The last time I was on Beinn Eighe was on a school trip in 1981 - it was my first Munro-Bagging experience and was a fantastic week. We climbed Bidean on the way to Torridon; Alligin, Liathach, Eighe and Slioch while there, and Ben Nevis on the way home.
We had lovely weather for the whole week except for one day, which was the day we went up Beinn Eighe. It was a day of low cloud, heavy rain but no wind. We saw very little, walked up to the summit (it was only one Munro in those days) and back again. When we reached the Youth Hostel we were soaked, our cotton T-shirts steamed and our non-breathable waterproofs dripped!
This time we were in for an absolute treat. We pondered whether heaven would be a bit like this (only without the midges) and decided it would not be far off. It was clear with virtually no wind, high cloud and the occasional shaft of sunshine. I took dozens of photos and it is far to hard to select just a few for this report. So I am going to spill over into a second post!
Anyway back to the walking.
We camped the previous night next to the small ruin near the campsite. It was sheltered and warm. but the MIDGES!! they were not so bad when we got up but when it warmed up a little, they were truly the worst I have ever seen. We smidged up and put nets on and got into the tent quick to eat our breakfast, packed up as quickly as possible and got going. They got into every little nook and cranny despite the sun shining!
- camping place near the car park
- Rudolph looking like a squaddie in his midge net.
Anyway it gave us a good reason to get walking quickly. We took the WH route so I will not post a route here. As we climbed we got clear of the midges and the cloud base gradually lifted. The path up Coire nan Laoigh is lovely and not as steep as you might expect until you get to the last little bit which is loose scree, but then you come out onto the ridge and it's just marvellous!
- deer looking down from the horizon at the top of Coire an Laoigh
- Looking down to Loch Clair and Loch Coulin, with a shaft of sunlight through the cloud
- dwarf cornel berries
- some scary looking cliffs on the eastern tops of Beinn Eighe, I hope nobody promotes these to munros!
- Looking back down Coire an Laoigh towards Loch Coulin again
- reached the ridge, Stuc Coire an Laoigh
- clouds and Liathach
- From the trig point looking along the ridge, Liathach on the left and Alligin at the back.
- Ruadh stac Mor and beyond to Baosbheinn I think
First stop Spidean Coire nan Clach with a lovely rocky top and nice little scrambly bit just as a treat. And leaving the rucksacks at the trig point.
- Rudolph on the small summit of Spidean Coire nan Clach, looking north to Ruadh-stac Beag
- Coire Ruadh-Staca
- Rocky ridge back to the trig point
Then along the ridge and a stop for lunch on a nice flat bit of the ridge. Fantastic views to Liathach just getting better and better.
- change of rock underfoot from quartz to sandstone
- lunch stop looking over to ruadh-stac Mor
- pano from our lunch place with the Fisherfields in the distance
Then on to Ruadh-Stac Mor for another brew.
- Looking east
- descending to the bealach 868
- First glimpse of Coire Mhic Fhearchair
- east again
- Rudolph at the top of Ruadh-Stac Mor
- and me
And at last we had to tear ourselves away and make the descent down the scree into Coire Mhic Fhearchair which was actually fine because if you keep well to the right you can descend on solid rock like a staircase - right down to the area of large rocks that have to be crossed. then we sort of lost the path and wandered around a bit among the amazing terraces and lochans with waterfalls and pools - and bits of the Lancaster that crashed on the triple buttress in 1951.
This was a day that just kept on giving - and even the long walk out was a pleasure (although the midges started again) and the day was polished off with tea at the Kinlochewe hotel! mmm
- it would be a tragedy to travel so far and then miss them. I just hope the weather plays ball for the WH meet in November so I can get up there again.
. I think you were due some good weather at some point - you seem to have earned it over the previous set of reports/walks 
.
