Sgurr Choinnich & Sgurr a' Chaorachain

It had been a couple of months since the Skye extravaganza that was the duo of Sgurr Mhic Choinnich and Sgurr Alasdair. Possibly the best hill day ever experienced. For this trip, it was the 4.5 hour drive up and back in the same day that would be tough but in the 6-series, it ate up the miles. What an exquisite machine it is. I left home at 0515 and was parked up at 0945. It was a cool, Autumn day. It would be cold on the tops and I got that prediction spot on. It had been a few years since I'd been up here to bag the two Corbetts together and the wind that day had been brutal. I walk/ran the track up to the Pollan Buidhe and I was at the wire bridge within an hour. I briefly lost the rhythm and found myself off-balance - but I regained composure and made it across dry! From here, the track had been improved significantly and it didn't take me long before I got to the bealach Bearnais. I sat here and ate a glorious tuna roll - I must have been hungry. I could see someone up ahead on the ridge up to the 1st objective of the day but I never caught up with them. The ascent from the bealach up to the summit felt quite long but the views back down to the Pollan Buidhe and over to Sheasgaich were impressive. The latter peak particularly so. After a quick stop at the summit, I began the descent down to the bealach and Loch Monar came into view. What a wild area it is. The ascent up on to Chaorachain was relatively quick although by this point, I had put on gloves and hat. It was cold. Winter is upon us. I decided to head North and to the right, dropping down where Maoile Lunndaidh came into view. Now, an awkward Munro that one - perhaps doable from Strathconon as an alternative approach. I inadvertently came down upon a party hunting the stag - it had been so long since I had done a Munro in October that I had forgotten about the stag season. I had to wait a good 30 minutes, immobile, careful not to disturb the party. Eventually, the stag and his herd ran off and I made my descent quickly. I was back at the car by 1600 and after a lovely sausage roll and can of lemon San Pellegrino, I drove home - in time for books for M. A fab day out. Munros no. 263 and 264.

Sgurr Mhic Choinnich & Sgurr Alasdair via Collie's ledge

My last Munro experience was on Sgurr nan Gillean in September - almost a full year and in that time, I had started a dream job, Martha had started school and a pandemic was in full flow. What a fucking year. A rollercoaster of every emotion was in there - happiness, fear, trepidation, pride, anxiety - and all that before we got to bloody Covid-19. The pandemic coincided with what can only be described as dream weather. But it was a nightmare not being able to get to the hills! All this was changing and the weather gods had aligned to give me a great opportunity at overcoming my Skye fears of the Cuillins. Since Sgurr nan Gillean, I had promised my wife I'd hire a guide for the last few tricky ones. I had used Jonah Jones back in 2012 for the Inn Pinn and I was impressed by his no-nonsense approach - he got the job done and inspired confidence. So it was I agreed to meet with Jonah (postponed from March) August 13th 2020 to combine Sgurr a Mhadaidh to Banachdich. I had left Kylesku at 0330 and it was a long drive to Skye, with many deer on the roads and tiredness as my companion. I got to Glen Brittle for 0800 and not long after Jonah arrived. "So, Sgurr Mhic Choinnich & Sgurr Alasdair!" - this wasn't the script. I reminded him of my intended route but he just said that as this was a good day, we'd crack these two instead. I wasn't going to argue with him! But neither did I think I'd have the head for this, if I could scarcely handle Sgurr nan Gillean. 

We left Glen Brittle and stormed up to the loch in Coire Lagan, which was still enshrouded in mist. We took a breather at 1800ft and he said to keep to the left of the An Stac screes. I could sense that the sun was trying to burn off the mist and as we walked and climbed higher, the cloud dissolved leaving me staring at the behemoth of Sgurr Mhic Choinnich; "eh, it looks bigger in real-life, Jonah". He chuckled. Already I was thinking how the hell would I be able to go from that peak in the sky over to that other pointy peak in the sky. When we got up to the bealach, the sight that lay around us was one of the best I've ever witnessed - a full inversion of all the major peaks poking through the cloud - even as far as Rhum. Just incredible and I was in awe of my situation - this was hard to beat.

We took on some water, got the harnesses and helmets on and began the final assault on to Mhic Choinnich. I was very glad that I could follow Jonah up this - I wouldn't have had a clue. Before long, we made it up on the small summit and to the cairn. I daren't ask how we were going to connect the ridge but Jonah just said "Collie's ledge, bit of a climb after that; round a corner and a down-climb - you'll be fine". Now, I'm very lucky in owning Gordon Stainforth's Cuillins book and I was desperately trying to remember what Collie's Ledge looked like - it didn't sound particularly wide - ledge would suggest a narrow 'path'. Anyway, without time to shit myself, we carried on back to where said ledge was and he said to just follow him and if I wanted to look down, I could. I did but rather than freeze, I just accepted that this had to be done and carried on. Time passed, we roped up, we did some exposed climbing and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Jonah is a very charismatic and honest man - his stories of his time in the Marines (and out of) were both fascinating and tough to listen to. We can never comprehend the sacrifices these folks make -  and how they have to adapt to civilian life after it. A sense of purpose can be the difference between life and death. 

Eventually, we began the last climb up on to Sgurr Alasdair and once at the summit, the view out to Gars-Bheinn was also sublime. Munro no. 262 and possibly one of my most memorable - or was it Munro 261?

We down climbed after a cuppa, cooled off and then began the descent down the Giant Stone Chute - it looked steep but we got down in quick time and took a breather and soaked our heads in the loch. From here, it was an easy and hot descent back to the cars. What a superb day - not sure it can be beaten, Huge thanks to the best guide in Skye by a mile.