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I’ll be the first to admit that I can be a bit random and very impulsive at times. But we were pretty sure we were going to have a nice relaxing morning having breakfast at the pie shop and then taking a leisurely drive around to climb Sail Mhor on the way home.
It started well
And got better…
And then I started getting ideas above my station
We agreed that it would be too late to be doing anything big… so before we knew it, the bikes were dumped at our end point…
…I’d made sure Malky had put the key in his rucksack
….
…and we were heading off up the good stalkers path from Dundonnell. Midday? Pfffft
I was so excited and we flew out the blocks, making good progress up the steep path
Beinn nam Ban – around 500m, so clearly we had work to do
Beinn Mor Coigach started to poke out behind Beinn Ghoblach
There was a bit of a maze of paths so we sort of followed our noses and eventually something impressive came into view – the munro top of Glas Mheall Mhor
We were now properly on the mountain and were enjoying the views across to the Beinn Dearg hills above Ullapool
Into Assynt
It was kind of here we realised we hadn’t quite done what we expected – apparently there was a path up the ridge not marked on the map and we had split from the path up the corrie
It wasn’t a big deal though, and saved us from having to go over Malky’s munro top
Corrie path
The ridge probably added a few metres of ascent as there some lumps and bumps but the views were worth it!
It looked a bit like a desert
The 2 munro summits coming into view
Still worth looking back though!
Finally we were on the ridge and looking at the final ascent to Bidein a’ Ghlas Thuil
Our descent route (more about that later
)
The Western Isles were just about visible, the peak of Clisham easy to see
Malky’s missed munro top
Apparently this is used as a descent route
Having not met a single soul all day up to this point, we quite literally met an army
Sail Mhor – one for another day!
Sgurr Creag an Eich, our route off
And then….oofty
Made it – Bidein a’ Ghlas Thuil
Sgurr Fiona and Sgurr Creag an Eich
Assynt
The Fannaichs
Across to the other end of the pinnacles
South, behind Fiona
Given that it was lunchtime before we started it was definitely lunchtime now
We enjoyed our last load of 2 day old sandwiches at the summit before carrying on, stopping for important business
Loch Toll an Lochain
I was struggling to fit it all in
Cool pancake rock
Sgurr Creag an Eich
Loch Glascarnoch
Ahead to Fiona
Now we were climbing up amongst it we could see the sheer scale of the rock here – absolutely huge
Malky included for scale
Looking back to Bidein a’ Ghlas Thuil
Big bird – someone may be able to help!
I managed to find a really awkward route to the top of Sgurr Fiona so when I popped my head around a rock and saw this…. Oofty
The Fisherfield hills – nice
The sun hitting the Coigach “wall”
Looking along the pinnacles
Loch Toll an Lochain
Summit of Sgurr Fiona
“Look, I’m standing on Lord Berkeley’s Seat!”
Sail Mhor
We sat around for ages just soaking up the views – it was a spectacular spot! Then we remembered what time it gets dark at this time of year and got going
Malky found a hand-shaped rock to sit on
Sgurr Creag an Eich – at least poor Malky would get one new munro top!
The Beinn Deargs again
The route off Fiona – looks impossible but there was a good path leading all the way down which made things a lot easier!
It was easy walking on our new ridge and before long we were able to inspect Fiona and her pinnacles from a different angle
The spectacular Fisherfield hills
Loch na Sealga
The route up Sgurr Creag an Eich was amazing – we were able to walk along a slabby ridge all the way!
Malky looking pleased with himself
Fiona and the pinnacles
Our route so far – looking a wee bit overcast now
Our ridge continues
Another look back!
Making progress down
Not too bad eh
Malky trying to run away again
Looking down on Shenavall
The Deargs
The sky was doing lovely things
Sun hitting the Fannaichs
Loch na Sealga and down to Gairloch
Wee bit of low cloud
Eventually we dropped off the ridge – it was steep and heathery to start with but the gradient got a bit better and soon we were off the steepest part
Malky leading the way
Looking back
From here we were totally off-piste and were very aware that the ground could be awful
It was slow and frustrating after a long day (and there was a horrible river crossing
) but actually the ground wasn’t too bad at all. We were very glad to finally drop onto a path though
The light disappearing over Little Loch Broom
From here it got steep and a bit awkward, especially as it decided to get dark and we were dodging the crags around huge waterfalls with a path that was barely obvious some of the time
Head torches went on and then Malky decided to run off and leave me
Eventually we were back at the bikes and had 4km to cycle back along the road in the dark. Fortunately we had planned ahead and had lights, although we were only passed by 2 cars the whole way!
Back at the car we threw everything in and had the long drive home – as this was my stupid idea in the first place I figured it was probably my turn to drive