Sgurr nan Gillian Skye

Pinn done - what next to finish the day off?

A trip to Neist Point, where there's a B&B for the fit on the westerly most point of Skye. It's a bit of a hike up to Neish Point lighthouse, it's about 1/2 a mile + from where you park the car.

Down hill to start with but the way back ups a steep path.  We had a walk down to the light house which is a B&B and also self catering, the only thing is you have to lug all your gear down to it. Just for fun I bagged the mini Munro as I called it 1/2 way down, felt the legs after the In Pinn climb in the morning.

                                               Druin nan Sgarbh 163m

It felt more like 900m to climb up. As it was early evening my wee pals were waiting to ambush me on the path back up to the car. I was out of breath but I didn't stop on the hill pulling myself along on the iron handrail so I could get away from the damn midge.

           The path back to the car parked on top of the cliff top with midge land in-between.

Went back to the Sligachan Hotel for a meal in the Long Bar and my pint of Guinness of course. Had a wee bit of a celebration on finally getting on the In Pinn. Fed and watered retired to my trusty tent with the let down lilo.  Now I have a mummy sleeping bag and I always sleep with it upside down so to speak. The hood part above my head facing down so it covers my head rather than below my head. This proved to be a good idea that night as it was a clear starry night and the temperature in the tent dropped to a few degrees. I was cosy in my sleeping bag but could feel the cold on my face through the night. Slept not too badly only wakening a few times through the night. The campsite was quite busy and people were milling about till well after dark. The plan was to go home in the morning but I woke up to this sight at 6am.

                                        Sgurr nan Gillian, Am Basteir and Bruach na Frithe.

They were all basking in the early morning sun, Hmm go home now? don't be daft 3 more Skye Munro's dead ahead. Plan B, packed the rucksack with rope, harness and hard hat but ditched the waterproofs and spare gear to lighten the load and hoped it didn't rain. Big boots on today with stronger heels after yesterday. Left the campsite just after 7am and walked past the hotel, crossed the road for the path to Allt Dearg Beag it's  boggy at first till you get to the first bridge across Allt Dearg Mor.

                                              First bridge to cross.

Someone has built a really good bridge here for walkers to use and the good news is there's no Trolls under it.

  After you're across this bridge it's just short of 2km to the junction of the paths. Left to  Sgurr nan Gillean and straight on to Am Basteir and Bruach na Frithe. Quite a good path along here and a few nice pools in the burn you could soak your feet in. I was heading for Sgurr nan Gillean so I took the left turn  heading in to Coire Riabhach and another bridge to cross. Pirate style - walk the plank.

Guess what direction the path goes after this,  Yep starts heading upwards getting steeper and steeper as you ascend. A touch of cloud begining to form on the tops ahead,  I was hoping it would stay clear.

The left hand peak was my target and the path goes up the left hand side and then turns right up the ridge as you look at it in the photo.

You can just see the path heading off to the left of the shoulder with the mist starting to form.

As you get to the shoulder it starts to get steeper but still quite grassy and a bit of bog.

Once you're over the shoulder hang a right or west if you can't see where your going and in front of you will be this sleeping monster.

                                                Sgurr nan Gillean.

It doesn't look too bad from here but as you will see from the next photo it's great fun to climb. There is a path going so far up but it gets rocky and it's hard to find after a while.

The path near the bottom

Ahead lies a stepmaster 10,000 of a path. 2 steps forward but with 2 to 3 back in some bits. Had to get off and on to the bigger rocks at the side to make some progress in parts and it's very steep.

Step Master 10000.

That's the view looking back down - up is even better!

Rock on.

By the time I got to here the cloud was coming and going on the hills behind me Marsco and Blabheinn

Oh, ok I took this down the hill a bit.

By good luck the tops ahead were still clear of cloud. I had a wee bit of scrambling to come, funnily enough I did not get up here all that quickly as it was hard work climbing up through the rocks. As you get near the top it just keeps getting steeper and steeper with loose rock under foot.

