Skye trip 9/7/11
Of to Skye climbing again.
Set off early on Saturday morning from home with the car loaded up with climbing and camping kit. Bought new tent from Tiso Vango Alpha 200 2 man selling at £40 had a discount card so got it for £36 - bonus! Headed over the Lecht and up the A9 to Inverness , stopping at Tesco for diesel, saved more cash with a 5p off voucher from shopping. £1.30 per ltr a bargain. Following the sat nav just for fun as I knew the road. It took us over the Kessock bridge and then the northerly route to Skye by Garve and Achnasheen. This was good because at 9.30 arrived at Tarvie cafe, just in time for a bacon roll and cup of tea - really good bacon rolls and at a good price too.
Off we went again me and the Mrs, turned off to Achnasheen at Garve nice wide road and not much traffic , pit stop at Achnasheen station. Heading off to Loch Carron the road is still wide but you soon come onto a stretch of single track road at Achnashellach for about 5 miles. Usual never met a soul all the way along the wide road but soon as we get onto the single track then there were loads of cars and some don't take any prisoners.
Turning left at Loch Carron to follow the A890 the road is wide then narrow then wide as you go along it. You travel along beside the railway track for a few miles then the road climbs up steep hills for a couple of miles to the view point about 105m up just before Strome Ferry. The sign reads Strome Ferry (No Ferry).
We passed a bloke on a bike just after the start of the climb, he was stopped looking all in, wonder if he knew he had about 5 miles of uphill in front of him! I know what that feels like to push a bike up big hills after my last trip.
Onto the Skye road and headed for Kyle of Lochalsh, over the bridge (which I always fancied walking across) and headed for the co-op at Broadford for supplies.
Stocked up on essentials coke, crisps and juice etc., oh and Philadelphia
North to Sligachan and turn left heading to Glenbrittle Campsite. On the way there were various displays of themed scarecrows at the roadside for a Tattie Bogal festival.
Glen Brittle has a single track road all the way to the campsite at the south end.
Arrived at the campsite paid and set up the tent, first go at putting the tent up, so took a minute or two.
The Cuillins had there usual veil of cloud over them.
My plan was to climb Sgurr Alasdair by The Great stone Chute and if I had time Sgurr Mhic Choinnich as well.
Packed rope and climbing gear into rucksack and food and water 1,1/2ltr thinking this would be enough for the climb. Left the Mrs as she was off for a walk up Glen Brittle to find the fairy pools and headed for the hills.
There is a good path to the west behind the campsite toilet block leading off to the south end of the Cuillins. It climbs fairly steep for a start up to about 150m and then eases off. After 1/2km the path splits, taking the left fork I headed for Coire Lagan but all the Coires along here look similar so thinking I was heading for the wrong Coire I cut across the grass land still climbing as I went. After a while thought where am I? as you do and got the map and gps out to get exact position. Up the wrong drill so to speak. However just in front of me was the path from YMCA which would take me back to Corie lagan. An extra 1km just for the fun of it, but what's new there. Got a good view of where we had climbed up last year to the In Pin and loch an
Fhir-bhallaich.
Half way up Corie Lagan there is a rock formation that looks like a dam and about there is where things start to get steeper and a bit of scrambling, but not very hard yet.
Off to South I could see some climbers that had been pointed out to me by a couple I had met tackling the north wall of Sron na Ciche - better them than me.
Over the dam and got first view of the loch and The Great stone chute. By this time the cloud had lifted and I could see Sgurr Mhic Choinnic and Sgurr Alaster and the ways up to them. None easy.
I headed off to the bottom of the Chute at the rear right hand side of the coire to tackle the chute climb. Welcome to the Stepmaster 10,000 lol or as our guide last year described it as the Stepmaster from hell.
Pic bottom chute.
The bottom of the chute is small loose gravel that has been brought down by scree runners over time. Must be bonkers to run down this. Anyway off I go up the chute.
I found that you had to put your foot down and wait a second to see if it was going to take off back down the hill before moving my other foot. I had my walking poles with me which were a great help in balancing. The only problem being that they would go into the loose gravel and you then had to haul them back out most of the way up and down.
