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Section 17 - The Island Mountains of Scotland
Section 17 - This section refers to the hills and mountains of the Scottish Islands, including Arran, Jura, Mull, Outer Hebrides, Rum and Skye. They cover the Corbetts, Grahams and Munros that I have climbed in this area since 2003.
Index to Walks in this SectionRum Cuillin26 – 28 May 2008
Several discussions had taken place during 2007 and 2008 as to the best day to travel to Rum to tackle the Cuillin Ridge. The first requirement was for fine weather because on my previous visit the cloud base was down almost to sea level and I never saw anything. The second requirement was that it had to fit into Janice's work and her other commitments. The third was that we could only travel to Rum and back when the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry sailed there and that was only on four days a week. Despite several plans none ever came to fruition. Finally all three requirements were met and on the morning of Monday 26 May 2008, we set sail from Mallaig via Eigg on the MV Loch Nevis It was a pleasant sunny and relative calm crossing and we berthed in Loch Scresort on Rum two and a half hours after leaving Mallaig. From the pier we walked to Kinloch Castle for a quick look at the exterior of the building. There were lots of people lying outside on the grass in the glorious sunny weather. We retraced our steps for a few metres and followed the marked path that headed up the side of the Allt Slugain a’Choilich towards Coire Dubh. As height was gained we had views back to Kinloch and across to the Skye Cuillin. . The path was relatively dry but would be a bit boggy in wet conditions. On reaching Coire Dubh we topped up with water as there wasn’t much flowing down the Allt Slugain a’Choilich and I wasn’t expecting to find any on the ridge. It was then onto the rather breezy Bealach Bairc-mheall before ascending Hallival. Initially there was no problem but higher up it steepened and some easy scrambling was required. From the summit of Hallival we had views of the rest of the ridge and across the sea to Eigg, Muck and the mainland. A steep descent followed working our way down and round some rocks before easier grassy terrain was reached. The ascent of Askival looked rather intimidating as it was steep, narrow and rocky. Initially we had no problems but on reaching what is known as the Askival Pinnacles we followed the path to the east. However it was rather narrow in places and at times consisted of scree and the route did not always appear obvious. We bypassed the Pinnacles and scrambled up through several rocky areas before eventually coming back onto the ridge and a final short climb to the summit trig point where we had some further fantastic views. The descent from Askival was also rather tricky and steep but with care we eventually reached the Bealach an Oir. Time was getting on and our pace had been rather slow due to the terrain. I had already pinpointed the Bealach an Oir as a possible overnight camp spot and was pleased to find a trickle of water nearby. We set up camp just below the bealach trying to get out of the rather strong wind but with little success but at least there would be no midges. We cooked our evening meal watching a few deer down in Glen Dibidil. Afterwards it was decided to tackle the Graham Trollaval rather than leaving it till the morning and with a full pack. The east ridge of Trollaval was gained and climbed. It was rather blustery so some care was needed especially nearer the rocky twin summit. However the effort was well worth while as the sun was still out and we had great views all round. While seated in a sheltered area of the summit we heard the noise of stones falling and spotted some goats below. We sat there for some time taking it the peace, tranquillity and fantastic views before finally calling it a day and returning back to the first summit before descending steeply to the Bealach an Fhuarain. The descent involved scree and avoiding lots of rocks. From the Bealach an Fhurain we traversed below Trollaval to our campsite at the Bealach an Oir. It was now time to retire for the night and from my open tent I had grand views over the sea to Eigg and Ardnamurchan with its lighthouse in operation. In the morning it was still a bit windy but from the opposite direction. Once breakfast was over we packed up and retraced our steps to Bealach an Fhurain. Ainshval’s south ridge looked as if it would be a bit of a problem to ascend but as height was gained a path bypassed the actual ridge to the east and the ascent was relatively easy compared to the rest of the Cuillin traverse, although buffeting wind was a problem. From the summit of Ainshval we once again had some fantastic and sunny views and saw the MV Loch Nevis sail into port on the Island of Muck. The route off Ainshval was down a grassy ridge before a rocky ascent to the 759 Point and then more grass out to Sgurr nan Gillean where we sat for a while taking in some more great views especially to the south and towards the house and Mausoleum at Harris. We left Sgurr nan Gillean, descended grassy slopes, before reaching more wild and rough terrain as we headed towards Harris. At Harris we saw goats, some resting on rocks on the shore, cattle, deer and ponies. In the sun and sheltered from the wind we had a late lunch before visiting the Mausoleum where members of the family Bulloch were buried. The adjoining house was vacant and the third property was in a dilapidated state and was used as a store. The rough track out of Harris was followed to its highest point, around 250 metres, before a gradual descent. Before the junction of the path to Kilmory we found a suitable camping area. After setting up camp and eating our evening meal we took the track to Kilmory on the north side of the Island where part of the Autumn Watch on BBC was filmed involving rutting stags. No sign of the stags but lots of hinds, with collars fitted, feeding around the house and hut at Kilmory. There were views from above the cliffs across the sea to the Skye Cuillin and part of the Island of Canna. We wished we had camped in this area but it was too far to return and collect our tents. As we headed back to our campsite the sky turned pink which meant more disappointment that we weren’t back on the north coast. The third day was bright but cloud was building up and we walked back the few miles to Kinloch. Janice actually left early as she had an appointment on the ferry and a trip to Canna arranged. I took a leisurely stroll back to Kinloch and looked at the Castle. Unfortunately light rain arrived and so did the midges in their thousands. They were early this year, the fine weather must be ideal for breeding. I visited the otter hide on the south side of Loch Scresort but didn’t spot any otters. I also walked to the ruins of the blackhouses at Port na Caraneon. Mid afternoon I caught the ferry back to Mallaig and the end of a very interesting but challenging few days on the Island of Rum with some fantastic weather.