Spot the path? It's sort of straight up the middle. Checked the map a few times to see if I was on the right path. Pretty sure they must have filmed a episode of Dr Who here as I am sure I've seen this place before. The cloud started to come down as I reached the base of the last and steepest part

I had taken a right turn near the top after seeing a trail of small cairns which I assumed would lead to the top. Later on that year I read an article in Trail magazine, saying whatever you do don't follow the cairns, hmm a bit late by then. Lol.

You can go left onto the ridge from Sgurr Beag and back along that way, the article had a bit about it but I'm sure there was scrambling that way too.

Sgurr Beag in the mist. You can see the ridge along.

Kept climbing up and it got a bit hairy towards the top and not being able to see what was down the way didn't help either, came to a very narrow ledge with loose stones and then a chimney to the top.

The top is up the V in the middle okay going up but I was not looking forward to coming back this way. I scrambled up the chimney which was not too bad although near vertical in places. Going up through here it felt like being back on the Pinn but with no rope and no guide.

There's a tricky bit just over the top of here with a bit of leaping to get across, right at the top and along to the top. It's a very narrow ridge with a big drop either side. Could not see the drop due to the cloud I was in, not far to the cairn after you make a right.

                                    Me at the top with a fantastic view of the Cuillin - not!  

                  With the mist down I pondered whether to go on to Am Basteir or not.

The route ahead in the photo below.

With not being able to see where I was going and only having a limited knowledge of what lay ahead. I knew there was an abseil down to An Basteir but could not see past the window ahead. Will I, won't I? time. The map is not much help here as to what's up ahead on the ridge. So I decided to go back the way I had come. I'll be back another day. Another advantage was my gps was on all the way up so had the snail trail on it to find my way back down in the mist.

 Photos taken I got my harness on as I intended to abseil the 30 foot chimney on the way down instead of scrambling all the way down. Had to climb down the first part of the chimney to where there was a big rock sticking out. Kicked the s*** out of it a few time to see if it would stay put - bonus it was rock solid. Got a sling out and fed it over the rock while doing a balancing act in the chimney. Took a few goes to get it round but I succeded in the end.  Got the rope out and fed it through the sling 50/50 and through the rope down the chimney it was attached to the sling by the way. For all you that thought I just chucked my rope away. Got the rope into the descender and clipped it into my harness. I use a prusik  loop as well down my left side as that's my best hand. It a bit of a faff  but makes a good hand brake as you abseil. This is the way I was taught to abseil and the person who taught me Alan Crichton in Aberdeen had his life saved by his prusik loop when he was abseiling abroad down a huge mountain, in a hurry didn't clip into the harness in the right place. Clipping into the nylon rings instead of the clipping loop, this only carries a few kg before braking.

Pretty sure he had a brown trouser moment when that happened, grade 5. But with the prusik loop being wound round the rope and clipped round the side of the harness he lived to tell me the tale. It also lets you let go of the rope if you want to take pictures or something.

                   Me using a prusik loop to abseil at Black Rock Gulch at Cove, Aberdeen.

Wandered off the main tale there, so back to the chimney. Got myself lowered down below the sling and abseiled down the chimney to the ledge at the bottom about 30 feet down. Didn't take long, I love abseiling in the wild so to speak.

                                                         I went that a way.

 I tried to get my brand new sling to flick off the rock with the rope but I'd made a good job of putting it round it and it's still there unless someone else retrieved it. Good job they're are a lot cheaper now only about £5. Recovered the rope by magic and packed everything into my rucksack, not light with rope, sling and harness plus food and water in it. Set off down the rocks. I could hear voices in the distance as I descended in the mist following the little cairns back down and when I came out of the mist I could see a few chaps along on the ridge at Sgurr Beag end. They seemed to be waiting to see if the mist would lift - could have had a long wait.  As I got further down  I came on a long curving cliff edge which did not look familiar and no obvious way down.

Trusty gps time, checked the snail trail I had gone too far down this bit so headed back up for the narrow gap I had come up through. It was a nice day when I got back down beside the burn and  along to the plank bridge, made my way back to the hotel for a pint of course.

 Did  n't enjoy that pint for some reason and I still don't like the Long Bar. Then we set off for home, took the north road up by Loch Carron as we had come via Glen Sheil this time. Got to the single track road after Strath Carron and you would have thought a football stadium had just come out the amount of cars we met. A few were not taking any prisoners either. We had to dive into the passing places to get out of their road a few times and as usual when we got to Auchnasheen and the double road not a soul to be seen! It always happens on that road. On to Inverness and headed down to Aviemore for the chip shop. You could get a burger and chips there for under £5 at that time don't know what it is now - Happy Haggis in Kingussie is a bit cheaper usually.

