The view east from Mullach Fraoch Choire with Loch Affric seen on the Left

The ridge of Am Bathach as seen from the summit with Loch Cluanie seen behind

Camping on the first night

I had three days after exams for walking in. It gave a good opportunity to climb some more summits. The group of summits generally termed as the Cluanie Horseshoe were on my mind and this provided the focus for my trip.

My plan was to do something easy today and my third Corbett fitted the bill very nicely. I climbed it in one and a half hours as the guidebook suggested which considering I had a huge pack on wasn’t bad, the weather showed no sign of getting worse and the mountain had a nice shapely ridge. I wouldn’t say it was narrow as the guidebook said though. In most places it was wide enough to fit a line of terraced houses in. I also got the best photo from my old camera here. I was here on my July hike but this time the going was a lot easier with the shorter grass. An early camp at 3.30pm was established and I was glad to be here.

A' Chralaig seen from the Mullach

Mullach Fraoch Choire as seen from the summit ridge of A'Chralaig

The day dawned with clear skies and mist induced by temperature inversion further down the Glens, the route up to the main ridge was direct and quick with few suprises, the views from the top were wild. Glen Affric, Kintail, The South Glen Shiel ridge and beyond were all seen. With the low sun and the long shadows formed it was magic.

I dumped my rucksac, donned my crampons and headed off for the first summit. I was aware of the pinnacled ridge from the guidebook descriptions and wondered how it would be. The final ridge started grassy on its way up to the first rise, footprints took a right turn before the first rise but I continued up, the snow was firm and I was glad to have my crampons on, an easy scramble for ten yards followed but then a knife edge appeared on viewing a small descent. There seemed no way down so I went back after scratching my head. I contemplated the diversion made by other footprints, the drop to the right getting steeper and longer with every foot step, I was on a thirty degree snow incline with a huge drop just one foot any from me. The snow wasn’t going anywhere and progress was easy though.

Ciste Dubh and Beinn Fhada seen from the Mullach

The narrow bit on the ridge

A col between pinnacles was reached and the traverse round the final pinnacle was trivial. The summit’s a fine one to be on and certainly comes in my top ten summits so far. The return to the rucksac was tiring as I was parched and the cloud was slowly coming in. A Chralaig was reached without difficulty though the mist had closed in.

I descended an east ridge and then dumped my sack again for a traverse to the summit of A’Chioch. It was lunchtime and I only had a small distance to go so a fuller day was made from traversing A’Chioch. The campsite was peaty and the stream was sluggish, I had semi-drought conditions but that didn’t bother me, I was ready for bed.

The day started snowy and washing up after was chilly! The ascent to the first summit was swift as I worried about the time needed to get back to the inn. New cornices were forming now and the spin drift looked nice. The wind built up over night and brought frequent snow showers, but up above the freezing level I was comfortable and dry though.

Dumping my sack, I made my way down treacherous verglassed rock to the next summit before heading back. The views cleared regularly but alas my camera was in my sack. Walking on verglassed rock with a big pack on was more treacherous and slipping over was common place. I was glad to get onto snow covered grass but now the problem was now unfrozen bogs under snow!

The final summit was reached at lunchtime and it was time for the slow descent through heathery hummocks down to the rain and the road. It was then a seven kilometre walk back to the inn. I hadn’t tried hitchhiking until the Easter trip, until then I believed that hitching was hopeless when it actually cuts hours off walking time on long road stretches, waiting time included.

It was an excellent trip overall, certainly one of the best. Unfortunately the trip didn’t end on a cheery note, I had £400 worth of property stolen in Manchester when one of my housemates let in the burglars.