An Socach, Sgurr nan Ceathramhnan & Mullach na Deiragain from Cluanie

It had been a full 9 months since my last trip up into the big boys. This time, I had a 53-mile ultramarathon under my belt, having finished the Fling two weeks previously in 11 hours 48 minutes. I was going light and with running shorts. I had long wanted to go back to the three Munros I had missed out on since the trip with Darren into Glen Affric in August 2015. The plan was to go from Cluanie, through the glen and into Alltbeithe Youth Hostel, before starting the climb proper. I ran/walked all the way down to the Alltbeithe and could see the hills opening up around me. Nice little footbridge to go over before I nipped past the YH with barking dogs.

I deviated round a fenced woodland and began the steady climb up to the bealach. Eventually I joined a decent path, and within 2.5 hours, I was on my way up to An Socach. The views down into the glens of Affric are beautiful; it feels incredibly remote here. I could see Munros that I had done a couple of years ago and the high ridge, which connected them, Beinn Fionnlaidh and Mam Sodhail.

The dander up on to An Socach was simple enough but it was cold so I layered up and had some food. The return to the bealach saw Sgurr nan Ceathramhnan in all its glory, large snow patches still visible on its North face. It took a wee while to get to the top of this hill but the views over to Ben Attow and down back to Loch Cluanie were amazing.

I did consider leaving Mullach na Deiragain out as I didn't have much food left and knew that once out there, it was a long way back to the car over rough ground. However, it looked too good to miss out and I was keen to grab Munro 251. I could come back for Sgorr Gaorsaic another time, perhaps via A Ghlas Bheinn. I got caught in a short rain burst as I headed along the ridge but once out at the summit, this was as wild and remote as it can get. I took a moment and looked back to what had been. Rather than retrace steps back up and over, I descended into the glen a little and eventually dropped to the  flat coire floor before the climb back up to the bealach between An Socach and SnC. Once there, it was a quick romp down to the SYHA, where I was able to re-load my food stores with crisps, chocolate and coke. Wonderful. Somewhat unwillingly, I began the walk/run back out to Cluanie and arrived back at the car within 7 hours of starting out. Not bad going for a 25-mile trip and 1700m ascent.

Beinn Liath Mhor

I had my eye on a horseshoe round this Munro with Sgorr Ruadh and the colossal Corbett, Fua Thol. However, although I left a glorious Inverness, as I began the drive down from Achnasheen it was clear that the weather was not so fine here. I was going light and packed my trousers and down jacket into my small 20-litre rucksack, heading up the small road in shorts and my Brooks GTX trainers. The first view to the Corbett looked immense but the clag was very low. As I slipped through the hole in the fence, I took to the path proper and made my way up on the coire floor at about 300m. From here, i could make out the lower half of Bein Liath Mhor but that was all. I figured that by keeping to the coire floor and running the distance of the glen, by the time I started the ascent up on to Beinn Liath Mhor, the weather may improve. Unfortunately, it didn't and I got a bit of a soaking though I was running well and felt warm and happy. Before the final climb past the reservoir at 750m, I donned my trousers as the wind has escalated. The climb was great though q airy at times and the water poured off the path. I didn't fancy returning this way as a slip could be costly. Given that the weather wasn't great, I made the decision to only to Beinn Liath Mhor and return over the ridge. Once up on the summit, the wind was pretty mental so I donned all my gear and hunkered down behind the large cairn for sustenance.

I sent a text to my wife and then was on my way. The traverse over the ridge was enjoyable but I couldn't see much. It wasn't until I was descending to the coire floor that of course, the clag lifted and some sun shone through. I could now see most of the impressive crags of Sgorr Ruadh and some of the Fuar Thol buttresses. Too bad!

The light was pretty stunning looking over and beyond Fuar Thol and the snap below was probably the best to capture this fantastic arena. I made it down to the path, stripped off an enjoyed the 5 km run back to the car, getting round in just over 3 hours. A really enjoyable Munro despite the fairly rubbish weather.

Beinn Fhada

The long hill and so well-named. To get here involved a tortuous trip, where initially I would wild camp. However, inclement weather the night before put paid to that I sought a bed under cover, with eventual success over on Skye. I thus set off from the Kintail Mountain Rescue lodge at 0845 with a slightly heavier pack than I would have preferred. Nonetheless, I wanted to test my fitness by running the level and downward aspects of the route. It was a great path and one often forgets how good Munro paths are. I was up at the bealach within 45 minutes and began the zig-zags over into the coire. The impressive cliffs rose above me and this hill is very picturesque, with a vast coire floor sitting at about 600m. The path wends its way into the coire and then the final rise up on to the shoulder of Beinn Fhada occurs. At this point, 75 minutes into my sortie, the weather changed considerably so I stopped running and changed into my heavier clothing as the rain lashed down.