 Headed over the Lecht and home about 5 hours after leaving the Sligachan Hotel, with 2 more Skye Munro's bagged.

There seems to be more than my 2, 1/2 fans reading this rubbish 3, 1/2 even now so I'll just keep writing more rubbish for your torture.

Next time on rubbish writing Beinn Sgritheall, the lonely Munro.  

Please leave comments.

Dino60

            

The Inaccessible Pinnacle Skye, round 3 - The Prize.

The Inaccessible Pinnacle Skye, round 3 - The Prize.

Day one.

I had had news that I would be having the operation to fuse my right wrist together on the 18th of August 2010 and didn't think I could climb the In Pinn after that in my 50th year. I contacted Tony Hanley early one morning hoping to catch him before he went out. Oops he was still in his bed, he'd been out on the bash the night before lol. Any way I explained to Tony about me going into hospital on the 18th and could he fit me in before then. He was taking a party next weekend 7th or 8th of August 2010, I could just tag along with them, great. All down to the damn weather of course. The plan was to go to Skye after work on the Friday 6th and if I could get away sharp all the better.

  Camping at Sligachan again. Friday the 6th came and we set off around 4pm for Skye heading over the Lecht and on to Inverness on quite a tight timetable as it would be dark around 10pm.  Got on to the A9 heading north from Carbridge  and road works. They were putting in a overtaking lane and the traffic was at a stand still. Sat there for about 30 minutes till they tarred a bit in the middle of the road. Just what we needed.

   Eventually they let us through the road works and on to Inverness. Headed down by Loch Ness to Inver Morison and the road to Skye. The rain started and bucketed it down all through Glen Sheil absolutely piddling it down. Just what you want for camping, "not"! As we passed Cluanie Inn there was a chap trying to thumb a lift, just caught him out of the corner of my eye as we went past in the now torrential rain. I had ended up in a convoy of 4 cars and couldn't stop for the poor guy. Don't know where we'd have put him as the back of the car was full with camping gear etc.

 When we got onto Skye it was still raining hard, this would be fun putting up a tent in the p***ing rain, so it was a relief when we got to the camp site as the rain had stopped. I found a spot for the tent and put it up. Now the bold me had taken a double blow up lilo which fitted very snugly into my trusty old tent and of course I had to blow it up.

  I got into the tent with the foot pump and started pumping away inside the tent unfortunately as I was pumping my back side was rising up and down against the out side of the tent. This apparently caused  a couple to stop and look at this small tent going up and down in a rhythmic motion. I have no idea what they were thinking (MUCH). It took me about 15 minutes to get the lilo blown up to some kind of useable state and by this time I was boiling hot with a bright red face, so when I emerged from the tent with a bright red face I just don't what those people were thinking!!!

  What was worse is that when I went to go and sleep on the lilo  I didn't like it so I let all the air out and used it like  a ground mat, much more comfortable lol. Tent up and the warden paid we went over to the bar for a pint of course.

 I had texted Tony to let him know I was here and would meet him at the memorial hut in Glen Brittle the next morning at 9.30 ish.

  What is it about campsites? another snore alot here to keeping me from sleeping and of course the bloody midge were at it as usual.

Midge net at the ready I got up and made my way to the shower block to be attacked on the throne again - this is getting repetitive - little sods with big teeth.

 Got the breakfast made and a piece and coffee for the climb into the rucksack. Left the tent up as we were staying for two nights, set off for Glen Brittle.

  Got to the hut in Glen Brittle and there were two families here waiting for Tony. Ian's and Bill's + one other woman who's name I can't remember. Introduced myself to them and said I would be tagging along. They had camped at Glen Brittle camp site.

  Tony arrived and sorted out what gear every one would be needing, harnesses and climbing hats. I had my own which I was going to use.  Now I think it was Bill had forgotten to bring climbing boots and only had shoes. I offered him my spare pair of size 11,s but he had size 14 feet so no good. He just opted to climb in a pair of shoes.