previous ascent of Ainshval and Askival
Sgurr na Coinnich and Beinn na Caillich22 May 2008
My final two Grahams on Skye were located north of the unclassified road that runs from the A87 Kyle of Lochalsh to Broadford Road across Glen Arroch to Kylerhea, where the summer vehicle ferry crosses Kyle Rhea to the mainland near Glenelg. The Bealach Udal, the highest point on this road, was the starting point for this walk. Immediately west of the access road to a radio mast there was a parking space for a single vehicle and fortunately for me it was empty. From this parking area I crossed the road and commenced the climb of Sgurr na Coinnich. Initially it was across some rough ground, which would have been very boggy if it wasn’t for the recent dry spell, followed by some deep heather. Thereafter underfoot conditions improved as I followed grassy rakes to a small lochan and the summit of Sgurr na Coinnich. A trig point and cairn marked the summit and I had views down to the Skye Bridge, Kyleatkin and Kyle of Lochalsh. Unfortunately the haze prevented me getting any reasonable views of the Skye and Kintail mountains. I descended to the Bealach nam Mulachag before the ascent of Beinn na Caillich. The terrain on this hill was rather different with scree, crags and some grassy and heather vegetation. However the ascent was easier than it looked from Sgurr na Coinnich and I was soon at the summit cairn where I took a break. From this summit I had similar views as described above but this time it included Kyle Rhea where a military ship was headed south and the ferry had set off for the mainland. A couple of ptarmigan were flying around the summit and there was an odd stone there with some letters roughly inscribed thereon but I don't know its significance, if any. The return was by the ascent route although I didn’t go all the way back to the summit of Sgurr na Coinnich but traversed round the east side at around 680 metres before heading back to the Bealach Udal.
Beinn Dearg Mhor and Beinn na Callich21 May 2008
It was a warm and sunny morning when I drove south on the A87 Sligachan to Broadford Road as far as the hamlet of Strollamus. The start of the walk was to be the track south-east of the Allt Strollamus but various Health and Safety warning signs restricted access. I therefore parked in the lay-by immediately south-east of the bridge over the Allt Strollamus. I climbed over a locked gate on the opposite side of the road, followed the Allt Strollamus to the vehicle track already mentioned, crossed it and walked up the path towards An Slugan. Here pipes for water had been laid probably a few years ago as the vegetation had already started to grow again. On reaching the Allt na Teangaidh I followed this stream to a small water inlet which was obviously the starting point for the underground pipes. Once beyond the water inlet the going became a bit tougher due to deep heather but I tried to follow animal tracks, some of which were churned up by cattle. I followed this stream to the waterfall, which was a poor specimen due to the dry spell of weather that the west coast of Scotland had experienced for several weeks. I later left this stream and climbed a grassy gully disturbing three deer feeding there. At the top of the gully it was rather rocky but could be avoided or crossed with an easy scramble. As height was gained there were good views over to the mainland, the Skye Bridge and Lochs Carron and Alsh. There was now a welcome breeze which helped to cool me down a bit. The going was a lot easier now, mainly on grass with lots of stones strewn around. The summit cairn of Beinn Dearg Mhor was reached where I sat looking across to the Red and Black Cuillin, Rum, Eigg and Canna, although it was a bit hazy to the west. While there several jets could be seen high in the sky heading towards the Atlantic although a couple were also going in the opposite direction. That part of Skye is obviously on the flight path but there was no noise just the white jet stream. After an extended break I left the summit and descended to the bealach with Beinn na Caillich following a walker’s path. However I was soon climbing again although there were more stones to contend with as I walked, firstly to the trig point of Beinn an Caillich, then to a large mass of boulders representing the highest point. From here I looked down into Broadford and out over the Sleat peninsula. In addition to the Skye Bridge and Lochs Carron and Alsh there were the mountains of Kintail, Applecross and Torridon to see and closer the Grahams above Kyle Rhea. I left the summit of Beinn na Caillich and descended the north-west ridge, which consisted of a mixture of grass, rocks and scree but there were no problems in the descent. I heard voices and saw three figures ascending the north-east ridge of Beinn na Caillich, the only people I saw all day on these hills. I also saw an Eagle just below me but it quickly flew off round behind Cragan Dubh. Four deer spotted me and ran off. As I lost height the terrain became more heathery and lower down it was fairly long which was a bit of a nuisance until I reached the water inlet passed on the upward route. The rest of the descent was following the route used earlier that day.
Sgurr Dearg (Inaccessible Pinnacle) and Sgurr Mhic Choinnich20 May 2008
I had tried last year to get up the Inaccessible Pinnacle but bad weather prevented this so I made contact with George Yeomans of Guiding on Skye again and he allowed me to join his SYHA Skye Munro Group who were based at Glen Brittle Youth Hostel. The start of this walk was Glen Brittle Hut near the foot of Glen Brittle where I met George and his SYHA clients. We set off up the path on the south side of the Allt Coire na Banachdich, passed the Eas Mor waterfall and then the path up the west ridge of Sgurr Dearg. Higher up the path became more rocky as was expected on the Cuillin. Eventually we reached the summit of Sgurr Dearg with views of the Cuillin ridge, north and south. Although sunny there was a cool breeze. We prepared for the climb by fitting harnesses and were split into two groups. I was in the first group and we descended down pebbled covered rock to the bottom of the Inaccessible Pinnacle. We were roped up and I was teamed with Dave while Jonathan was on his own. George climbed to the midway point and set up the belay before Dave started the climb followed by myself. As I had climbed this route before I didn’t find it too difficult and was aware of the section where we had to step out. Once we reached George we were tied in while Jonathan was taken up to the midway point. The same procedure was followed to reach the summit of the Inaccessible Pinnacle. Dave then abseiled off, followed by myself and Jonathan and we returned to Sgurr Dearg while Paul, Alan and Nicola got their chance to climb the In Pin. Afterwards we descended below the In Pin again and continued down more pebbled covered rock avoiding some larger loose boulders to An Stac before leaving our rucksacks. We then commenced the climb of Sgurr Mhic Choinnich. High cloud obliterated any sun and it was a bit chilly at times as George led us to the summit cairn where a few more photos were taken. The return was back by the ascent route to collect our rucksacks before the descent of the An Stac screes to Loch Coir Lagan where we took another break. Thereafter we followed the path down Coire Lagan and across to Glen Brittle and the end of a successful day and a fourth ascent of the In Pin for me. Dave had four more Munros to climb, hopefully bagging his final three Munros the next day before finishing his Munros on Ben More on Mull.