The Chute is very steep so you dance your way up it 2 steps forward and 1 step back, some times it was even 3 or 4 back. Met a few people coming down it as I was going up and had to watch out for stones heading my way I had my climbing helmet on for protection all the way up and down. About half way up the chute goes into a narrow ravine with vertical walls on each side. Dark black rock on the walls makes it a creepy looking place to be. The rocks on the ground get bigger here but are just as loose so watch as you stand on them. There are a few sort of paths right down to what you would call ground but just as slippy as the rocks
Took me quite a while to get up to the top of the chute slipping all the way up but at the top is a flat bealach with no loose rocks which is a treat after the chute. Dropped my pack here and headed towards the summit of Sgurr Alasdair the highest top in the Cuillins at 992m, you have to scramble over large rocks from the bealach to the summit which is pretty easy. Only thing is to beware of a vertical drop on the north side back down into the chute keep away from that. Takes about 10min to scramble to the summit of Sgurr Alasdair but its very narrow with only a few small rocks marking the summit.
Happy me at the summit of Sgurr Alasdair .
Munro 132 for me. Had a look around from the top as there was no cloud on the tops round around me and I could see the narrow ridge to Sgurr Mhic Choinnich which didn't look too easy to go along. I could see over to the In Pin to the north and Sgurr Dubh Mor to the south east, I climbed that a few years ago with a guy I worked with, he was part of the Aberdeen
Saw two climbers coming up from the south side very quickly towards me on the summit, I headed back down to the bealach. Said hi to them when they got near.
Easy climb back down off the summit to the bealach.
Had a look at the TD gap to the south and wandered if I could abseil down it as this would be an easier way back down than the chute.
The two climbers came down to the bealach and stopped for a break, I went over to chat to them. They were climbers and had a book with them which had all the scrambles on the Cuillins in it. They were going to Mhic Choinnich over the ridge and up kings chimney which is a V diff climb.
They were free climbing it. They asked if I wanted to go with them so I showed the guy what gear I had with me, rope etc. I had told him I thought about going down the TD gap. He told me that is was a 35m pitch and as I had a 50m rope it would not be long enough as you double it to abseil. Plan B. As It had taken a while to get up here and it was now 5.30pm I asked him how long to get over to Mhic Choinnich he said it would take about 2.1/2 hours to get on to the top of the chimney.
I worked out by the time I got over and down to campsite it would be dark. So I declined their offer, the two of them set of up a near vertical face like it was not there.
The way to Sgurr Mhic Choinnich from Sgurr Alasdair.
Filmed them climbing a bit and took pic before getting pack on and heading back down the chute, going down is worse than coming up. You have to make sure that you don't build up too much speed as the loose rocks under your feet take off down the chute, you with it. Even if you use the bigger rocks they take off with you too.
About 100m down the chute my feet took off and I ended up sliding down on my rear end with no real way of stopping myself until my left leg slammed into a large rock.
You can figure out what words I used at this point and it was not oh dear it hurts.
Anyway I had stopped even if it was with a bleeding extremely sore leg 3/4 of the way up a mountain. Pain passed after a minute or two and I slid down a bit on my backside till I got past this really nasty bit in the chute (Well its all really nasty really). Never mind its only about 5km back to the campsite. I was very careful the rest of the way down to the bottom of the chute. Nearer the bottom its a bit like moon walking as the loose rock comes along with your feet. Very happy to be at the bottom of the chute. Took me about an hour to walk back down to the campsite. I had been drinking quite a lot throughout the day and ran out of water on the way down to the campsite.
Getting back late evening to the campsite. Mrs waiting at the gate to meet me as she had seen me coming down from the beach she was walking on. Usual what have you done now? as I was limping, anyway headed for the showers for a clean up. Campsite has power showers now - ace.
Supper time next cooked up camp food, rice boil in the bag not out of date like the last one. Camp foods not the best but ate it any way.
The wind had dropped and the fly's and damn midges had started finished my supper in the car.
Into tent and read for a while Clarkson - I Know You Got Soul, very good at putting you to sleep. It is quite an interesting book if you like things that move with engines. Clarkson style. I was also playing kill the midges in the tent.
Campsites very quiet places? Aye right! there was a farmer in the field next to us bailing hay till 11pm. and then the rooks were squawking 1/2 the night not to mention the guy who snored a lot in the next tent.