 There were 3 teenagers with us too, two girls and a boy, a fair, old party then.

The only way from here is up again.

  Kitted out Tony led the way and I tucked in behind him at his nice steady pace as he likes to call it. The young girls soon slowed that down.

         

                        The start of the walk heading for the shoulder in the middle.

We made not too bad progress along the path which climbs steadily to the shoulder and then gets much steeper.  After a while the woman whose name I can't remember  dropped out and decided it was not for her and went back to the camp site for the day.

  The rest of us carried on to the shoulder.

      The shoulder, and as you can see from the photo this is where things get steeper.  Just near the top of the first pointy bit is a chimney you have to scramble up through, found it easy this time and we were soon all up past it. Stopped for a fly cup and something to eat just after that. There was another guide leading a party of 4 blokes up and they caught up with us. Tony seemed to let them get ahead as to time it so they would be on the pinn as we arrived. I spoke to one of them who was sweating a lot, he said " I have been having nightmares about this climb for two weeks". But he was determined to climb the Pinn.

                                               The other party just ahead of us.

  After our fly cup we set off up and the climb flattened out a bit, but not for long and then it gets rocky.

Scrambling ahead. Just ahead where it gets steeper is where we were stopped in April by the ice, not this time though. Tony led us up to the scrambling which was quite easy really with no ice to slip on.

You can just see the Great Stone chute in the distance, this is were we stopped last time. A wee bit of a drop as you go along here.

Tony led us along the side of Sgurr Deag which is pretty rocky with big drops so you have to do a bit of scrambling along here.

The gang making its way along the side of Sgurr Dearg.

A couple of interesting bits along the side of here, could be a bit hairy for anyone who didn't like heights.Show you on the way back down pics.

We were into the mist now but had our Guide to lead us. All of a sudden the In Pinn loomed up in front of us, woo hoo.

A very happy me with the In Pinn behind me. 

We dropped the packs and got harnesses on, Tony fixing slings to our harness for extra safety.  None of the ladies were coming up it would just be Bill, Ian, his son and me doing the climb. From the top of Sgurr Deag down to the base of the Pinn is very steep but not impossible. Would have been nice to have had a pole to steady myself on the way down.

The other party were already at the base as we set off.

 I'm afraid so - you have to go down there, the photo makes it look worse than it is. No I am kidding it's dead steep. Wouldn't have liked to go down there in the ice. You would have had to abseil it. When we reached the bottom the other party were started their climb and Tony got sorted out with a rope while the others made their ascent.

               Me with Tony in yellow behind me and the other party heading up here.

Tony started getting his rope ready making loops every so often to tie us in to. Ian's son was put at the very end of the rope or last as Tony said "I put the best climber here". I joked with Bill and Ian " I wonder who will be the worst at the front of the rope?" And guess who it was, I, me lol. After the others had cleared the first pitch as it's climbed in two pitches Tony set off up to get the rope anchored with the four of us tied in waiting.

                                              Tony setting off up the Pinn.

                                                   Follow that rope up.

 The very first bit is near vertical but with good hand and feet holds. Tony shouted for me to start climbing and I rattled up the first section no bother at all closely followed by Bill, Ian and his son. As you come up you have to take a right turn over a bit and then left to keep on the climbing track. I came to the worst bit where you have to scramble a vertical piece about 10 foot high with a few ledges, I managed to get my knee on to a ledge above me  and up I went only to get told off from Tony for using my knee, anyway I got up and had to stop for Bill, now if you remember size fourteen feet and wearing shoes. Bill had ground to a halt not being able to get a grip anywhere with his shoes. A wee pit of panic in his face Tony started to bawl at him to try and encourage him to get up the tricky bit. Tony said to me " You have to move over a bit in case I have to go back down for him". I was quite happy sitting where I was and had room to move over to let Tony down past. A lot of encouragement from Tony and Bill managed to scramble up but the other two breezed it with boots on. All stopped on a ledge Tony locked us in to a sling, small 1000 + foot drop behind us.

                                          Looking down you can just make out the bottom.

Tony climbed up the second pitch and shouted for me to come up. This bits a breeze, its a bit like a ladder and you soon rattle up to the top.