Am Basteir10 September 2007
I still had two mountains to climb on Skye for another completion of the Munros on the Island and due to bad weather I was unable to climb them the previous week so this was a day visit to the Island to try and summit Am Basteir. I set off from the car park at the Sligachan Hotel on the main road north from the mainland to Portree. I walked along the path that crossed the Allt Dearg Mor and Allt Dearg Beag by footbridges. This is the path used to access the ‘tourist route’ to Sgurr nan Gillean. Higher up the path spit, one being the 'tourist route' and the other led to Sgurr nan Gillean’s Pinnacle Ridge. I followed the Pinnacle Ridge route and met a father and son who were intending climbing the Ridge. The father had last climbed this route forty years ago. At the foot of the Pinnacle Ridge and above the Bhasteir Gorge I cut across to Coire a’Bhasteir following traces of a path. Once in the Coire a scree path led to Bealach a'Basteir where it was rather cool and windy. The next section of this walk needed my full concentration to avoid where possible any basalt rock and to select the ideal route. Initially this was relatively easy but then the ridge became a bit narrower. I was aware there was a couple in front of me with a collie dog. On approaching the gap in the ridge I could hear the couple who were obviously using a rope to cross this obstacle. The friendly collie dog approached me which was a bit off putting as it was at head height and obviously wanted some attention. At this point I descended to the south over some loose stones, which were a bit of a concern, and down a couple of ledges to a stone filled gully. I climbed this gully and rejoined the route to Am Basteir. It was then only a short walk to the summit cairn with a wee scramble near the summit. Here I met the couple I saw earlier. One guy was from Dundee and was on his penultimate Munro and the other chap, who owned the collie dog, was his guide. The summit was cloud covered despite the fact that it had occasionally lifted clear of the summit as I ascended the mountain. I sat and ate my lunch at the summit cairn and the cloud tried to lift and gave me glimpses of the Bhasteir Tooth, Sgurr a’Fionn Choire and Sgurr nan Gillean. I later left the summit and returned to the bealach by the ascent route. I found the descent harder because the gully had lots of loose stones. I eventually reached the bealach and had views into Lota Corrie, Loch Scavaig and the Southern Cuillin Ridge. I then followed the route I had taken in the morning back to the Sligachan Hotel after a successful although tough day.
Sgurr nan Eag, Sgurr Dubh Mor and Sgurr Alasdair6 September 2007
I was again allowed to join a group of walkers led by George Yeomans of Guiding on Skye to climb these mountains. We met at the Youth Hostel in Glen Brittle, where the group were staying, and drove to the end of the public road to a car park beside Glen Brittle Camp Site. We walked through the camp site and headed up the path leading to Coir' a’Ghrunnda but once again we were soon into the low cloud with limited visibility. The path followed a route to the west of Sron na Ciche before heading into the Coire where large boulders had to be crossed. The boulders were very wet with small streams appearing due to the damp conditions. The route led to Loch Coir' a’Ghrunnda where we took a short break before climbing onto the ridge north of Sgurr nan Eag. Here it was windy with frequent periods of rain. We thereafter walked up the north ridge of Sgurr nan Eag to its summit cairn but it was wet and windy with no views so there was no point in lingering there so we headed back down Sgurr nan Eag’s north ridge. George then took us on what he called a bypass route to below the summit of Sgurr Dubh Mor which we then climbed before heading along its west ridge over Sgurr Dubh na Da Bheinn. From here we cut across to the south side of Sgurr Alasdair where we had to rope up before climbing to the summit cairn of Sgurr Alasdair, the highest mountain on Skye. While at the summit we heard shouts and later some whistling somewhere to the west of Sgurr Alasdair. George responded and shouted that he would be over shortly. He then made contact with a fellow mountain rescue team member to notify him of the situation. He saw us off the summit of Sgurr Alasdair which was horrendously slippy as it mainly consisted of wet basalt. George gave me instructions as to the route to take as I had been on Sgurr Alasdair before but not in such poor weather conditions. We descended the Great Stone Chute which was hard work for some and others enjoyed the experience. This descent took around 50 minutes and thereafter we headed over to the stream that fed Loch Coire Lagan and followed it to the Loch. We walked round the north side of the Loch and followed its outflow still on the north side over some large boulders and into Coire Lagan. Lower down the cloud started to lift and we could start to see the route ahead as well as Loch Brittle and the Island of Canna. Further down we met George who had found the couple responsible for the distress signal. Fortunately they had just been lost and had heard our voices and decided to shout for assistance. George had led them off the mountain by a more difficult route. We eventually reached the Glen Brittle Camp Site and the end of an interesting and challenging day. previous ascent of Sgurr Alasdair
Sgurr na Banachdich5 September 2007
I had been given some advice from George Yeomans of Guiding on Skye to climb this mountain from opposite the Youth Hostel in Glen Brittle and up into Coir' an Eich rather than using Coire na Banachdich. George is a member of the local mountain rescue team and told me that lots of accidents occur on the Coir na Banachdich route. I therefore set off up the path on the south side of the Allt a’Choire Ghreadaidh. The weather was poor with rain and low cloud down to around 120 metres. The streams were in spate due to the amount of recent rainfall so the waterfalls were impressive. On reaching the Allt Coir' an Eich I followed this stream up into Coir' an Eich. There were traces of a path but higher up there were various paths, some of which may have been animal trails. Due to the thick cloud I could not see where they led so I stuck to what appeared to be the main stream. It led almost onto the ridge where I had been instructed to turn right and then left. The ridge was fairly wide at this point with lots of loose rocks but the walking was relatively easy. I followed it to the point where I had to turn left but this ascent was also fairly easy until the final section where it was windy and the rock was basalt, wet and very slippery. It required a bit of care to reach the summit cairn. I then about turned and headed back down the ridge using the upward route but on descending into Coir' an Eich I was able to follow some of the paths. The cloud base hadn’t lifted and I encountered another heavy shower as I reached my car in Glen Brittle.
