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.
