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VIDEO UPDATE!!. Kintail 5 - but not the Sisters!!

VIDEO UPDATE!!. Kintail 5 - but not the Sisters!!


Postby dooterbang » Tue Oct 26, 2010 10:09 pm

Route description: Sgùrr nan Conbhairean round

Munros included on this walk: A' Chralaig, Càrn Ghluasaid, Mullach Fraoch-choire, Sàil Chaorainn, Sgùrr nan Conbhairean

Date walked: 25/10/2010

Time taken: 9.5 hours

Distance: 23 km

Ascent: 1850m

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Updated today the 1st Nov 2010 to include this video. As always view in 720p and in full screen as HD.
Enjoy....

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBq_QrjOXdM&hd=1[/youtube]

After many solo walks recently it was time to get social again, it was time to hit Kintail with the Scottish Hillwalkers Group :D . This was a weekend adventure with 3 Munros Saturday and 2 on the Sunday, i had been emailing the organizer and pestering him to do the 5 on the Saturday :wink: .

Weather reports very grim, 75mph winds, snow, rain and 10% chance of cloud free Munros....grrreat!!.

I drove up Friday after work with my mate Stevie, looking outside reminded me of the American Werewolf in London....going to be a slog tomorrow!.

1st night we had booked into the fantastic Ratagan Youth Hostel which has stunning views over Loch Duich with the Five Sisters towering above.

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Five Sisters
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But we hadn't come to do the 5 sisters, we had come for 5 Munros Near the Cluanie Inn.
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Friday night we met in the Kintail Lodge, we had booked the Trekkers Lodge for Saturday night, for a Munro team talk....we would meet 8.30am Saturday.

Saturday arrived and the sky was looking very clear, could Sean Batty be mistaken :? !!.

We got to the start and were ready to walk at 9.15am, we had left a car at the finish. Driving down i also clocked the finish if doing the 5, it was 4k up the road!!

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Looking back to Loch Cluanie
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It wasn't long (1hr 45mins) till we reached the summit of Munro No 1: Carn Ghluasaid
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The weather is incredible, the sun is shining, views for miles....hey guys i think we should do the 5 :wink:

With the seed firmly planted it was off to Munro No2: Sgurr nan Conbhairean
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South Glen Shiel Ridge
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I was soon standing on the 2nd summit with view behind me to Munros 4 & 5, A'Chralaig and Mullach Fraoch-choire
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On our merry way we went again, the grins firmly planted on our faces....what a day this is turning out to be :D .

Standing at the bealach between Sgurr nan Conbhairean and Sail Chaorainn we discussed doing the 5 Munros. 4 of us decided to go ahead and do them with the other 2 more than happy with bagging the 3. I asked one of the guys if he could drive my car to the finish of the 5th Munro :wink: , no problem. Onwards to the 3rd we all went, we left our rucksacks at the bealach as we all had to return to this point, but 4 of us would be heading across steep grassy slopes to Bealach Choire a'Chait

This way....
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Looking back to Sgurr nan Conbhairean from the summit of Sail Chaorainn
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Heading back to bealach Choire a Chait
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It was here we said our goodbyes to the other 2 and headed down the steep slopes across to Bealach Choire a'Chait

Looking back to Sail Chaorainn , far left.
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A'Chralaig stright ahead with Mullach Fraoch-choire in the distance.
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Reaching the summit of A'Chralaig was a tough going, but hugely enjoyable. We summited with 30 minutes covering the 1st and last to ascend.

A'Chralaig
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Views to Skye
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At this point Stella was feeling the pace and distance, it was her 1st walk in 2 months since spending a month in her homeland in Brazil. A superb effort considering.

Onwards we headed in the direction of the 5th and last Munro, Mullach Fraoch-choire.
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Descending A'Chralaig
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Standing near the col with what looks like a very narrow ridge ahead to the final summit :roll:
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We started the final ascent of the day, this ridge was very narrow and steep.
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We stupidly tried to scramble over some pinnacles instead of taking a path to the right, which was actually scary also.
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Path to the right which was slippy and steep
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looking back at the pinnacles
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Soon 3 of us were standing on Munro No 5: Mullach Fraoch-choire, Stella had waited at the col....she didnt want to slow us down.
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The views in all directions were simply stunning :D .

We took it all in before heading back to the col and making our journey to the finish, we had 7k to go. The last 4k was on a landrover track which we covered in darkness.

9 and a half hours later we were at the finish, where is my car :x !!

