Beinn Alligin. Horns first

[jonny616]

Drove up to Poolewe on monday for the October break with the family. From Ben Lomond onwards not a cloud in the sky. I was in hill heaven pointing out all the mountins i had climbed & treats still to come to my good lady wife, who did well to maintain her interest. (not an uphill walker loves the flat).

Took the costal route so i could have a look at the target for my one walking day, wednesday, when i had arranged to meet my friend Lindsay & his son Mikey to climb Beinn Alligin via the horns. Amazing views, just stunning.

Lindsay picked me up at Kinlochewe at 8am & we headed for the start, cloud hanging at about 600 meters! Picked up a guy walking the Torriden road who was going to Beinn Eighe, who kindly told us that it was a 20% cloud free day.

Having looked at the route on here & having a slightly nervous disposition we decided to do the round horns first, having seen Murial Gray do it this way on youtube.

After the gradual start we arrived at the base of the horns around 350 meters. It's then a steep slog up to 600 meters requiring quite a lot of hand work. If you are coming the other way there are a series of cairns leading to the path down which would not be obvious from above, but was visible to us all the way up.

Whilst the Horns are narrow there was only one bit that gave me a shudder, coming of the first one & a couple of points i wished i was two inches taller, but no real dificulties. For the squeamish the by pass path at about 750 meters is obvious, but the horns are not realy any more dificult than what you have to do to get to that point. My bravado caused by the fact that we could not see a thing!.

After dropping down from the third horn the ascent of Sgurr Mhor is a relentles bugger. From the summit in the clag you need to remember to navigate round the eag dubh which i am sure is obvious when you can see. A steep decent & another hard pull brings you to Tom na Gruagaich.

From there its not far to the path down the coire which is marked by a cairn. Scree at first improving as you go, quite steep most of the way, untill you are below 600 meters again.

All in all a great hill & although it is easy to say i felt this was the better way round to do it. If you have a knot of nerves about the horns they are out of the way & you can enjoy the munros. Plus having gone up that way thinking the whole time i'm glad i am not coming down this way!

Beinn Alligin (Monday)

Alligin, Dearg & Liathach

Familly on Red Point Beach (Tuesday)

Coire nan Laogh

Mikey on the narrowing ridge about 700 meters

Summit of Na Rathanan

Summit Sgurr Mhor

Eag Dubh

Edge of Eag Dubh on the way to Tom n G

Steep decent from Sgurr Mhor

Summit Tom nan Gruagaich

Out of the clag at last.

[LeithySuburbs]

Looks nice ... . You're clearly hardier than me - not sure I'd have had the motivation (although it helps when you have a companion ).

[Alan S]

Good report there jonny some cracking pics its just a pity you didnt get the views as this looks a cracker.
I see there are a few reports coming in from that area but im struggling to catch up with them all
Must get up that way soon

[mountain coward]

Thanks for the detailed and encouraging report - I think I need to do it this way round - at least that way, I then know I have an easy descent at the end of the day - an easy descent is all-important to me! And you got weather like I usually get!

[LeithySuburbs]

Having done it the other way round, I would agree that this direction is easier. I remember a couple of nasty bits going down which would probably be fine going up. No such troubles descending by the corrie.

[jonny616]

Looks nice ... . You're clearly hardier than me - not sure I'd have had the motivation (although it helps when you have a companion ).

Thanks, the motivation came from having seen it clear i realy wanted to do it and as you say companions help especialy when they have driven from Aberdeen to meet up!

[jonny616]

Good report there jonny some cracking pics its just a pity you didnt get the views as this looks a cracker.
I see there are a few reports coming in from that area but im struggling to catch up with them all
Must get up that way soon

Hi Alan

It must be Torridon time. I see you where out east i've got that walk on my list for next year. Your weather was almost as good as mine!

[jonny616]

Thanks for the detailed and encouraging report - I think I need to do it this way round - at least that way, I then know I have an easy descent at the end of the day - an easy descent is all-important to me! And you got weather like I usually get!

Hi MC

Having read some of your reports & picked up a strong vibe that you love narrow ledges & 3000ft drops you'll be fine. I would say it was MC friendly especialy in the clag. Although i'm jealous of all the reports coming in from the monday/tuesday

[jonny616]

Having done it the other way round, I would agree that this direction is easier. I remember a couple of nasty bits going down which would probably be fine going up. No such troubles descending by the corrie.

I felt descending the corrie was better than ascending it as well!

[audreywaugh]

Hi Jonny, did this the week before you and came off over the Horns, I too was wishing I was a few inches taller! Also was very steep coming down off the Horns, but we did spot the cairns. Was glad in the end we had did it that way round as would have hated to climb up that! Cracking day though!

[jonny616]

Hi Jonny, did this the week before you and came off over the Horns, I too was wishing I was a few inches taller! Also was very steep coming down off the Horns, but we did spot the cairns. Was glad in the end we had did it that way round as would have hated to climb up that! Cracking day though!

Hi Audrey, it's funny after we had climbed up to the cairn looked down & thought glad we are not going down that way as it looks so steep. Thats the beauty no right or wrong way round.

[mountain coward]

Thanks for the detailed and encouraging report - I think I need to do it this way round - at least that way, I then know I have an easy descent at the end of the day - an easy descent is all-important to me! And you got weather like I usually get!

Hi MC

Having read some of your reports & picked up a strong vibe that you love narrow ledges & 3000ft drops you'll be fine. I would say it was MC friendly especialy in the clag. Although i'm jealous of all the reports coming in from the monday/tuesday

Yeah, just love 'em! They make me laugh... hysterically!

At least I'm very tall with long legs for the bit you mention is awkward...