Sgurr a’Mhadaidh and Sgurr a’Ghreadaidh4 September 2007
I needed to visit Skye to climb a few of the Cuillin Munros again, and as I had a few days spare before my next booking I decided that this was the opportunity I needed to bag them. However the weather forecast wasn’t good and without reasonable visibility I would find it very difficult to navigate my way along the ridge. I therefore contacted George Yeomans of Guiding on Skye and he agreed to allow me to join his five clients. They had had a successful day the previous day on Sgurr Mhic Choinnich, The Inaccessible Pinnacle and Sgurr na Banachdich in the sun. We met at the Glen Brittle Youth Hostel where his clients were staying. The weather wasn’t very promising with some light rain, low cloud and a bit of a breeze. From the hostel we walked up the side of the Allt Choire a'Ghreadaidh into Coire a’Ghreadaidh where occasionally we could see the outline of the ridge as the cloud base lifted. It was then into Coire an Dorus with the instruction from George “basalt bad gabbro good”. This was in relation to the main rock formations of the Cuillin but with the wet conditions the basalt was very slippery hence the warning about the rock. The scree was eventually reached and we climbed to just below the An Dorus Gap where we put on helmets and left our packs. George then led us up onto Sgurr a’Mhadaidh, avoiding the Gap, where a few stones marked the summit. It was raining and windy with no visibility worth mentioning so it was about turn and back to the packs. We then climbed to the An Dorus Gap and with a few awkward steps onto Sgurr a’Ghreadaidh’s south ridge. Extreme care was required on this ascent due to a lot of basalt making things that bit more awkward. However at all the problem spots George was there to assist and guide us to the summit cairn. The conditions here were similar to the previous Munro so after a few minutes we headed back down the ridge to the An Dorus Gap. On the final drop into the Gorge George roped us down before we descended the scree to a grassy area for lunch. After lunch in the rain we returned to the Youth Hostel rather wet but with two more Munros under our belts.
Ben Aslak18 June 2007
I was due to return home but it was a pleasant morning on Skye so I decided on a quick jaunt up a hill before the long drive home. I decided on the Graham, Ben Aslak. Access to this mountain was from the Bealach Udal on the road to Kylerhea, where there is a summer only ferry across to the mainland at Glenelg. There was a single parking space just west of the access road to a radio mast. I walked the short distance to the radio mast and then over heather and some boggy ground, which was relatively dry, to the bealach south-east of Beinn Bheag. From here it was an easy climb, avoiding some rocks, to the summit of Ben Aslak. There were good views of the Cuillin Ridge, Rum and down the Sound of Sleat. I also had views across to Knoydart and Kintail but the mountain tops on the mainland were cloud covered. The view to Kylerhea and Glenelg were obstructed by the east top of Ben Aslak so I wandered across to this cairn. As well as Glenelg and Kylerhea I had views through the narrows of Kyle Rhea to Loch Alsh. The return was by the ascent route but it had been an enjoyable short walk with good views and maybe worth another visit sometime.
Garbh-bheinn17 June 2007
It was a rather cloudy morning when we drove from our accommodation at Skywalkers Independent Hostel in Portnalong along the A850 Portree to Broadford Road as far as the Allt Coire nam Bruadaran. On the east side of the road just north of the bridge over this river there was a lay-by which is often busy during the holiday season with tourists visiting the Eas a'Bhradain. We set off up the south-east side of the Allt Coire nam Bruadaran passed the waterfall and across some boggy and heathery ground disturbing some ground nesting birds. Once again the boggy sections weren’t too difficult to traverse after a relative dry spell of weather in the area. Eventually we reached the Druim Eadar Da Choire ridge where there were traces of a path. The ridge rose to a grassy knoll where we had views of the cloud covered Cuillin ridge. A drop of around 60 metres to a bealach followed and two hinds we had spotted earlier there had disappeared from view. The cloud was a bit variable sometimes lifting clear of our intended target and then returning so we were hopeful that we would get some views when we reached the summit. A steady climb of around 370 metres commenced up over rock and scree until the summit was within view. However there were still three narrow sections, with steep drops on either side, to traverse before the summit cairn of Garbh-bheinn was reached. It was time for lunch so we sat on the summit ridge with views down to Loch na Creitheach and Loch Scavaig and out to the Islands of Rum and Soay. The cloud began to clear and we saw climbers on the summit of Clach Ghlas and walkers on Bla Bheinn. It was with some reluctance that we had to leave this summit but a few midges were being a nuisance. The descent was down the north-east ridge of Garbh-bheinn, fairly steep at first, then over some scree. We came across a small but very mossy knoll and a large area of saxifrage. Bealach na Beiste was reached where we spoke to two walkers, from my home area of Aberdeenshire, going in the opposite direction. From the bealach we descended north, crossed the Abhainn Ceann Loch Ainort and cut across boggy and heathery ground to the start of the walk on the A850.
Glamaig16 June 2007
We had returned to Skye after several days on the Outer Hebrides and after settling into our bunkhouse accommodation at Portnalong my client decided that she wanted to climb one of the Skye Corbetts as the weather was fairly settled and it was only mid afternoon. She was also anxious to head off home early on the Monday so I brought the walk forward a day as the other client, who originally requested these walks in Skye, had cancelled. The start of the walk was the A87 Broadford to Portree Road immediately east of the River Sligachan where there was limited parking. Alternative parking was available at the nearby Sligachan Hotel. We set off across some rough and boggy ground, which fortunately wasn’t too wet due to the recent dry spell experienced on Skye. Once at the foot of Glamaig it was a steady slog up grass and scree. There was no relenting in this climb until the summit cairn was reached. Here we had views of Broadford, Portree, Isle of Raasay and to the Outer Hebrides. Although it took us under two hours to ascend Sgurr Mhairi, the highest point on Glamaig, there was insufficient time to explore this mountain further. There was a cold wind at the summit so we didn’t linger and returned to the car by the ascent route down sections of scree.
