On Monday I met up with my old friend Matt Parry who had come up from England for some munro bagging. We had brought the day forwards from Tuesday, as initially the forecast had been poor, but actually both Monday and Tuesday turned out the same, but there you go.
We set off from the Cluanie Hotel at 08:45 after leaving a car at the site of the battle of Glen Shiel, where we planned to descend. We made good time up to the first summit, Matt being fit and raring to go, and we were 45mins ahead of guidebook time at that point. From then on, as anyone who has done the ridge knows, it is a series of descents and re-ascents as you make your way along the 14km length. The views were good to begin with, but we were soon engulfed by the encroaching front, and spent the next 5 munro summits in thick clag and rain. That almost spurred us on, as there was no point dilly-dallying, especially as we were damp, it was only 3c, and therefore cold in the wind too.
As we approached the path which skirts Sgurr Beag to give access to the final munro of Creag nam Daimh, the rain slowed a little, and the clouds parted. This is always good for the spirit, so despite being tired, we made the last ascent in quick time, satisfied with our haul of 7 munros.
There is little to commend the descent Northwards, other than the excellent stalker's path at 400m. Initially the ridge is steep and in the wet conditions, not very pleasant, but that was nothing compared to the horrible path through the plantation. A great route, but a grim walk off! Maybe better to do the extra distance Westwards and come down the coire? I cannot recall, as it was a long time ago when I last did it.
We made the car in 9.5hrs, a good time for such a long route. Needless to say, the first pint went down a treat that evening.
We set off from the Cluanie Hotel at 08:45 after leaving a car at the site of the battle of Glen Shiel, where we planned to descend. We made good time up to the first summit, Matt being fit and raring to go, and we were 45mins ahead of guidebook time at that point. From then on, as anyone who has done the ridge knows, it is a series of descents and re-ascents as you make your way along the 14km length. The views were good to begin with, but we were soon engulfed by the encroaching front, and spent the next 5 munro summits in thick clag and rain. That almost spurred us on, as there was no point dilly-dallying, especially as we were damp, it was only 3c, and therefore cold in the wind too.
As we approached the path which skirts Sgurr Beag to give access to the final munro of Creag nam Daimh, the rain slowed a little, and the clouds parted. This is always good for the spirit, so despite being tired, we made the last ascent in quick time, satisfied with our haul of 7 munros.
There is little to commend the descent Northwards, other than the excellent stalker's path at 400m. Initially the ridge is steep and in the wet conditions, not very pleasant, but that was nothing compared to the horrible path through the plantation. A great route, but a grim walk off! Maybe better to do the extra distance Westwards and come down the coire? I cannot recall, as it was a long time ago when I last did it.
We made the car in 9.5hrs, a good time for such a long route. Needless to say, the first pint went down a treat that evening.
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