walkhighlands

Moments to remember

Munros: Ben Wyvis, Broad Cairn, Cairn Bannoch, Càrn a' Choire Bhòidheach, Càrn an t-Sagairt Mòr, Lochnagar, Sgùrr a' Ghreadaidh, Sgùrr a' Mhadaidh, Sgùrr Mòr (Beinn Alligin), Tom na Gruagaich (Beinn Alligin)
Fionas: Marsco, Pap of Glencoe

Date walked: 30/08/2017

Time taken: 144 hours

Distance: 87km

Ascent: 5913m

I have been thinking way too long on how to start this report. Let's just say I am a big enthusiast of Scottish nature and mountains and I am not lucky enough to live in Scotland so I travel every year from the Czech Republic to Scotland to enjoy a bit of Scottish hills :wink: . And because I will probably not be able to travel there this year I was feeling sad lately :cry: .

That is maybe the reason why I write this report. To remind myself of the great time I have traveled through Scotland in August/September 2017 when the window in my busy schedule has finally opened :D .

So on 29th August 2017 I packed my gear and headed for Prague Airport. I arrived to Edinburgh airport quite late, I rented a car and I set off for Braemar where I planned to stay overnight. But I was too slow I guess, the campsite was already closed when I arrived :( . So I just bought supplies and went on to look for some suitable wild camping spot which I found near the main road towards Ballater.

Next morning I woke up early. Very early :D . I was so looking forward for my Scottish adventure I could not sleep any longer.

I drove straight to Glen Muick. I wanted to do the White Mounth - first day, long day :wink: . I parked the car and wanted to pay the parking fee but the machine accepted only coins! :D I had only three pounds in coins and it wanted four! :lol: So I jumped back to the car and drove back to Ballater, where i got change for the machine, and then back again, paid the fee and got ready for the walk.

I remember it was very fine day, little bit windy but almost no rain, perfect for such a walk. I was so happy to be in Scotland again.

I read a lot about Lochnagar and its beautiful crags and loch. I also read that it was climbed by the Queen Victoria herself, so it must be a truly extraordinary mountain :wink: . When I came under Meikle Pap I immediately knew why it is so popular. The view was just brathtaking! :o I climbed Meikle Pap to get even better view and got some pictures from there. The wind was quite strong so I soon decided to continue up the path towards the top. The views from the top were beautiful I particularly liked the stone with the directions and names of the mountains in the view.

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Lochnagar from Meikle Pap


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Top of Lochnagar


Soon I set off for the second Munro, Carn a'Choire Bhoidheach. Its summit is not very distinctive but the corries to the north of the summit are quite nice :) .

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Carn a'Choire Bhoidheach


From there it was a pleasant walk down the hill and then up again towards the Carn an t-Sagairt Mor. I didn't know which of the cairn marks the very top so I touched both just to be sure :lol: . Later I found out it is the first one when you approach the top from the south. I surveyed the debris of the plane which had crashed here in 1956, very interesting. When I decided to countinue I found out I lost my beanie on the way to this top. I was looking for it on the way back to the col and eventually found it near the path! I was quite lucky (or my ears let's say 8) ).

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Carn an t-Sagairt Mor


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Debris of a plane


I continued towards Cairn Bannoch, a nice top with not very dramatic views but its stony top gave me a chance to have a snack and a short rest.

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Cairn Bannoch


Then it was only a short distance to get to Broad Cairn. There I finally met some people. I must say the view was very nice and I understand why this mountain is also very popular. I spent only a while on the top and set off for Spittal of Glenmuick because I wanted to have enough time to find a nice campsite. :D

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Broad Cairn


I think it took me slightly under 8 hours to walk the White Mounth. I had enough time to travel west (good forecast for the next couple of days) so I jumped into the car and drove to Invergarry where I spent the night in Faichemard farm campsite, really nice place :thumbup: .

Next morning I set off for Isle of Skye. In 2016 we managed to climb 3 Munros there in good conditions (but in April) and I hoped maybe I could do some more :think: . But the weather wasn't as I hoped to be so I decided to do Marsco. I always liked the silhouette of this mountain and always thought what a view must be from there. The top was cloud clear when I started the walk from Sligachan. Soon, few showers came by but by the time I came to the bealach the rain stopped. I climbed the very, very steep part to the ridge and then enjoyed one of the finest ridge walks 8) . Marsco is an extraordinary place. I could see Cuillins and Bla Bheinn (when the cloud cleared for a while) and also surrounding smaller hills and Sligachan. But soon clouds came in and it was time to go back. I said bye bye to the sheep on the grassy ridge and walked back carefully. I got soaked on the way to the car but it was worth it. Marsco was truly a fine experience a mountain with great character.

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Top of Marsco


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Wildlife from Marsco


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Sgurr na Stri


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Bla Bheinn


I spent the night in Glenbrittle campsite as usually :wink: .

Forecast for the next day said no showers so I decided to do a bit of scrambling and try Sgurr a Mhadaidh and Sgurr a Ghreadaidh. The way to An Dorus was quite good, no difficulties. I wanted to do Sgurr a Mhadaidh first because it is the easier one and see how hard it will be. The cloud was covering the tops but I could see Loch Coruisk from An Dorus. So I scrambled to the top of Sgurr a Mhadaidh, a fine experience although the top was not clear :? . I had a snack near the top and waited for the top to clear but it did not :( . So I descended to An Dorus and met a couple of guys who just descended from Sgurr a Ghreadaidh.

