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 

33: Weird rock formations on Ben Avon

Ben Avon (Leabaidh an Daimh Bhuidhe)   25th June 2010


Despite many weekends and trips to the Eastern Cairngorms, often camping at Braemar or sleeping in the back of the Espace, Ben Avon had remained unexplored.

The obvious route is to approach from the south, but following perusal of the maps and various books, I decided that an approach from the north would be more interesting - giving a good cycle run in, and a chance to explore some of its more interesting granite tors, and include a couple of extra tops on the way.


And so it was that Anne and I headed up the A9 (once again, but first time this year!) and then off to Grantown-on-Spey.  We arrived on a pleasant summer evening, and pitched our tent at the (deserted) campsite just on the edge of the village.


Next morning looked fine, so we made an early start for the drive up to Tomintoul (the highest village in the Scottish Highlands).  We parked the car in the car park at the south end of the village, on the minor road to Delnabo, at about 9.15am, and unloaded the bikes.

approaching Inchrory

Initially the track was a little rough, but improved where the main "road" joined us across the river at Delavorar.  The next hour or so was a delightful cycle run up the wooded glen, gaining height gradually, until we reached the shooting lodge at Inchrory.  Shortly beyond Inchrory, we abandoned the bikes at a bridge where the track turns sharply west to follow the River Avon.


It was now 10.30am, and a beautiful warm (but lightly overcast) morning, and already we were above the 400m contour.  A fine stalker's path took us steadily up on to Carn Fiaclach - good walking, dry underfoot.  Following the (sometimes intermittent) path, we passed to the west of Meall Gaineimh (1m short of being a Munro top).

approaching Clach Bhan (right) - East Meur Gorm Craig in the distance

I made a detour to explore the massive granite tors of Clach Bhan (below) - and had some fun exploring around and over them, including finding the hollows on top which were reputed to ease childbirth for any pregnant women who sat in them! 

Clach Bhan

The Great Sphinx of Ben Avon?

the hollows on top of Clach Bhan

After some clambering around on the (very rough) granite, I hurried on to rejoin Anne on the main path, and we continued another mile or so to reach the summit of East Meur Gorm Craig at 12.30.  This was our first Munro top, and the cloud was breaking up to give some fine blue patches, so we stopped here for lunch.  To the east, the high heather-clad moorland rolled away endlessly.  To the west, rocky cliffs fell away dramatically, with some snow lingering in sheltered north-facing gullies.

on East Meur Gorm Craig

From East Meur Gorm Craig, we dropped down to rejoin the path as it continued on towards Big Brae (below). 

heading towards Big Brae (with its own rocky tor)

Our presence sent a large herd of deer running away over the moorland (above).  

Once beyond the head of the coire, we struck across to the west, and up easy grassy slopes to reach the top of West Meur Gorm Craig (left), our second Munro Top of the day.  A fine little rocky top, perched above steep drops to the north, and looking across the coire to the previous top.

It was now 13.25, so we stopped here for a second lunch, and to admire the view, especially to the north.

From here, it was an hour's walk across the deserted plateau to reach the maim summit.

Initially, the route was across a flat stony area, then  we threaded our way up a short steeper section covered in boulders, Mullach Lochan na Gabhar.  A large tor ahead looked like it might be the summit, but as we reached the next skyline we realised that it was actually Clach Choursaich.  Up here in mist could be confusing - bad enough on a clear day! 

After visiting Clach Choursaich, we contoured around a wide depression, then up the final slopes to Leabaidh an Daimh Bhuidhe (which might mean "the bed of the yellow stag" or "the hill of the bright one").

summit tor, Ben Avon

Impressive rocks!  Very similar to the summit of Rough Tor on Bodmin Moor that we visited later on in the year.   

Anne on the summit - a good spot for a cup of coffee!

Beinn a' Bhuird seen through a "window" of Ben Avon's summit tor

scrambling around on the summit rocks

What a fantastic place - and we had it all to ourselves!


A worthy Munro number 250!


We spent 40 minutes scrambling around and over the summit rocks, and admiring the views across to Beinn a Bhuird.


However, time was marching on, so at 15.20 we began our descent.   To begin with, we headed back NE along the highest part of the plateau towards Mullach Lochan na Ghabhar - easy going over short grass and small stones - then headed off NW toward Stob Bac an Fhurain.

East and West Meur Gorm Craigs from Stob Bac an Fhuarain (Lochan Gabhar just visible)

looking down the ridge towards Clach Bun Rubhtain

weird face on Clach Bun Rubhtain

There was time on Stob Bac an Fhurain for a 5 minute stop to spy out the route ahead, before heading off down the ridge towards the next point of interest - the dramatic rocks of Clach Bun Rudhtair ("stone of the needles"), Ben Avon's highest tor.


Beyond and below, we could see or descent route along the broad grassy ridge of An Druim Lom and back to the valley of the River Avon.


It didn't take long to get down to the rocky tor, where we marvelled at its weird shapes:  one part like a huge face, another like a small dog scrambling up the rocks, and another looking like a bird perched high up on the rocks! 


The 2 km stroll along the gently descending grassy ridge was a pleasure - with only the final slither down a steep sandy path to the river giving the knees any pain!


Debris entangled in the deer fence told a story of huge Spring floods, but today the river was in its bed and no danger to anyone.  


We followed the deer fence for a few hundred metres, until we could join the land rover track where it crossed by a plank bridge.


From here, it was only a 2km walk, on now weary legs, down past the Linn of Avon to our bikes by the bridge above Inchrory.


It was good to have a seat by the burn for 15 minutes or so, before heading off down the track/road on our bikes.


Although only gently downhill, gravity assisted our run down the valley, and we were back at the car at 7.30pm, exactly an hour from Inchrory.

the Linn of Avon

Summary:

1 Munro

2 Tops

24 km by bike

18 km walk

820 m climb

10 hours 15 minutes

(written 13/02/2011)