                                                      The second pitch.

We were all up at the top now and Tony sat us down till he set up his abseil.

                                         The others at the top of The Inaccessible Pinnacle.

                                                    Me on the Inaccessible Pinnacle.

The only way is down now by abseil, there are a few who go back down the way we came up but I don't fancy that much.  Ian's son was hooked up first for the abseil. Tony lowering him down all the way to the bottom.

                                           Ian's son starting down on the rope.

Some people climb up this way. If you don't like exposure to big drops this would be the way to come up but its a vertical rock climb to the top.

Tony hooked me up next for the abseil to the bottom.

That's my big backside facing you and part of the abseil or climb down but as you can see not all of it. The Skye guides maintain a chain round the base of the big stone for everyone so don't worry if your coming up here on your tod and looking for an anchor as it's permanent. Tony lowered me down to the bottom and I unhooked the rope. Good fun coming  down the rock face you just walk down leaning back in the harness.

Ian and Bill came down soon after followed by Tony abseiling down.

 Now the ladies had been sitting at the top of Sgurr Dearg in the mist and had got cold I had to lend Giovanna my spare fleece and my gloves out of my pack to get warmed up. Had a food break before we set off back down. Tony told me. "You could easily climb that yourself without a guide".   I might have a go some day. Of course it's better when you know there is a rope attached to you. Headed back down the same way we had come up along the scramble of Sgurr Deag.

The way down. There is another way back down a stone chute into Corie Lagan if you don't fancy this way. Quite an easy walk down only thing I had taken my old boots which have softer soles and was feeling the rocks under my feet quite badly by the time we got back to the hut in Glen Brittle.

Kept the best photo for last.

                 The little stick figure near the top is me on The Inaccessible Pinnacle, Skye.

You can see the bad bit just below the second figure that Bill got stuck at.

     People have nightmares about this climb but I did not find it all that bad. Heights don't bother me that much. I think all the hype about it makes it worse than it actually is. If you are not comfortable with the exposure up the long side get a guide to take you up the short steep side. If I come on a bit I think is too bad when I am out walking Ill look for another way round if there is one or abseil.

Brian got up to climb it in October 2010 on his own with Tony and did three routes up as they had plenty of time and it was a nice day. If you want to see Brian's photos of the In Pinn go here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44907198@N00/5097637541/in/set-72157625203172046/

 Graham has still to get up to date. I'm sure Brian and myself will drag him up here soon. Hopefully with Mike his brother too.

Please leave comments.

Next blog , day two in Skye, Sgurr Nan Gillian climb coming in a while.

Hope my 2 1/2  fans like this rubbish I write.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dino60/sets/72157623623376885/ my Skye photos.

Dino60

The Inaccessible Pinnacle round 2

The Inaccessible Pinnacle round 2

   Here we go again to Skye for another go at the In Pinn June 26th and 27th 2010.

This would be on a budget trip unlike our first foray to Skye earlier in the year. Camping at Sligachan hotel campsite this time.  The 3 of us off again - myself, Brian and Graham.  If I remember right we left in the afternoon so we would get to Skye in the evening or around 6-7pm ish. Usual pit stop in Tiso Inverness, yes eating again. Then over by Achnasheen stopping at the train station as the loos are always open.  Handy tip to remember, and then on to  Loch  Carron and Skye. As normal when you get to the 7 miles of single track road heaps of cars coming towards you. Got to the campsite and put up our tents. I had my trusty old 2 man tent and Graham was sharing a tent with Brian.

My little trusty tent in the foreground (now retired)  and Brian's tent behind.

 Got the tents up and headed over to the hotel long bar which was open at this time of year. Got a table and ordered food more or less the same menu as the last time but did not taste so good to me in this big open bar as it had in the hotel dining room. Still good though and about the same price. To tell you the truth I much preferred the hotel bar, there was no atmosphere in the long bar. The bar was quite busy when we went in and over against the  bar were Tony and Jonah the mountain guides. I had contacted Tony earlier in the week about going up the In Pinn  but as usual it would be all about the weather. I had said to Tony we would come up anyway and hope for the best.