At 5am the heavens opened and it chucked it down but the new tents water proof thankfully. Clarkson to the rescue as I was now wide awake. After a while the rain stopped and decided to make a bid for the toilet block 50m away. Got out of the tent to be ambushed by the dreaded midges and as I was legging it to the toilet block looked down at my arms to see that they were covered in midges. Swept them away and made it to the toilet block closely followed by a cloud of hungry female midges thinking I was their breakfast.
Now the toilet block had a combination lock on the door which I had trouble with the day before and I had had to get the woman from the campsite down to get it open. Yep the damn door would not open, this was about 6am so there was no one about yet - remembered about lifting the handle before entering the code and that worked. Legged it back to the tent and played kill the midge again and finished Clarkson's book.
The campsite began to waken up and I could hear that snore a lot was on the go. Breakfast next - you could just imagine being served by a waiter here and him asking would you like midges with that sir? They were in the tea and in the flakes too. Got the kettle boiled while doing the midge shuffle scratch, scratch here scratch, scratch there, along with the rest of the campsite who were trying to cook up some breakfast. Got the tea made and drank it on the run. No wind this morning and it had rained so perfect midge weather. Into the car to get away from the little sods. P.S. camping is fun??
Decision time. Now I was intending going back up to Sgurr Mhic Choinnich today and climb it but my leg below my knee was very sore and bruised so I did not think I would get up it. Also the cloud had come right down, but that's normal for the Cuillins. Checking the map saw there was a ferry crossing from Armadale to Mallaig but not sure if it ran on a Sunday. Headed off to see the woman who ran the campsite, via the toilet block - door opened first time and I found where all the blokes were hiding from the midges. Had a chat and gained some good info about routes up the Cuillins.
Headed to the camp shop to see the woman who runs the site about ferries.
After she pulled out nearly every book she had she came across a timetable from last year. Score it's a freephone number for Cal Mac.
Used the pay phone at campsite as mobiles don't get reception here, got through to Cal Mac and enquired about the ferry. There are 6 sailings a day, round about every 2 hours. Back to the car to check with the Mrs, ok lets go for it as none off us had been to Mallaig. Put on my midge net along with just about every one else on the campsite and ventured out of the car to take down the tent. It was not raining at this point.
Got all the pegs pulled out and the over cover off and was beginning to remove the support poles from the inner tent when the heavens opened. About 30 seconds later I had the tent rolled up and bagged up anyway. Now as I was taking my tent down my midge fan club was attacking my back, unbeknown to me Mrs took a pic the dots are midges not rain.
Into the car and played kill the midge again.
Headed off for the ferry at 1.30 from Armadale. As we were making our way down the east side of Skye the heavens opened and I was glad I had not gone climbing. Passed a few touring cyclists who were getting soaked and a few walkers looking for a lift, even saw 3 bikers hiding in a bus shelter out of the rain.
Turned off just after Broadford for the ferry at Armadale, which is about 15 miles down the road. When we arrived at Armadale it was a nice day and no midges, this was around 11.30am , went and bought the tickets for the ferry £29.60 for both of us and the car. Its about a 25 to 30 min crossing on the ferry or travel around 137 miles by road to Mallaig - take your pick. There are a few nice shops at the harbour area to spend your cash in, with friendly staff and a there's also a lovely pottery (Mrs' opinion!) . Prioritised my purchase to a cup of tea for £1 at the little cafe and sat outside on the seats.
Mrs went to explore the clothes shop behind the cafe. Tea drunk set of to find Mrs in the clothes shop, found her browsing the clothes, nice stuff but not cheap. Now I got a text at this point and my text ring is roughly a bit like a fighter jet going past and as my pal's will tell you it can scare the bejesus out of you. The girls in the shop said nice ring tone. Went in to a pottery to have a look round first piece I saw was £300 - ouch. I studied an information bit about the potter woman who had the shop and found she had come from Melbourne Japan
My Mrs found two pieces that she liked, now a woman trying to make up here mind - but it was ok we still had an hour till the ferry. Probably get a scolding when she reads this Lol.
Anyhow she settled on a beaker at £16, phew.
Went to the counter to pay and the lady who ran the shop came over. My wife asked her where she came from and I butted in Melbourne Melbourne
I took a few pics of the ferry as it arrived at about 1.15.
