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Sgurr Eilde Mor, Binnein Beag

Sgurr Eilde Mor, Binnein Beag


Postby blanchie » Sun Mar 27, 2011 12:29 pm

Route description: Sgùrr Èilde Mòr and Binnein Beag, Mamores

Munros included on this walk: Binnein Beag, Sgùrr Èilde Mòr

Date walked: 26/03/2011

Time taken: 7.5 hours

Distance: 20.4 km

Ascent: 1810m

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I decided that a long walk was required to clear the cobwebs of the working week and I had had my eye on the east end of the Mamores for a while. There was cloud covering the tops in the morning but, by the time I approached Sgurr Eilde Mor, it was starting to lift. I lost the bet I placed with myself that I would not see anyone else out there, as I came up behind a threesome heading up to the same top. A fiver down, I'd collect it later!

From Sgurr Eilde Mor I had planned to ascend both Binneins, but Binnein Mor had lots of snow on the last section of the NE ridge and on the top itself. I debated whether I wanted to go the extra mile through deep soft snow up to BM, and as I had also wanted to descend via Sgurr Eilde Beag, seeing its path off the top was also obscured by snow, I decided to sit on the fence until I had done Binnein Beag.

I had a brief lunch stop when I spotted a couple of ptarmigan nearby, one in its summer coat, one in winter. I spotted the grey one first naturally and thought its change of clothes was a tad premature. Mental note to take a better camera the next time.

From its clear top the view to BM was now covered in cloud, as was its NE ridge, so I decided to see it another day along with the route from Na Gruagaichean. The ascent up BB was good hard work, and I certainly felt that the spiders work was undone! And boy was it a long walk!!

SGURR EILDE MOR.jpg
Sgurr Eilde Mor from Binnein Beag


BINNEIN BEAG.jpg
Binnein Beag


SGURR EILDE MOR PTARMIGAN.jpg
Pair of Ptarmigan


BINNEIN MOR.jpg
Binnein Mor
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blanchie
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Re: Sgurr Eilde Mor, Binnein Beag

Postby ChrisW » Sun Mar 27, 2011 7:10 pm

You deserved clearer skies after all your hard work but sometimes that's the way it goes....it owes you :wink:

Hope you collected that fiver from yourself and spent it wisely in the pub :lol:
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ChrisW
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Re: Sgurr Eilde Mor, Binnein Beag

Postby JGKES » Sun Mar 27, 2011 10:25 pm

Seems to be a lot of snow still on the Scottish hills,or maybe it's not a lot for Scotland in March.I went to The Lakes last week and apart from the odd patch I saw virtually none on the 3000'ers there.I'll never forget my ascent of Sgurr Eilde Mor in 1980(gosh).On surmounting the summit boulders I came upon a golden eagle perched not 20 feet away.It took off,lazily flapped its wings once and glided away in front of me.In fact,it startled me.Fantastic view of a magnificent bird.I like to see the ptarmigan when in the Highlands,and snow bunting,though these have been rare for me.Your photo's brought back the memories of 1980.
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Re: Sgurr Eilde Mor, Binnein Beag

Postby blanchie » Mon Mar 28, 2011 7:20 am

Fiver well spent!

I've seen a lot more ptarmigan about this winter - anyone else concur?
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Re: Sgurr Eilde Mor, Binnein Beag

Postby ChrisW » Mon Mar 28, 2011 10:24 pm

I can't provide a comparison as I wasn't around here last winter but I seem to see ptarmigan on every decent sized hill I climb - saw a beautiful pair today on Mount Keen, will be in my post tomorrow :D
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