Outer Hebrides11 – 16 June 2007
Day One We caught the afternoon Caledonian MacBrayne ferry from Uig on Skye to Tarbert on Harris. It was sunny with a light wind so we sat on the outer deck at the stern of the vessel with views of the west side of Skye as we crossed The Minch. The crossing took just over one and a half hours. Day Two
Clisham is the only Corbett in the Outer Hebrides and this was my client’s reason for travelling to Harris as she was trying to climb all these mountains. The starting point was the A859 Tarbert to Stornoway Road at the bridge over the Abhainn Mharaig where there was parking for a few vehicles on the west side of the road. We set off in rain and wind up the side of the stream but the rain soon ceased. We climbed onto the south ridge of Clisham and into low cloud. We heard the alarm call of the golden plover which was to be a common occurrence over the next few days and had a sighting of the bird through the cloud. On a couple of occasions the cloud briefly broke and we had views of Taransay, Loch a Siar and West Loch Tarbert. The ridge was initially grassy but higher up it became more rocky and narrowed. The summit trig point and walled cairn was very obvious as it almost blocked the ridge. We sheltered inside the walled cairned for a coffee break before returning to the start by the ascent route. Day Three
I had the opportunity to travel to South Uist to climb the only Graham on the Island, Beinn Mhor. I caught the early morning ferry from Leverburgh to Berneray and thereafter headed south to Loch Aineort. From here I followed the North Aineort Road to its end where there is some limited parking at a turning area. A signpost marked the start of a footpath, which had recently been improved, through a small forest and along the north shore of Loch Aineort. It was sunny with lots of bird noises coming from the sea loch. Further along the path a bridge and style were crossed and it was at this point that the condition of the path deteriorated. However due to a dry spell in the Outer Hebrides the boggy path wasn't a problem. Further along I rounded an inlet where a group of canoeists were camped. The strong north to north-easterly wind was probably preventing them from heading back out to The Minch. Beyond this inlet I crossed a wide open area of rough and potentially boggy ground before a steep climb to Bealach Crosgard on the south ridge of Beinn Mhor. Here I alarmed several golden plovers who continued to follow me up the ridge. It was very windy and cold on the ridge but the views made up for any inconvenience. To the south was the Lochboisdale area, Eriskay and beyond that Barra. To the east was the Island of Skye including the distinct Cuillin, and across the Sea of The Hebrides to the Islands of Canna and Rum. To the west was the very flat ground of the machair and beyond that the Atlantic Ocean. It was a steady climb to the summit trig point which was surrounded by a walled cairn. From here the waves could be seen crashing onto the rocky east coast. I now had views to the north of Beinn Corradail and Hecla which I would have liked to include but I had the ferry back to Harris to catch. The descent was by the upward route and lower down once out of the cold wind it was a very pleasant walk out in the sun. Day Four
This was to be the longest day of the week’s trip to the Outer Hebrides, the ascent of the Grahams Tirga Mor and Oreval. Despite Janice only being on Harris to climb the Corbett Clisham she decided to join me on this Graham outing, probably because of the fine weather. I doubt if she would have bothered if it had been wet and windy. We drove along the A859, the main road north out of Tarbert before taking the B887 which ends at the beach at Hushnish. This is a single track, winding road and I found a parking space just west of Lochan Beag and east of Amhuinnsuidhe Castle, this accommodation being a wee bit above my standard of living. From here we set off up the track to the dam at Loch Chliostair. It was a sunny but windy day and en-route we saw a hare dart across the track and disappear under a large boulder. On reaching the dam we crossed to its west side and commenced the ascent of the south east ridge of Tirga Mor which varied from grass to rock and was reasonably steep in sections. On the ascent we frequently looked back across West Loch Tarbert, Loch a Siar and the Sound of Taransay to the white sands of the beaches of West Harris. The mossy summit trig point, which was surrounded by a walled cairn, was eventually reached and here the views must be one of my Top Five views from any summit in Scotland. In addition to the beaches further south, we had views to North Uist and my previous day’s mountain, Beinn Mhor. To the west was the Atlantic Ocean and St Kilda, to the north was the vast Isle of Lewis and to the east Oreval and Clisham and across the water to the Isle of Skye. It was a difficult decision to leave this summit, despite the cold wind, but eventually we did and descended to the north end of Loch Aiseabhat. On the descent we could see part of the overhanging cliff of Sron Uladal. A sheep covered a large distance around us in search for her lamb but we never saw it. From the loch we climbed towards Ulabhal and spotted a lone deer and disturbed more golden plover. On reaching this summit we spoke briefly to a lone walker. The walk continued along the ridge towards Oreval meeting another two pairs of walkers going in the opposite direction. The summit of Oreval had two cairns but it didn’t matter where we stopped as the views again were awesome. The descent was over Bidigidh to Cleiseabhal where there was a trig point and down some rocky ground to the road opposite Loch nan Caor. From there it was only a kilometre along the road to where we had left the car. Day Five
There was still a single Graham to be climbed on Harris accessed from the same road as the previous day’s walk but this time only as far as the sea loch, Loch Mhiabhaig. Once again parking was limited on this single track road. From the head of this loch we climbed over rough ground to Uisgnaval Mor’s south-west ridge where we came across a Golden Plover’s nest containing four eggs. Three deer higher up the hill soon disappeared from view. We disturbed more Golden Plovers as we ascended Uisgnaval Mor’s south-west ridge in the sun and strong wind. The ascent was mainly on grass with the occasional rocky area with the final section along a slight gradient to the cairn perched at the edge of a crag. The views were good, although not as fabulous as day three as it was a bit hazy and we couldn’t see St Kilda. The return was by the ascent route. Day Six After a mainly sunny week, except for day two, it was time to return to Skye. It was a bit cloudy as we left Tarbert on the late morning ferry which arrived in the Uig early afternoon. Note Names on the current edition of the Ordnance Survey Maps for the Outer Hebrides are in Gaelic which will be different from previous editions. I have retained the English names for the Corbetts and Grahams to avoid any confusion with reference books.
Bruach na Frithe9 September 2006
This was the second day of guiding staff and clients from a large Edinburgh firm of solicitors. The previous day we had been on The Saddle via the Forcan Ridge. Initially the plan for the second day was to climb 'The Brothers' in Kintail but I was asked if I would consider going to the Cuillin on Skye instead. Climbing is not within the scope of my business but as Bruach na Frithe is one of the easiest of the Cuillin Munros I agreed to take them there. We set off from the Sligachan Hotel and walked a short distance along the main road towards Dunvegan before taking the track to Alltdearg House and the path up the side of the Allt Dearg Mor. This path, which heads for Glen Brittle, was subsequently left and we headed into the Fionn Choire which was very rocky and the path intermittent. It was now fairly windy and on reaching the Bealach na Lice a few of my clients scrambled over Sgurr a' Fionn Choire while the rest of us followed the rocky path on its north side and headed for the summit of Bruach na Frithe. The views from this summit were a bit disappointing as the Munros to the south were cloud covered. However the tops of Am Basteir and Sgurr nan Gillean were clear so at least those that hadn't been up on the Cuillin Ridge before got an idea what the terrain was like. A sheltered spot was found at the summit for lunch with hazy views towards Portree before we returned to the Bealach na Lice. Here we descended a scree path on the north side of Am Basteir into Coire a'Bhastier and down the west side of the Bhastier Gorge where we crossed large rocks before reaching the grassy terrain. It was now very windy and we were fortunate to be off the ridge. The final section of this walk was along the path on the north-west side of the Allt Dearg Beag and back to our starting point at the Sligachan Hotel.