I made my way onwards up to the final summit, which was still a good mile from the coire lip. As I reached the circular trig point, the weather changed again and I could see some great views, with the broad mossy plateau of Fhada opening up. I took my time at the summit, having a bite to eat. As time had passed by, I decided I would leave A Glas Bheinn for another day, possibly combining with the Graham, Carnan Cruithneachd. My descent was quick and I was back at the car within 4 hours. An excellent smash and grab considering the poor weather for July. Another M-point in the bag.

Mullach Fraoch-coire

A few years ago I had tried to do this via A'Chralaig on a Winter's day. At the summit of the first Munro, I was caught in a white-out and made a quick descent down a steep coire. I am so glad I didn't contemplate going on as I now had a fine evening to see what would have been ahead of me. Death most likely. As it was, this time, I arrived at the lay-by at 1750 to a warmish evening with good views to look forward to. Judging by the forecast, it would be clear and cold night so I was prepared with all my Winter sleeping bag and gear. I fairly romped up A'Chralaig and was at the summit within 1 hr 30. Looking back, Ben Nevis could be seen in the distance, as well as the obvious South Glen Shiel ridge. Am Bathach now seemed very small, just across the glen. Beyond lay Munro no. 246 and a beautiful ridge walk.

I battered on and made it to my camping spot, the Munro top of Stob Coire na Craileag. I set up camp and then donned gloves and duvet top to grab the 2nd Munro before dinner. It was an enjoyable trek over and the wee path hung over some large drops. Care needed but all too soon, I was round the main crag of difficulty and up to the summit cairn and shelter. I could see down to Loch Affric, which was in gloom as I was privy to the last rays. I made a quick return so I could snap some decent sunset shots but also a wee pot of extra chilli noodles and Heineken were waiting for me. I got settled, had some dinner and beer and watched the sun go down, the Cuillin just visible on the horizon. The temperature by now had really dropped and I shivered as I drank the last of my beer. I got into my shelter and listened to some ambient tunes before one last pee and bed. It would be a decent wee sleep with an alarm set for 0400. At 0200, I got up to pee (damn beer) and took a snap of the moon, with the big dipper straight above.

Once up proper, I had breakfast, packed up my ice-covered tent and returned to the bealach between the Top and the 2nd Munro. A small cairn highlighted the way down and it was a nice walk back out amongst the massive herds of deer. I was at the car for 0630 and home by 1000, to earn brownie points. These summit camps are the business.

Affrickin freezin' five

Accompanied by Darren, fresh from his Montane 100 - a 105 mile up and round the Lake District - he had devised a cunning plan to take in all the 8 Munros and 18 Munro Tops around Glen Affric. Going in on the Friday afternoon, we would attempt the 26 peaks with at least one evening's wild camp. We both arrived at the Chisholm Bridge car park at 1445 and I handed him a wee malt for his efforts the previous week. I had packed an A Bunadh, for the evening aperitif. At 60%, it would be a fine way to thaw out. It had been over a year since we caught up and there was much to discuss - birth, redundancy, mad training, dugs, motors, emotional bank accounts and of course yon hills. We fair piled up the glen and made for the bealach nan easa between Toll Creagach and Tom a Choinich. By the time we had disappeared into the gloom at 800m, it was 1700 and we wouldn't see clear daylight until 0800 the following morning. While the 1st Munro (my 241st) was largely forgettable, the ridge going from our 2nd Munro over to Carn Eighe was excellent, despite lack of views. At times it reminded us of the Aonach Eagach. Humphing the heavy pack was quite tough too.

By the time we had bagged the 6th top of the day (plus the 2 Munros) it was 2000 and we came across a couple of small lochains on a slope, with relatively forgiving terrain. We were camped here at 1100m, only 80m shy of the 3rd Munro. And at that height, my decision to leave my duvet jacket at home was to prove an uncomfortable one. We got set up, straight into the food and then the hip flasks were opened. A couple of nips with some Above and Beyond, Bloodgroove and Kikis tunes and we called it at 2130, anticipating a fine day on the Saturday. I briefly popped over to the lip of the ridge, got a signal and texted to see how mum and baby were doing. I also had a pee as I hate venturing out of the sleeping bag on the hill in the middle of the night.

