walkhighlands

Bruach na Frithe and Am Basteir

Route: Bruach na Frithe

Munros: Am Basteir, Bruach na Frìthe

Date walked: 27/08/2022

Time taken: 7 hours

Distance: 15km

Ascent: 990m

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View across to Am Basteir and Sgurr Nan Gillian’s west ridge.
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B na F summit

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Bruach na Frithe ridge. The path sidles off to the righ later but you can stay on the crest for an easy-ish scramble if you prefer


A sunny day on Bruach na Frithe and Am Basteir

Charlie had parked up on the Glenbrittle campsite while I, suspicious of the Skye midge, chose the hostel just up the road a bit. An early (for us pensioners) start was agreed, but not too early after having been driven insane by the tourist approach to single track roads with passing places. (You know, having a picnic, doing your washing, or just making a last minute dive for the offset on the wrong side of the road…)

So at 8.45 we set off from the parking bay just up from the Sligachan Hotel. The sun shone, but the hills were playing hard to get, with clouds shifting from Coire to summit and back again. Nice and dry underfoot, despite the poor summer.
Higher up, we turned right to traverse across to the beginning of Bruch na Frithe’s north west ridge and followed that for a while, an easy walk with only occasional need for using a hand. As the ridge steps up, the path sidles off to the right, almost contouring the west flank of the ridge before abruptly soaring straight up a band of scree to reclaim the ridge almost at the summit. The cloud was nearly clear by now, with only wisps hiding the tops of the central Cuillin.

Down the tourist route to Bealach Nan Lice, then left onto the Am Basteir bypass path. A bit reminiscent of the Eiger Trail, this descends 100m close up against the northern ramparts of Am Basteir and its tooth before sidling up again towards the Bealach Am Basteir. I was here a few years ago in torrential rain and thick cloud and never glimpsed the bypass path at all.
Up Basteir’s E ridge was a scrambly walk til the Bad Step (cue scary music). Sure enough, it’s only 4 metres or so but with undercut holds impossible to see from above, would be intimidating to downclimb. And a fall to one side would result in a very long drop as the ridge is narrow here. The answer for us was to whip out the rope and abseil. There’s an obliging rock formed to look like Yoda, complete with sticky-out ears which hold your abseil rope securely to the rock while you descend. A very few minutes later we were on Am Basteir’s tiny summit, an even better view point than Bruach, with full-on sunshine by now. After admiring this for a few minutes we left, taking care to maintain focus til we were past all the big drops. Ascending the Bad Step was very simple when you can see the holds.
Before long we were walking the long miles back to the Sligachan after a memorable Cuillin day.
Now, can we have more of that weather next week…..

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Am Basteir and Bruach na Frithe

Attachment(s) Munros: Am Basteir, Bruach na Frìthe
Date walked: 26/08/2022
Ascent: 1300m
Comments: 1
Views: 851


Ben Vorlich (Perthshire)

Attachment(s) Date walked: 18/10/2021
Distance: 10.08km
Ascent: 856m
Comments: 2
Views: 763


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Munros: Sròn a' Choire Ghairbh
Date walked: 15/11/2018
Distance: 16km
Ascent: 900m
Views: 1293


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Munros: Aonach Mòr
Date walked: 28/01/2012
Ascent: 600m
Views: 1234


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Munros: Meall na Teanga
Date walked: 27/01/2012
Views: 1177

Colin1951


Activity: Stravaiging
Pub: Torridon Inn
Mountain: Dent Blanche
Place: Liathach
Gear: Lowe soft shell jacket
Member: Strathaven Climbing Club
Ideal day out: Ridge scramble
Walk wishlist

Munros: 226
Tops: 110
Corbetts: 20
Fionas: 5
Donalds: 10
Sub 2000: 2
Islands: 12



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Statistics

2022

Trips: 2
Distance: 15 km
Ascent: 2290m
Munros: 4

2021

Trips: 1
Distance: 10.08 km
Ascent: 856m

2018

Trips: 1
Distance: 16 km
Ascent: 900m
Munros: 1

2012

Trips: 2
Ascent: 600m
Munros: 2


Joined: Nov 09, 2010
Last visited: Mar 28, 2024
Total posts: 163 | Search posts