Head torches on, Stevie went right and i left along the main road.....it was 20 minutes before Stevie drove up in my car. We picked the other 2 up and headed to the Kintail Lodge for food and drink. What a fantastic day :D .
Last edited by dooterbang on Wed Nov 03, 2010 5:33 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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dooterbang
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Re: Kintail 5 - but not the Sisters!!

Postby Stretch » Tue Oct 26, 2010 10:34 pm

Wow, excellent stuff. Walk report of the month in my book.
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Re: Kintail 5 - but not the Sisters!!

Postby dooterbang » Tue Oct 26, 2010 10:40 pm

Stretch wrote:Wow, excellent stuff. Walk report of the month in my book.


Thanks Stretch. I'm guessing you want half the vouchers if i get it :wink: .

Was a superb day, best views i've had in my short walking career :D .
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Re: Kintail 5 - but not the Sisters!!

Postby LeithySuburbs » Tue Oct 26, 2010 11:24 pm

Great report again :) . Perfect day for that sort of route - cold enough to stop you sweating too much but clear views to live long in the memory 8) .
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Re: Kintail 5 - but not the Sisters!!

Postby Jockstar » Wed Oct 27, 2010 1:32 am

Seeing your report has whetted the appetite for doing that walk. Great views and excitement all the way and congrats to all of you who went on the walk. The photos were excellant and a great effort by everyone...
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Re: Kintail 5 - but not the Sisters!!

Postby mountain coward » Wed Oct 27, 2010 7:56 am

I'll have to read that again sometime as the photos must be externally hosted so I can't see any of them! But you've really put me off that narrow path now to Mullach Fraoch Choire - I was already dreading it and you've confirmed my fears!
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Re: Kintail 5 - but not the Sisters!!

Postby dooterbang » Wed Oct 27, 2010 8:03 am

mountain coward wrote:I'll have to read that again sometime as the photos must be externally hosted so I can't see any of them! But you've really put me off that narrow path now to Mullach Fraoch Choire - I was already dreading it and you've confirmed my fears!


Do it in summer and drier conditions and it will be fine,

Photos are externally hosted via imageshack, i dont understand why you cant view them????
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Re: Kintail 5 - but not the Sisters!!

Postby mountain coward » Wed Oct 27, 2010 8:31 am

I'll definitely be doing it in summer - no way would I go across that death-defying ridge in any kind of wintry conditions!

As to the photos, I'm at work and most photo-viewing sites are blocked by policy - I'll definitely be coming back to this thread from home though to see the pics, don't worry :D
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Re: Kintail 5 - but not the Sisters!!

Postby Merry-walker » Wed Oct 27, 2010 1:56 pm

Hi ho Doots

Boss walk :D I certainly couldn't do scarey ridges and clambering about that you all did!

Fab piccies

Scarey stuff indeed :shock:
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Re: Kintail 5 - but not the Sisters!!

Postby Graeme D » Wed Oct 27, 2010 4:47 pm

Breath taking stuff. Great to see some hills I did a few months agao now that they have a dusting of the white stuff. Reminds me a bit of the kind of day I did the Buachaille a couple of years back - crisp, fresh, bracing and with a fantastic light quality. I just love those views on a crisp winter's day when you get a straight snow line across the hills with the stark contrast between the white above and the golden brown below. Perfect. Really liked the picture from just over the crest of the Ghluasaid ridge looking back to Loch Cluanie. 8)
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Re: Kintail 5 - but not the Sisters!!

Postby Graeme D » Wed Oct 27, 2010 4:47 pm

P.S. - I'll second Stretch's comment! :D
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Re: Kintail 5 - but not the Sisters!!

Postby monty » Wed Oct 27, 2010 5:20 pm

Great report Dooter...
Excellent pictures. :lol: These hills look great with a slight covering of snow. Didn't realise MFC ridge looked as bad as that. It certainly looked safer when I walked it a couple of months ago. Laughing
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Re: Kintail 5 - but not the Sisters!!

Postby dooterbang » Wed Oct 27, 2010 6:01 pm

monty wrote:Didn't realise MFC ridge looked as bad as that.


You mean as FAB as that :D .
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Re: Kintail 5 - but not the Sisters!!

Postby kinley » Wed Oct 27, 2010 6:21 pm

Beautiful 8)

Gorgeous day and great hills :D

Some excellent photos too - the Mullach approach would need a bit of care in the conditions :)

Cheers 8)
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Re: Kintail 5 - but not the Sisters!!

Postby monty » Wed Oct 27, 2010 7:07 pm

I stand corrected dooter.... :lol:
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