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An Dorus


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Sgurr a Mhadaidh top


Now I must say the first part of the scramble is really scary (especially on the way back :lol: ). The scramble to the top of Sgurr a Ghreadaidh is more difficult than on Sgurr a Mhadaidh in my opinion. I soon encountered the Wart, it was majestic and even intimidating in the shroud of mist :wink: . But I soon reached the summit and even there were no views I felt great :) . I descended the same way and then enjoyed well deserved rest in the campsite.

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Sgurr a Ghreadaidh top - almost there


The next day I decided to drive to Torridon and climb Beinn Alligin. I was curious if the weather will oblige this time, to be honest I have never had a nice day in Torridon during my holidays :lol: . So I set off and when I arrived to Torridon, the weather was just the best you can wish. That also meant the car park was already full when I got there, so I had to leave the car little bit further near the road. I started soon after I parked but the hurry took its toll because I forgot to take my camera! :lol: . I realized that I forgot it after 1 km so it was not that bad. It was still ok to go back and grab it.

The walk up Tom na Gruagaich is great, in the last part it feels like a staircase :D . When I got to the top, the weather was just great and I enjoyed beautiful views all around (especially Liathach). I continued towards Sgurr Mor and met a lot of people going in the opossite direction. When I got to the top of Sgurr Mor the weather improved! The views were breathtaking with Baosbheinn to the north, horns and Beinn Dearg to the west. I decided to do the horns and so I descended on the west side of Sgurr Mor and soon the fun began. The horns were not difficult and to do it in these fine conditions was like a reward for the not very good days I experienced in previous years. :thumbup: And Sgurr Mor looked so majestic from the horns! :clap:

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Tom na Gruagaich and me:)


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Sgurr Mor and Baosbheinn


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Baosbheinn


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Horns


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Beinn Alligin


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Waterfall:)


I spent the night in Torridon campsite and next day set off for Ben Wyvis. When I arrived to the parking lot, no cars were there. First part of the walk was easy but when i got to the top of An Cabar the wind had almost swept me from the ridge :lol: . To be honest I have never experienced such strong wind in my life. I was walking towards the top and was leaning in 45 degrees angle :lol: . But soon I got used to it. Ben Wyvis is a fine mountain, pity I did not get many views :? but the experience with the wind has made for it :wink: .

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An Cabar views


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Ben Wyvis top


The funny thing was I met a lot of people on the way back. I told everyone that the wind is very strong but everyone was like, 'aye that's nothing'. :D

I moved to Ullapool and slept in a B&B. I wanted to do Cul Mor next day but the weather was very poor so I just walked the Knockan Crag circle and then drove towards Faichemard campsite once more. Then I enjoyed a bit of rest.

Final day was also poor in weather and I was thinking what to do :think: . I later thought it would be better to try some lower hill and chose Pap of Glencoe. I drove to Glencoe and saw that top was visible, good choice I thought. When I climbed to the top it was still clear and there were beautiful views all around. And I was lucky to see a nice rainbow on the way back to the car.

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Views from the Pap


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Rainbow:)


I flew back to the Czech Republic the same day :crazy: :D . It was a short holiday but very intense and I enjoyed every bit of it :) .

It is interesting how I could easily remember these detailed memories even though I did not take any notes or anything. I guess the pictures help :D . I think I wrote this report to preserve those memories.

To be honest my lifetime dream is to climb all Munros and as many other Scottish hills as possible. I do not know whether I will manage to do it but I will do my best :D . I climbed 10 Munros this holiday so I will make it maybe in 30 years :lol:

I want to thank you for your time and patience in case you made it and read the whole report. I hope the report was not boring. I thought my adventure will be worth sharing and maybe someone will find it interesting. I am always happy to read the reactions of the people who love the hill as much as I do :wink: .

Cheers :D

A short summary:

30.8. White Mounth
31.8. Marsco
1.9. Sgurr a Mhadaidh and Sgurr a Ghreadaidh
2.9. Beinn Alligin
3.9. Ben Wyvis
4.9. Knockan Crag
5.9. Pap of Glencoe

And a short video of the trip :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBJslf3abdM

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MilanBohac


User avatar
Location: Czech Republic
Interests: Mountains, Guitar playing, swimming...
Activity: Munro compleatist
Mountain: Suilven
Place: Isle of Skye

Munros: 25
Corbetts: 4
Fionas: 4
Sub 2000: 2



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Statistics

2017

Trips: 1
Distance: 87 km
Ascent: 5913m
Munros: 10
Fionas: 2

2016

Trips: 1
Munros: 3

2015

Trips: 2
Distance: 99 km
Ascent: 7990m
Munros: 9
Corbetts: 1
Sub2000s: 1

2014

Trips: 3
Distance: 37 km
Ascent: 1344m
Fionas: 2

2013

Trips: 1
Distance: 17 km
Ascent: 1352m
Munros: 1


Joined: Jan 18, 2015
Last visited: Nov 04, 2022
Total posts: 33 | Search posts