The forecast was not good, high wind and rain coming in from the southwest.(Darn) not the word I wanted to use but we will keep it clean for now. We went over to see Tony and Jonah who seemed to be in a merry state - must have been celebrating something.  The In Pinn would be out due to the high winds. I had said to Tony " Yes it's going to be a tad windy ". Which the reply was "A tad!!!" repeated a few times. I think his merry state had exaggerate his reply. I suggested Sgurr Alistair to which he replied " No don't go there in the high winds". I then suggested Blabheinn to him. That would be ok in the wind.  We then received some directions from him as to the route. "When you get up to Corie Uaigneich look for a rock the size of a ****** house and take a right".  This is good information as Blabheinn has 2 tops and to get from the south top to the north is interesting - brown trouser factor 4-6 ish. The north top is the Munro summit. 

  We left the bar around 9.30pm and went back to the tents and  the warden appeared to get his £5 each for the campsite and as usual in Skye the damn midge were on the go. A fashion show of midge nets around the camp site.

                                  Graham and myself in our colourful midge nets.

 The toilet block has the lights on all night so that just attracts the little sods. Play dodge the midge when you have to go.  I decided to go into my tent and read for a while and the bold heros decided to go back to the pub, told me they were going for a walk. Graham and Brian that is.  Found out the next day they got chucked out in the end so the pub could close not sure what time that was. I was wakened through the night by loud snoring from a tent near me and I don't have a clue who it could have been (much).???? lol

                                                              Saumes Bar.

Got up early 5.30ish and headed to the shower block and my little pals were there waiting to ambush me when I ventured in. When you're tied to the throne the little b's seem to know it and have a go, better in the shower as they get washed away there.

Went for a shave and had to wash down the sink to clean the dead midges off first.

                                                The black dots are midges.

The three S's done left the toilet block and headed back to the tents.  Movement from my two buddies. Got the stove out and Brian got his stove out to cook bacon butties and fill the flasks, around 6 am now.

                                         Chef me cooking up the bacon for breakfast.

The other two seemed a bit rough this morning that's when I found out they had been in the bar till close. A few pints then you could say.

Breakfast and ablutions taken care of we packed up the tents and set off for Blabheinn.

 When we got to the car park it's a bit of a rough road so Graham and I jumped out to lighten the load as Brian drove in and parked.

Got kitted up in boots and so on and headed for the path.

It's a not too bad path alongside Allt na Dunaiche for about 2km, not that steep along here. We took turns walking in front and seemed to rattle along.

                                         Graham and Brian on the Blabheinn path.

After 2 km you get to the steeper bit and get views of things to come.

   Time to change down a gear as the path gets steeper. The path crosses Allt na Dunaiche and heads up in to Coire Uaigneich.  It more or less follows the burn up crossing it as you go up. As we climbed we kept debating at each really big rock if this was the ******* big rock Tony was on about with quite a bit of laughter as well.  After about 600m of up it levels out in to Coire Uaigneich  just to soften you up for the next bit. And this is where the ******* big rock the size of house is to be found. More like the size of a woman who lived in a shoe house. The path goes straight past the big rock but that will take you to the south top and enjoy getting back to the north top from there. Turn right or north just before the big rock and there is a faint path heading up and it's a very steep up. When is ever anything else on Skye, lol.

    Stopped just up a bit from the rock for elevenses. Yes, more food.

The mist was down onto the tops now but still clear where we were at about 420m.

Find a low range gear from here up 500m accent in just over 1km of walking / scrambling.

                             Graham making his way up the sort of path to Blabheinn north summit.

                    It gets steeper than this. Brian leading the way up through the rocks as we climbed.

                                                         Brian up ahead.

          Graham and myself acknowledging Brian's wise crack about something.

Into the gloom as we climbed higher getting colder. Graham on to Iphone checking route of a hill website as it kind of disappears as you go up.

We came across a huge gully to one side and of course the bold Brian had to investigate.

                                                   Ok that's just 1/2 of it.

                                            The other 1/2 of the picture.

Don't go down there. I think that's a one way trip down!

After passing this it's scrambling time up through a gully, not far to the top now and as we approached the top Brian and Graham stop short so as to let me get there first as I thought this was Munro 100 for me. Ok who can't count? Discovered later it was 103 oops. Forgot about the 2 in Glen Fishie. Ah well!!. So take no notice of the 100 sing on the photo.

