by torchlight.
- Achnashellach Station
We made it back to the car at 19:10 and I can't help but wonder if we are the only people who seem to turn straight forward routes, in excellent visibility into epics
An absolutely brilliant day and first class mountain and my only regret was the amount of time I had to spend watching where I put my feet rather than admiring the views.