Friday 4th May
 Ruadh Stac and Marsco - The red Hills After 8 months without climbing any new munros, it was about time I resumed the countdown. Skye is a decidedly tricky place in winter and with summer on its way in, the time was right to herald the coming of summer in Skye. The coach dropped me off at the Sligachan hotel at lunchtime in dark showery skies with small interludes of blue sky. Mist wreathed around Sgurr na Gillean and Am Bastier and it was time to start the walk.
The first thing I noticed as I arrived at Sligachan was the snow in Coire Bastier, I didn't have my axe so already it was doubtful as to whether I would climb Am Bastier on account of snow rather than any scrambling difficulties. My first target was Bruach na Frithe - the easiest munro on Skye. An excellent footpath was taken westwards into Coire na Circe in a period of sunshine. Leaving the footpath, I ascended into Fhionn Choire and persistent showers. The edge of the corrie has quite a number of flat grassy patches - probably the highest altitude that you'll see large amounts of vegetation in the Cuillins, 500m. The showers cleared revealing views up the bouldery rubble to the upper snow fields of Fhionn Choire. I went out to try my hand at some brief scrambling on a nearby buttress to try and gain confidence but the dampness and looseness of the rock prevented me from doing any serious adventure.
Saturday 5th May
Bruach na Frithe (272)  Blaven and Ruadh Stac seen on the descent to Glen Sligachan I was up at 5.30am at the crack of dawn. The skies were clear but as soon as the sun rose above the horizon, clouds started forming over the Cuillin ridge. Further more, more organised cloud was moving in from the atlantic quite quickly. The walk up Fhionn Coire saw the last of the grass quite soon to be replaced by rubble and boulders - but still easy going. And then the snow. After a final steep pull up semi frozen snow I emerged at the Bealach nan Lice. I left my rucksac, cut across the crags of Sgurr na Fionn Choire via steep trodden snow slopes, and was left with a simple pull to Bruach na Frithe.
The crest to Bruach na Frithe provides simple scrambling but this is easily avoided by a loose path on the south side. I returned to my sack and contemplated a traverse on steep snow round to the east ridge of Am Bastier. A quick check on the slipperiness of the snow suggested I shouldn't, boulders field lay below the snow field to catch those who misplaced a foot.
My next plan was to climb Sgurr na Gillean. I was going to drop into Lota Corrie from bealach na Lice but for the fact that the exit onto Gillean's south east ridge was steep and craggy. Instead I returned by way of Fhionn Coire and then traversed eastwards into Coire Riabhach where I picked up Gillean's "tourist" path. It was a good path down here and it followed easily into a hanging corrie where it petered out in boulder fields. The guidebooks describe the going here as torturous, but I found it to be OK. The corrie exit was steep but cairns followed a minor stream to the left of the main stream up to open slopes above before reaching the south east ridge. Phew, that was some detour!  Sgurr na Gillean seen from the South East Ridge From here, the way up looks scary. I made my way along the walking section of the ridge. I was met with a buttress where the walk turned to a scramble, an easy chimney provided a way up through the buttress but was blocked at the end by a large wet greasy boulder. A climbing move of 8 feet could be made on drier rock to the right but I chose to turn back. I returned to my rucksack and continued along the ridge the other way to Bealach a' Ghlas Choire. From here, the decent to Glen Sligachan was uncomplicated and quite easy and once down at the glen is was a boggy trot to find a campsite near Loch na Athain. The weather stayed dry all day but was cloudy, this cleared slightly in the afternoon but it seemed like thicker cloud was moving in. The bird song that evening included cuckoos and another noise - like a rapid blowing of a party whistle? Anyway it was wild camping at its nicest.
Sunday 6th May
Bla Bheinn (273)  Blaven seen from Strath na Creitheach There was low cloud this morning with a forecast for drizzle later on. I was out later on when the low cloud started burning off. I ascended Bla Bheinn via the south west ridge after an approach on an excellent path via Loch na Creitheach. There was only the odd short scramble to the south top. Some gullies left and right cut deeply into the ridge but overall it was quite a broad ridge. The descent to the dip between the south top and the actual summit took an earthy chimney to the right. It's quite loose but easy, apart from the exit at the bottom - a large block needs to be straddled - and the impinging overhanging wall to the left tries to push you over into the ....
Anyway, where was I, oh yes, I got to the summit, thought I had the mountain to myself but no, 15 other folk arrived at the same time as me. No time alone up here. So, retraced my steps and what do you know, half way down the ridge and the cloud burns away. Well, the view of Blaven that evening was top notch - but no cigar at the top for me! The next day was spent on Marsco and Garbh Bheinn before taking the bus home. A good Skye introduction, looking forward to some more.
|
