32, 31: Glenfinnan horseshoe

Sgurr Thuilm and Sgurr na Coireachan  (12th July 2010)

We had decided that we wouldn't book any fixed holidays in summer 2010, but would use it to make a big inroad into my last remaining Munros.  Already, trips to Loch Ossian, Kintail, Skye and Ben Avon has reduced the target list from 42 to 33.

The first few days of the holidays were spent getting Fiona sorted with a flat and a car in preparation for her starting her teaching career in Larbert, but we managed to get organised to head up north on Sunday 10th July.  We set up our tent in Glen Nevis campsite in the afternoon, and 1 hour later the rain started to fall!   And all the next day ...  which included sitting in the car at the top of Loch Arkaig for an hour or two before deciding to return to base without climbing anything.  The falls at the top of Glen Nevis and at Steall were impressive, though, in the evening!

lower falls at top of Glen Nevis

Monday morning looked a bit more promising, although there were still some pretty heavy showers around.  So, off we went up to Glenfinnan, and parked the car at the road end just beyond the NTS visitor centre.  We waited for a heavy shower to pass over, then got our bikes out, and headed off under the viaduct and up the glen.  10.20am.  Enjoyed the cycle up smooth tarmac, and the views ahead to the hills (although still looking a bit damp).

view up Glen Finnan

After 30 minutes, we reached Corryhully, where the tarred road came to an end.  We cycled on for a short distance, until the track deteriorated so that we decided it would be quicker walking.  

An hour after leaving the car, we were at the foot of Sgurr Thuilm's SW ridge.  Here we left the main track over to Loch Arkaig, and began the ascent of the ridge's grassy nose.  Steep and squelchy at first, we were soon climbing up onto drier ground.  

looking back down Glen Finnan from Druim Choire a' Bheithe

At around 700m, the gradient eased off, but there was still a long slog along Druim Choire a' Bheithe, before we would reach the final slopes to Sgurr Thuilm's summit.  

Anne on Druim Choire a' Bheithe - the summit still 2km away!

We plodded onwards - warm and muggy, with various showers all around, but none falling on us.  At 13.45 we flopped down against the summit cairn - time for lunch, and a well-earned rest!

The views were good, though - to neighbouring Streap, north into the rough hills beyond Glen Dessarry, and west along the ridge towards Sgurr na Coireachan.

looking west from Sgurr Thuilm along Loch Morar to the sea

looking down on Strathan at the head of Loch Arkaig

the ridge from Sgurr Thuilm to Sgurr na Coireachan

On the map, it doesn't seem far from Sgurr Thuilm to Sgurr na Coireachan, but in fact the 4km high level walk took us 2.5 hours, twisting up and down over a seemingly endless series of minor tops.  That's not a complaint - we were just surprised at the time it took us.  A careful study of the map shows 4 intervening tops, and although ridge never drops below 730m, there is about 400m of climbing involved along the way!  Fortunately, the views ahead towards Loch Morar and the west made it all worthwhile.

looking back towards Sgurr Thuilm from half-way along the ridge

view across the dramatic Coire Thollaidh to Sgurr na Coireachan, with the rocks glistening from the rain

All the way along the ridge, we were following a line of old rusty fence posts, this one standing erect against a dramtic blue and white sky, like a modern art sculpture, or an alien antenna sending signals to a passing UFO!

Eventually, we climbed the final steep 170m ascent to the summit of Sgurr na Coireachan, with a wonderful view to the west of Rum silhouetted against the evening light (below). 

Rum and Loch Morar from Sgurr na Coireachan

It would have been lovely to linger on the summit, but it was already 5pm, and some heavy-looking showers were heading our way from the east, so we set off down the long south ridge.   This was like a series of giant steps.  Firstly, dropping down off the summit cone to a relatively level section along the tops of the crags encircling Coire Thollaidh to the minor top Sgurr a' Choire Riabhaich.

distant view of Ben Nevis from Sgurr na Coireachan

From this top, we dropped down steeply at first, then along a pleasantly narrow section of ridge, still descending, but more gently, then another steeper section, until at about 350m, we joined a superb stalkers' path.  


This was a great relief as the descent had been pretty tiring and slow at the end of a long day.  Unfortunately, a heavy shower also caught up with us, and with a couple of minutes we were soaked.   Fortunately, it didn't last too long, and soon we were back down to the track in the valley, where we found our bikes, just as we had left them.  It had taken over 2 hours to come down from the summit, but once back on our bikes, we flew effortlessly back down the valley, under the viaduct, and to the car, with our clothes drying as we went!

Summary:

2 Munros

8 km by bike

13 km walk

1300 m climb

10 hours