Jura Jaunt30 April 2005The previous day was spent making the long journey from my home in the north-east of Scotland by car, two ferries and bus to Craighouse, the main area of habitation, on the Island of Jura, which has a population of only 200. En route I uplifted my weekend walking companions. Phil, the organiser of the weekend, had made the transport arrangements and booked a cottage in Craighouse. The weather forecast, especially for the Saturday, wasn't looking very great with rain forecast during Saturday morning. However we were hoping that the weather front might arrive later than predicted so we could at least get a dry morning with some views. We were up early on the Saturday. It was fairly bright with some high cloud and we were transported from Craighouse to the start of the walk by a mini-bus organised by Phil, who wanted to take in all four tops. We commenced the traverse over the four Paps of Jura at a path on the A846 just over one mile north of the Corran River. I don't know who decides on a road classification but the only road on the Island of Jura, which is single track, is definitely not an 'A' class road. The tops of all four Paps were shrouded in cloud as we followed a wet and boggy path, which at times disappeared. The terrain was very difficult with ankle deep hollows hidden by dead grass. Some of these holes were filled with water. Progress was slow and we had split up trying to find the path or trying to take what appeared to be the easiest route across the hillside. No wonder the lone deer had to walk away from us instead of running, it was impossible to make speedy progress across this ground. The path was later picked up again once we reached an old fence and the obvious gap for the gate. The path was followed for a short distance before we commenced the climb to the first pap of the day Corra Bheinn. Although only at a height of 573 metres most walkers avoid this one and only climb the three higher Paps. The climb to the summit of Corra Bheinn took longer than expected but at least the cloud was clearing from the summits. It was fairly rocky in places and required some diversions to avoid these outcrops. Once on the summit we returned by our ascent route for a short distance as we had spotted a grassy rake that would take us down to the group of lochans at the Corra Bheinn - Beinn Shiantaidh bealach. This was an easy descent route and once beyond the lochans we stopped for our first break of the day. The next section was a climb up some scree and onto the summit ridge and finally an easy walk to the summit cairn of Beinn Shiantaidh. The peace and tranquillity of this quiet, beautiful and remote Island was broken when we arrived here. There were over twenty walkers seated around the summit, the majority of whom were members of a Rambler Group. We were fortunate that we had taken the more unused route to this mountain top. We didn't stay long on the summit and headed off down the west ridge of Beinn Shiantaidh pursued by the Ramblers. On reaching the wide bealach we crossed over to the south side of Beinn an Oir where we picked up a path which headed up Beinn an Oir. Higher up the path turned to the north and followed a grassy rake before a steeper climb onto the north ridge. Here there are two old enclosures used many years ago by the Ordnance Survey. It was then an easy climb to the summit trig point of Beinn an Oir, our third summit of the day. From the summit of Beinn an Oir we had views of the mountains of Arran, Mull and Arrochar Alps, as well as the Island of Islay and the countryside around Jura. Several photographs were taken before we had our lunch. Fortunately we were almost finished lunch before the first group of Ramblers arrived on the summit and we left them to enjoy the views. We descended the rocky south ridge of Beinn an Oir and the long drop to the bealach. From here we picked a direct route to the summit of the fourth and final Pap. It was a fairly steep climb but traces of a path slightly to the south avoided most of the scree before we reached the final climb to the summit of Beinn a'Chaolais where once again we had good views. The cloud was getting a bit thicker but we had been very lucky to summit all four Paps of Jura while they were clear of cloud. The descent was down the south-east side of Beinn a'Chaolais were we met some of the Ramblers taking the easier ascent route. The other half had obviously given up. On reaching the Beinn a'Chaolais - Beinn Mhearsamail bealach we climbed to the summit of the small knoll Beinn Mhearsamail. We then navigated our way across country to the south side of the Jura Forest disturbing large herds of red deer en-route. The descent route was wet in places but it was far easier than the so called path we took at the start of the day. On reaching the forest we followed a track to the road. This was followed for two and half kilometres back to our cottage in Craighouse. During the last mile or so it started to rain but we didn't worry as we had been very lucky weather and scenery wise. It had been an enjoyable day's walking that took us just over ten hours to ascend all four Paps of Jura. However to put this into perspective the annual Paps of Jura hill race which takes in all four Paps, takes around three hours for the fastest runners. The rest of the weekend was used for relaxation. I went for a long run, others for a walk around Craighouse, and on the Monday morning one of the party went for a visit to the Isle of Jura distillery where they make malt whisky. However both Sunday and Monday saw the Paps of Jura covered in cloud so we really had been fortunate that the weather front was late in coming north on the Saturday and that we had had a very enjoyable weekend in a very quiet and peaceful location in Scotland.
Red Cuillin19 December 2004I was en-route back from a trip to the Outer Hebrides and stopped overnight at the Skyewalker Hostel at Portnalong on the Island of Skye. I was once again the sole occupant of the Hostel, which was very warm and comfortable compared to the cold of the Hostel on Harris. The following morning it was very cold and frosty as I drove from Portnalong to Sligachan where it was -6 degrees centigrade. It was turning daylight as I set off up Glen Sligachan where the path was covered in ice. A short distance up this Glen I struck out across rough ground and climbed onto the Druim na Ruaige. The snow level was around 200 metres so it wasn't long before I reached it. As I did so the sun was shining pink on the snow clad summit of Sgurr nan Gillean. As I headed further up this ridge the summit of Glamaig also turned pink before changing to natural sunlight. I was on the wrong side of the hill to catch the early morning sun and it was still very cold as I climbed steeply up this ridge. Once higher up it became an easy walk taking in the views of Sgurr nan Gillean, Garbh-bheinn and Clach Glas. Higher up the wind picked up and the wind chill made it feel a lot colder. Once I had walked the length of the ridge I climbed to the summit of Beinn Dearg Mheadhonach and into the sunlight. However it wasn't any warmer in the sun and spindrift was blowing about. From this vantage point and the next section of my walk I had great views of the snow clad mainland mountains stretching from Knoydart in the south to beyond Ullapool in the north. There were too many mountain tops visible to name them all. On looking west I had views of the hills of the Outer Hebrides which were also covered in snow and I tried to pick out Clisham which I had climbed a couple of days earlier. I descended to the Bealach Mosgaraidh and climbed to the summit cairn of Beinn Dearg Mhor. Once again I stopped to take in the views for miles around. The descent to the Bealach na Sgairde and into Coire Sgairde was rather awkward in scree and soft snow but with a bit of patience and care I reached the Coire and followed the Allt Daraich back to the start. Here another couple of cars had arrived since my departure earlier in the day, but once again I never met or saw anyone on the hills in such an awesome day for hillwalking.
