Plans for this weekend had come undone, and I found myself with some free time, so the call went out to the regular walkers and we spent some time planning a few routes we could do over 2 days. As ever, plans change, and as I drove north on Friday afternoon, it was sadly without one of the usual crew.
I was due to meet Steg early afternoon in Fort William and we were to head from there. I stopped at Ballachulish to pick up 2 Australian hitch-hikers who had hitched from Balqhuidder to Ballachulish and were headed to Fort William on their way to the Western Isles. It was nice to have a chat and they were thoroughly enthusiastic about Scotland. Nice to see folk in their 60's still hiking and backpacking their way around - there's hope for us yet!
I stopped in a Fort William and headed to a very dreary cafe for a scone, knowing that I should eat plenty on the way to stay fuelled for the walk to come. I joined up with Steg and we jumped in my car and headed for Cluanie Inn, which is currently shut. We started the walk at 1700 in sunshine, but it was soon clouding over, though not before we'd gained some height on the steep sides of A'Chralaig.
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| Glen Shiel |
It was a long slog up the slopes and we were carrying more kit than usual because we had planned on camping overnight.
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| Steggo |
However, we made out way up and onto the summit at 2000 and it was in mist. However, that disappeared as we headed down from there.
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| Summit of A' Chralaig |
The ridge between A'Chralaig and Mullach Fraoch-choire is wonderful, we dropped quickly and then rose briefly before we hit the bealach.
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| Descending the ridge |
Once at the bealach, we left a load of our kit and travelled with just map, compass, torch (just in case) and camera to climb lightly to the summit. What a climb it was - it's a notched ridge with deep drops but great big holds, and in no time, we were on the summit. We arrived at 2105.
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| Summit of Mullach Fraoch-choire |
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| Not sure if Steg is asking for help here... |
We weren't sure if we'd have time to drop to the valley floor, but we headed for the bealach first to pick up our kit.
As we descended, it started to get dark, but we were fine for time. The light was starting to get really lovely.
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| Ciste Dubh, waiting for us tomorrow |
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| Looking to Glen Affric and sunset |
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| View to Ciste Dubh |
We arrived on the valley floor at 2220, but not before we watched some animal hunting in the burn. Might have been a pine marten or a wildcat, not sure.
We set the tents up while it was still light, then got the stoves on and had a hot meal. It was quiet, cloudy, barely any wind and not a midge in sight - perhaps it was the height. We emptied my large hipflask as the stars came out, then hit the hay.
We were up at 0550, then tents down, some sweeties for breakfast and then back on the hill for 0630, climbing the steep flanks of Ciste Dubh and watching the deer.
The views back to the previous day's hills were amazing when the clouds left them.
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| View to the ridge on Mullach Fraoch-choire |
It was hard work on already tired legs and not being used to being up that early, but we plodded on regardless, and eventually made the summit at 0840.
The weather was about to change - the clouds were shifting all around and there were some light showers coming from high up, so we stopped for a while and watched it all shift. We could see Nevis off in the far south, imposing and huge. The Five Sisters were looking fantastic.
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| Steg, watching the weather change |
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| Nevis |
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| Summit of Ciste Dubh |
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| Ciste Dubh and me |
We stayed for bit, then had some food and made our way down. We met some other walkers heading up as we headed down, looking at bit puzzled as to how we were heading down so early.
We walked out of An Caorran Beag as the rain came on, then we made it back to the car at 1130am. From there is was off to Fort William to drop Steg at his car, then back home.
Munro Count: 153
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