Me at the top with a small drop behind in the mist - no I'm telling fibs it's huge. No glasses due to weather high winds and very wet mist rattling by. Took them off so I could see where I was going.

                Text time on Blabheinn,  and Graham remember to text wife!! As he nearly forgot.

                               Blabheinn summit cairn, what a view on a clear day. LOL.

Photos taken we headed back down the way we came. We had thought about going to the south cairn but decided against it as we could only see a short distance. Turned out to be a smart move. Just down from the cairn the path splits left and right and as we started down the right path with sod all visibility, debate time. I was for going back up a bit  and down the left path as that's the one we came up and we did not know what was down this path. The other two seemed to agree and we about turned and went down the left path with scrambling  just ahead. Go down through that not too bad and out into the clear, found the proper path down pretty steep and eroded on the way  back to the corie. Stopped for a break. Met a few people heading up when we got to the corie.

  Back into better weather down here.

                                                        Coire Uaigneich

As we got near the car we met a young woman from the John Muir trust who look after  this area. She tried to get us to join the trust but it's a bit far from home to Skye, over 200 miles each way. Got changed into car gear and Brian drove out of the car park and we jumped in. We had a really good walk up Blabheinn, its a hill I think we would all like to climb again on a good day. You never know.

Drove round to the other side of the loch near the cafe and stopped for one last look.

                                       Look the damn mist has lifted off the top, typical!

Homeward bound now Brian driving - no snow this time. Stopped at Eilean Donan castle again. Graham got his smoke break.

For a change it was decided that we would go home via Spean Bridge instead of Inverness.  Followed A87 till we got to the short cut to Invergarrie and turned off stopping at the view point at Loch Garry, for a short break.

                                              Looking over Loch Garrie.

We joined the A82 at Invergarrie and headed south for Spean Bridge and the turn off to Laggan. This is a busy road and its slow progress most days as there are few places you can pass the 40 mile an hourers.  The traffic was moving along fine till we got alongside Loch Lochy and we came on a traffic jam at a stand still, around 6 miles from Spean Bridge. There were a few cars going in the opposite direction but only now and again. After a while Iphone to the rescue as Graham texted his brother to see if he had heard anything about the road. Bad news a fatal crash near Spean Bridge and the traffic was not moving. Brian got the car turned round and we headed north, the cars going the other way must have been people who had about turned too, up the A82. We met a few police cars with blues and twos going rapidly in the other direction as we made our way north. A long way to Inverness, Mike Graham's brother had said there was a back road to the A9 at Fort Augustus. So we headed for that and some wear on the carpet below Graham's feet where he was trying hard to brake on the passenger side. Nothing new there - Brian's driving. I sat in the back quite happy.

Not a good road, single track most of the way across to the A9 at Daviot. Every time Brian caught up to a car he would encouraged them to get out of his way and for some peculiar reason they pulled into the side every time. You can work out yourselves how he achieved this. Lets just say he would be filling your rear view mirror. We don't now how this happed but it did. After what seemed like a long time on this road B851 we reached the A9 at Daviot phew!! Graham could relax his braking leg a bit on the A9 for a wee while. Aviemore next stop for chips. I know all we seem to do is eat, lol. Good chip shop in Aviemore with a few tables outside. We got our chips and sat outside to eat them, chips are always roasting hot here. One more very important stop after this on the way home. The Boat Inn, Boat Of Garten. This is where we always stop for a pint if we are coming home this way. Brian has a picture on Flicker with him sitting in a seat in the bar for every visit.

                                             The three heros at the Boat Inn.

It may have been this visit we discovered there was a big car park on a higher level as parking is all ways limited here. Unfortunately  you have to come down a set of steps which can be a tad painful after you have bagged a Munro and sat in the back of a car for 3 hours.  Liquid refreshment had, we set off for the drive over the Lecht and home just over an hour later. We all enjoyed this trip to Skye and the elusive IN PINN.

End of torture for now for my 2 1/2 fans.

Round 3, the prize - to come when I can be bothered.

Probably won't be that long now it's dark at around 7.00pm.

Dino60