Got onto the ferry and out of the car and went up to the passenger compartments to get a seat till we left. After the ferry departed we made a move up to the top deck out side bow end of the ferry. Took a few pics
There were a few people up there taking pics. 2 young Asian couples were taking pics of each other. One of them had the camera and firstly asked the young man of the other couple who were posing against the railing on the deck to take off his sun glasses for the shot. Then he got him and his partner to take of there jackets for the shot. Now it was not warm on the deck with the sea breeze and ship doing about 20 knots as well. The young girl just had a thin top on and the guy a tee shirt so he was quite cold as well. Then the guy with the camera tried to get the other guy to take his tee shirt off. But he would not. There had been a bit of whispering going on between the two with the camera and were up to high jinks. Next thing the two with the camera leg it with the other two's jackets as a joke, closely pursed by the other two from the railing. We did not see if they caught up with them as they disappeared into ship.
It was quite funny though.
There was an other young couple behind they had asked the Mrs if she would take a picture of them. Next thing she's pointing them in my direction with their camera, got them to stand at the railings to get the centre mast in the shot and The Sound Of Sleat with Mallaig in the distance, they seemed happy with the shot. As we got nearer Mallaig took a few more shots of the houses and the harbour as we came in.
The announcement came over the p.a. for drivers to go back to their cars just as we entered the harbour mouth. This is the bit I don't like sitting in the car while the ferry is still moving with no reference point to see from the hold. Always feel queasy at this point. The ferry trip is only 25-30 min or so and we had been out in the fresh air so that was no problem. Anyway it was not long before the bow door opened and we were told to exit.
Malliag is not that big. After driving through the harbour we turned left up what I would call the High Street, there were people everywhere it was very busy. The High Street ends quite quickly. So did a u turn here and headed in the direction of Fort William
The railway runs to Mallaig and we had noticed red older coaches at the platform. I had said to the Mrs it could be the steam train which runs along the line (Fort William
As we passed the station we could see that it was indeed the Jacobite steam train and the passengers were heading back to their coaches. I noticed that there was a car park to our right so I drove in and got a parking space. We went over to the fence along side the railway at the opposites side of the road and got a good view of the whole train and we took some pics.
With that I figured out that the train was about to leave so I moved further along the line where the chain link fence was only a few feet high and managed to videoe the train leaving.
I have it on my youtube site - link above.
Magic watching a black 5 steam loco moving out of the station, this was a real bonus for us. Must go on it some day.
Back to car and set off to find the silver sands of Morar. The road follows the railway line and we could see smoke from the train up ahead as we went along the road. I was driving around 50-55mph but we did not seem to be catching the train up.
After about 6 miles we came on a junction for Morar but I was not sure if I should stay on the main road or turn into the junction. Left it is then and turned in the road it climbed up steep way to the little village and sitting at the station was the Jacobite train. Parked the car and walked up to the open level crossing in front of us. Got the camera videoing as the train left the station with me standing right next to the line at the level crossing.
Link to video.
Having good luck today seeing the train twice. The train was soon out of sight and all we could see was the smoke from the funnel.
Had a look round the station and jumped back in to car to find the silver sands.
Drove back to the main road and found the sign telling you they were just across the other side of the main road. Parked the car and headed down on to the sand (don't look silver to me). Had a walk along the sands for a good way but turned after finding bog roll on the sands. There must be an outlet from a septic tank near that bit and it stinks. But the first bit of the sands was ok.
Back to car and headed for Fort William
Stopped in a lay-by further down the road and got the stove out to make a cup of tea and to have a break from driving.
Refreshed after my stop set off towards Fort William Ben Nevis today as the cloud was right down on it. Turned left at FW and headed for Spean Bridge
Sure enough we got a 40mile an hourer to follow with 2 cars in front of us all the way to Spean Bridge Spean Bridge
Fed and watered headed for Tomintoul where there is a real good ice cream shop. But just after you have had a burger and chips it might be a bit much. It was shut so I did not get my ice cream, darn. Mind you I probably would have regretted eating it anyway.
Headed over the Lecht for home.
Best job still to come - unpack the car! That took a while. Slept well in my own bed that night.
The end.
Link to Flicker.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dino60/
P.S.
My leg had recovered enough for me to go with my pal Graham on a 10mile walk on Tuesday bagging a Corbett and a couple of tops up the Lecht.
(This was my way of checking out if my leg would be fit enough to do The Glen Sheil ridge 30km over 7 Munro's on Thursday.) Which we did do.
Coming soon Glen Sheil walk - well soon-ish.
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