Penultimate Corbett17 December 2004I had worked my way through the list of Corbetts but had never managed to travel to the Outer Hebrides for its single Corbett on the Island of Harris. I shouldn't have left it so long nor should I have waited until the winter as ferries and busses operate on reduced timetables during these months. I had cancelled travelling to Tarbert on the Island of Harris the previous week due to forecasts of gale force winds. However the forecast was similar for this week with the possibility of severe gales. It was with some trepidation that I left my home in Aberdeen early on the Thursday morning to drive to the ferry terminal at Uig on the Island of Skye. As I approached the Skye Bridge reports on the radio indicated that some ferry sailings had been cancelled due to the storms. Unfortunately I had to pay the £4.70 each way at the Skye Bridge as the tolls weren't lifted until the 21st. Some six hours after leaving home I was driving into the village of Uig when I saw the ferry approaching the pier as it arrived from Lochmaddy in North Uist. At least the ferry was sailing despite the sea looking a bit rough. Once I boarded the ferry, which wasn't very busy, I noted a fair bit of movement despite the fact that the ferry was tied to the pier. Ten minutes early, the ferry set sail for Tarbert and once we hit the open sea the spray from some of the waves crashed over the vessel. It was interesting trying to spot which wave was coming over the top and it took my mind off the roll of the ship. However the crossing wasn't as bad as I was expecting. I also felt I was abroad as passenger's conversions were in the native Gaelic. On arrival at Tarbert I found accommodation at the Rockview Bunkhouse and was the sole occupant during my stay there. The following morning I caught the Stornoway bound bus. Some of the passengers were obviously in the Christmas spirit as they sang along with songs on BBC Radio 2. On a single stretch of roadway we met a lady driver in a 4 x 4 coming in the opposite direction. Despite several attempts she was incapable of entering the passing place to allow the bus to continue and in the end the bus driver had to get out and park her vehicle in the passing place. This was to the amusement of the bus passengers who were all female. I presume she managed to get out of the passing place once we had moved on. A couple of kilometres further north I alighted from the bus beside the Abhainn Mharaig. The driver and passengers thought I was mad as there was no habitation nearby and everything was covered in snow. However they did wish me all the best as I left the bus telling me that it was dark at 3.30pm. I followed the stream across some wet and boggy ground before I headed up onto the south-east ridge of Clisham where the underfoot conditions were a bit drier although not obvious due to the snow cover. As I climbed the ridge the cloud base lowered several times and I was struck by some brief horizontal snow showers. As I neared the summit the cloud lowered again and another snow shower struck reducing visibility considerably. It was an awkward point for this to happen as I was crossing a rocky arête where there was a touch of ice as well as the snow. However just as I approached the summit cairn of Clisham the snow stopped and the cloud cleared. I clambered into the middle of the cairn where the trig point was located and quickly took some photographs before the next snow shower arrived. I descended the west ridge of Clisham which is fairly rocky and snow covered. The wind was strong here with lots of spindrift. The conditions began to deteriorate as the next snow shower arrived. I reached the bealach but it wasn't appropriate to escape from here so I continued along the corrie ridge and started to ascent Mulla-Fo Dheas. Here the ferocity of the wind increased with spindrift and I presume fresh snow falling although it was impossible to tell the difference. The next twenty minutes or so were very difficult in these conditions. Movement was slow as it was hard at times to stay upright and visibility was poor. However I got to the top of Mulla Fo Dheas and immediately descended its south ridge where I was able to gain some shelter from the wind. I continued my descent and the cloud cleared and it became less windy. A short time later the sun came out and although it was cold it was pleasant being out in the snow and sun. What a difference an hour made. I was able to have my lunch taking in the surrounding views. The sunny spell lasted long enough for me to eat lunch, so when the sun disappeared I headed off down the hill crossed the Abhainn Thorabraidh and picked up a very wet and boggy path that led to the B887 at Bun Abhainn Eadarra. I walked along this road until I picked up the Tarbert to Stornoway road and walked the five kilometres back to Tarbert. I had to wait until lunchtime the following day for the ferry back to Uig on Skye. It was very cold but mainly sunny so the trip back was very pleasant with fantastic views of the snow clad mainland mountains.
