On a trip North to Achiltibuie, I had decided I would take in these two Munros. The weather forecast was fantastic and I left the 'buie at 0715, while still in darkness. The wee road twists for 16 miles and I didn't reach the main road until 0745 and Inchnadamph until 0810. I had promised that I would be back by 1430 so I had 6 hours to get it done. The walk up the glen was pleasant with Conival in view the whole way. It got bigger and more ominous, the closer I approached. The steep ascent to the bealach began and was indeed, quite steep. However, the views back across the land were fantastic, especially the Eastern crags of Breabag. It looked a complex hill and one I was looking forward to. My pace was exceptional to this point and as I climbed the last of the crags before the bealach, I was there in 1.5 hours. I emerged on to the bealach and was confronted by a magical sight down across Coire a Mhadaidh. The buttress of the hill to the left plunged into a dark and cloudy void, while the clarity above the cloud was quite special. I could see as far as Foinaven and Ben Hope. I began the final ascent up on to the Munro and the Western face plunged away below me. The summit is an amazing place to rest for a while and take in the next objective. I assessed the ridge as the last 100m were quite icy in places. Previous footprints looked to have made a decent route across to Ben Mor Assynt. I descended off the 1st Munro and began the enjoyable strut over to the 2nd Munro, taking in the loch and dark crags to the South of Ben Mor Assynt. By 3 hours, I was sitting on the 2nd Munro and relishing the views up to Ben Hope, which had cleared. The return back and over the route was brilliant, with the views being second to none. Christmas pudding was taken and it tasted beautiful. One of the best hill day experiences yet.
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