Although claggy in the morning ( I barely slept a wink due to the penetrating cold), it soon began to clear. Yet every time we approached a Munro or top, we would be in clag again, only for the views to re-appear once we were on the other hills. I have to say that for me, the highlights were the run along Sgurr na Lapaich, which added on 2 more Munro tops and 5 miles of extra distance, and the large cairn on our 5th Munro, Mam Sodhail, when the radiance of the sun warmed my heart. However, running back from Sgurr na Lapaich I had noticed severe discomfort on my big toe and was dismayed to see swelling around the nailbed, and a likely early infection due to an ingrown toe nail. I had bagged 5 Munros and 9 Munro tops - I decided to pop a couple of paracetamol once back at the cairn and see how things were but once I spotted the path along the glen down below, back to the car, my mind was made up. I was also missing my little one, which is something I could never imagine. I never told Darren that but it was a big part of me leaving him for the trip. Also, Darren's fitness would likely mean he would complete the whole package and I didn't want him to have to slow down or sacrifice any peaks on my behalf. Naturally, he bagged the remaining 3 Munros and all the tops but did admit to the 23km walk-out being a bugger. I have plans to return over the Corbett Sgurr Gaorsaic but it was a really good trip and brilliant to get back into the Munros and the wild. So wild, we never saw any deer or sheep at all in the area.

Sgurr na Carnach - a return to the Sisters...

It had been over 10 years since I had been up on the bealach na lapin and in that time, I had met a new lass, got married, moved and had a bairn. My god, had it really been so long? The measurement of time is very relative to hill jaunts and I suppose a nice way to relate hills to moments in our life. My return over the Spaniard and then on the larger Munro proper, Sgurr na Ciste Duibh, was with a Swedish lass who had been interested but the favour was not returned, over 10 years ago. Dropping North down to the bealach between this and my first objective had taken me a lot longer than I anticipated and my water reserves were running low. I made a decision to return once up and on to Sgurr na Carnach while my last objective mocked me from little over a kilometre away. No matter, I was keen to return to the area and perhaps ascend via its Eastern ridge from Glenlichd House. Was this finally Summer approaching?

It's easy to forget how spectacular this area is and the interesting downclimb from the Spaniard ove to Sgurr na Ciste Duibh. Even while the cloud dipped in and out, it's a fantastic mountain range. Great to return but tinged with slight disappointment that I couldn't nail Munro 241.

Stob Coire Easain - this yin?

It has been quite an adventure since my last Munro in September 2014. My wife and I became three with the birth of our daughter, Martha, and it's been a blur of nappies, giggles, tears and Aptamil. So, coming down to 4 days in my day-job and having taken my wife out for lunch the previous day, I had a pass for a hill, with a Munro being approved. I was off at 0500 and parked near Fersit for 0730 in the R time machine. Whoaf! It was going to be a glorious day and i wanted to have done the hard work before it got too warm. I needn't have worried as I re-traced my steps over Stob Coire Mheadhoin from over 10 years ago (an admittedly tough Winter's day which resulted in retreat) and was up overlooking the huge cornices within 2.5 hours. Three deer ran off and up the hill and I snatched a moment where they raced across a snowfield. Views to Stob Ban cast memories from the Grey Corries wild camp, which was fabulous. This really is a special area. From here, the view over to Stob Coire Easain was sensational and I made my way down to the bealach, which still had large amounts of snow over the lip of the coire - problematic later on.

I had some refreshment, took off the fleece which had been required with the chilly wind up above 700m and dumped the rucksack before starting up the steep plod on to Easain. The views back down to Glencoe and the Buachaille were exhilarating and I felt very blessed. Perhaps it's been so long since my last one and because of what has happened since Martha was born, this truly felt like a day which would live long in the memory i.e. I dedicate this hill to my beautiful daughter. All that remained was the descent to get my rucksack and the no easy task of getting into the coire. There was no way I could break through the cornices as the descent was too steep so I walked back along to a small crag, being ultra-careful with my feet placing and very much using hands. Once on to a large enough piece of snowfield, I bum slid the best part of 200m, which was molto funno. The walk back along the glen was very relaxing and I got back to the car at 1230. Fab day out.