walkhighlands

Fabulous first day on Skye

Route: Beinn na Caillich and the Broadford Red Hills

Fionas: Beinn Dearg Mhór (Broadford), Beinn na Caillich (Broadford)

Date walked: 24/05/2021

Time taken: 7 hours

Distance: 8.5km

FirstHill.jpg

This was my first day of ten, in the Highlands, and to be my first ever on Skye. Consulting the weather forecast, then realising with joy, that it was barely going to rain, It was a frantic look at Walk Highlands. Coming from the Lake District and understanding the vagaries of weather I had thought my entire stay was to be blighted by rain and wind. How many boots could we cope with on our first day? My friend and I are both MLs and I work as a walk leader in the Lakes so we figured a 4 boot walk would suit us after a seven hour drive up the day prior.

GPS downloaded and Google primed with the start point made setting off remarkably hassle free.
Things fitted the description pretty well. We set off across the gentle slope to Beinn na Caillich, Fooled somewhat as the ‘boulder field’ described does not start on the immediate ascent. ‘These are only rocks’ we muttered, ‘hardly a boulder field’. Yes they were rocks, debatable still on boulders as they were not humungous, but soon in it was barely possible to place a foot between them, then impossible. The last few hundred meters were definitely moments of ‘are we nearly there yet’ as hands became helpful to feet.
Boulders.jpg


But was there a reward to that effort. From the top and that enormous cairn and usual trig, it was possible to see all round the Red Cullins and to the Black beyond. Not to mention the south of Skye, the mainland and further Hebridean Isles.
Cullins.jpg


Tearing ourselves away from the view and me my camera, we headed over to the check out our route to Beinn Drag Mhor. Wow factor in the extreme. At first it is only possible to see the summit of Drag Mhor, then suddenly the whole of the roller coaster ride, and the third peak Beinn Dearg Bheag appear. Down and up to Beinn Drag Mhor is relatively straight forward. A more gently and kinder descent and ascent than the initial boulder field. But then… Scree in the extreme. And steep. The drop down to the saddle before Beinn Dearg Bheag was looking more scary than a theme park. But we were not about to go back down the Jengar imitation we had ascended. The track was pretty much eroded of scree, so hard to gain purchase on the loose earth. There was nothing else to do but go slow, concentrate and put one foot carefully in front of the other. It took time but we both ended up safely at the bottom of the slope, in the col before the final ascent to Beinn Dearg Bheag.
BeinnDeargMhorAndBeinnDeargBheag.jpg


The slope ahead looked a little ominous. Littered with rocks. But the track circumnavigated them quite neatly and we reached the top with relative ease. Another time to stand stare. Look over the sea to the westerly islands and the mainland to the east.
summit3.jpg

Descending from the final summit gives a good view of the rest of the crooked horseshoe. It’s always immensely satisfying to look back whence one has come. The track wiggles a bit but is quite easy to follow. Back at sea level, almost, it’s just a case of following your nose back to the start point and car. A yomp across the heather and a bit of bog.
Ridge1.jpg

This walk took us about an hour longer than the description on Walk Highlands, but I faff about taking photographs and we stopped to eat and drink a few times.

I was pretty much bowled over by the day and the walk has to rank amongst my best ever walks. It was challenging but not difficult. Quite perfect.

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Alvina


Activity: Mountain Walker
Member: MTA




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Statistics

2021

Trips: 1
Distance: 8.5 km
Fionas: 2


Joined: May 22, 2021
Last visited: Jun 15, 2023
Total posts: 1 | Search posts