Jura5 November 2004My next Corbett expedition was a logistical problem due to its location. It required two ferry crossings with both the ferry operators now working on a winter timetable meaning reduced sailings. I also tried to select reasonable weather but after booking my accommodation the forecast changed and predicted cloudy weather instead of the original sunny spells. I left my home in Aberdeen early on the 4 November and drove to Kennacraig on the Kintyre peninsula. Over five hours later I arrived in time to catch the lunchtime, and only ferry of the day from Kennacraig to Port Askaig, on the Island of Islay. The ferry arrived on Islay just over two hours later and I booked into my accommodation. Port Askaig consists of a couple of houses and a number of other buildings. Major alterations were almost complete on the approach road to the village to cater for the ferry traffic and locals advised me that the pier is due to be upgraded as it is presently in a dilapidated condition. On looking across the Sound of Islay from Port Askaig, the Island of Jura appeared to be a very brown Island. This I later discovered was its Autumnal colour, due to all the dead grass on the Island. There is no accommodation at Feolin on Jura, which was my final destination. In fact there is only one house there. The following morning I had a tasty breakfast of Loch Fyne kippers while looking across the Sound of Islay towards the Paps of Jura, which were at this time clear of cloud. The accommodation was also next to the ferry so I only needed to walk outside to catch it. I caught the 8.30am ferry from Port Askaig to Feolin. This is a privately run ferry which takes about five minutes to cross to Jura. To allow me sufficient time to climb the Corbett I had to catch this ferry as the next schedule crossing wasn't till 9.30am and the last crossing was at 6.30pm. Occasionally there are additional sailings during the day but this is to accommodate lorries coming and going to the distillery on Jura. While on the ferry I spoke briefly with a local chap who takes part in the annual Paps of Jura hill race. By the time I arrived on Jura the cloud was covering the Paps. I set off northwards on a track that ran close to the shore. There were lots of deer nearby and I got very close to them but they didn't appear to be particularly perturbed by my presence. Further along the coast I saw an otter leaving the sea, but I later read that otters are a common feature on Jura. Once at Inver Cottage the track went through a wood and along to Cnocbreac. Here I took the track going up onto the open hillside and I had to confront several Highland cows and calves. Just before Lochan Gleann Astaile the track turned north again under Beinn a'Chaolais. Before the track descended to Sloc Brodach I cut across the grassy hillside to the bealach between Beinn a'Chaolais and Beinn an Oir getting very close to a resting stag. The climb onto Beinn an Oir involved climbing through rocky outcrops and up some scree before I entered the cloud base around 650 metres. The rocks higher up had a very thin covering of moss and with the damp conditions they were slippery. The ridge later narrowed before I reached the trig point which is surrounded by rocks, allowing some shelter from the wind. It rained for a few minutes but fortunately it didn't last. My return to Feolin was by the ascent route. The cattle were no longer on the track but were surrounding Cnocbreac where it appeared that the farmer had separated the cows from their calves. The cows were very agitated as I negotiated a route round them. Some even started to follow me, which was a bit worrying, but they didn't stray far from where their calves were being kept. On reaching Feolin the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry, I arrived on the previous day, was leaving Port Askaig to return to the mainland. This was to be my ferry home in twenty four hours time. The Jura Ferry had already set sail from Feolin for Port Askaig so I had to wait about forty minutes or so for the next crossing. At least I was back before it was dark and I didn't miss the last ferry. The following day it was wet and misty. In fact I couldn't even see the Island of Jura so I just had to wait for the afternoon ferry to return me to the mainland and the journey home.
Arran25 - 26 September 2004Low cloud and rain welcomed us on the Saturday morning to Brodick, but we decided to set off for the Glen Rosa peaks, with the hope that we could probably manage to climb at least one of its Corbetts. We walked through Brodick, into Glen Rosa and climbed up the path at the side of the Garbh Allt which was in spate. We had to carefully select a crossing point but once safely across we headed up onto Beinn Nuis and then to its adjoining Corbett, Beinn Tarsuinn. We had been in the cloud for some time but while sitting eating lunch, sheltered behind some boulders, the cloud broke for a few seconds and allowed us a quick view of the surrounding area. A fairly steep descent to the Bealach an Fhir-bhogha followed where a decision was required. We could either return to Brodick over Beinn a'Chliabhain or continue on this classic ridge traverse. The weather, although windy, was improving with the cloud base lifting, so we decided to continue along the ridge. The next section of the ridge is for climbers so we followed the path on the west side of the A'Chir ridge before rejoining the ridge further north and climbing to the second Corbett of the day, Cir Mhor. It was still very windy as we descended through some rocks to another bealach before climbing to the final Corbett of the day, Caisteal Abhail. This is a rocky summit so we were able to find some shelter for a short break to prepare ourselves for the final and probably the toughest section of the ridge. We walked eastwards along the ridge to a gap known as the 'Witch's Step'. Here extreme care was required as we descended wet rock into the gap and down the gully before being able to climb back up onto the ridge. Once near the far end of the ridge we descended into Glen Sannox where we heard the first roar of the stags for this season, so the rut had commenced on Arran. We had hoped to catch the 6.30pm bus in Sannox back to Brodick but we were still on the hillside at this time so we obviously had no chance of making it in time. On reaching Sannox we started walking along the road towards Brodick with the Firth of Clyde to our left. My walking companion commented that it was like being abroad as it was a lovely evening, the wind had dropped, it was dusk and there was a full moon. While walking along the road we spotted a seal diving about in the water. The road was very quiet and we were a long way from Brodick with the next bus not due till around 11pm. A few cars did pass but they didn't stop, until a lady in a posh 4 x 4 stopped and gave us a lift back to Brodick. We were very grateful and it was the end of a classic day on the hills. The following day it was wet and windy and we were reluctant to start but we soon got going, walking through Brodick and its Castle grounds. It was sheltered in the forest but once on the open hillside the conditions were poor. We followed the path and passed other people who were struggling in the wet and windy conditions but they weren't properly equipped for this weather. Higher up on the path it was a bit more sheltered but as we approached the summit of Goatfell it was very windy and difficult to stay upright as we found and headed for the summit trig point. There was no point in staying on the summit so we returned by our ascent route. The weather conditions had deteriorated but there were still people heading up towards Goatfell. On reaching the relative shelter of the woods we were able to have our lunch and then head for the ferry and home.
Black Cuillin18 July 2004I travelled over to Skye to visit a friend and normally when on this island I get good weather. However on this Saturday morning it was windy with the Cuillin ridge covered in cloud. I left my car beside the Mountain Rescue Post at Sligachan and had only walked a short distance when it started to rain heavily and I had to stop and don waterproof trousers. I headed up the path into Coire Riabhach and by this time the rain was a lot lighter but the Cuillin looked very intimidating with banks of cloud blowing across the ridge. I was on the lee side and was sheltered from the wind as a climbed steeply up the corrie below the Pinnacle Ridge. I climbed onto the south-east ridge of Sgurr nan Gillean, peak of the young men, and entered the cloud. Navigation isn't too tricky here but care is required as is the case anywhere on the Cuillin ridge. It was windy and I was being buffeted at times. The rock was wet and slippery and some scrambling was involved before reaching the small summit cairn. A couple of times the cloud cleared and I saw a group climbing the adjoining peak of Am Basteir and another party being guided down the west ridge of Sgurr nan Gillean. I contemplated going down this route as I wanted to climb Am Basteir again but due to the wind I changed my mind and headed back the way I had ascended. Once back to Coire Riabhach it rained heavily all the way back to the car.
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