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| Views west from the Glen Shiel car park (NN008135) - views to Forcan Ridge and Faochag |
Blue skies and snowy mountain tops, no wind and an excellent forecast. What could be better...
The Brothers Ridge, the Five Sisters little brother - three Munro's and a Munro top - was our walk for the day.
We thought we were getting an early start from the car park in Glen Shiel, but there were walkers on the hill ahead of us - this start point is for both the Sisters and Brothers walk and on a day like today, it was only to be expected.
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| The steep pull up from the Glen Shiel car park to Bealach an Lapain |
It was still full on winter on the tops, so with big packs and big boots, we headed off, heavily laden - no gentle walk in for this one - it's straight into a steep ascent.
But, as usual, steep means getting up there fast - we were soon on the open hillside, above the trees, the views opening up all around - glorious.
The path was rather rough and boggy, but obvious - it ran alongside the forestry plantation initially, then east around the top of this, before striking off, straight up the hillside towards the bealach.
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| Views west along Glen Shiel from ascent to Bealach an Lapain |
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| Views south east up Glen Shiel from ascent to Bealach an Lapain |
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| Red deer in Glen Shiel |
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| Saileag from Bealach an Lapain |
Once in Bealach na Lapain, we took a right, east, to The Brothers Ridge. Most of the other walkers had headed west towards the
Five Sisters of Kintail - we took a breather and watched them, tiny in the distance, giving perspective, as they wound their way up the Peak of the Spaniards.
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| The Five Sisters of Kintail - west from Bealach an Lapain |
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| Walkers ascend Sgurr nan Spainteach - views from Bealach an Lapain |
Onward and eastwards - we started our ascent towards our first Munro of the day Saileag.
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| The Five Sisters of Kintail from ascent of Saileag |
It was a reasonably gentle hill for starters - the snow increased with altitude, making progress a little harder, but we were soon nearing the top.
Rafe was bounding about, enjoying chucking the snow about and trying to catch it...
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| Jim - ascent of Saileag |
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| Rafe and Jim - ascent of Saileag |
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| Rafe and Jim near the summit of Saileag |
The views were just stupendous - clear and crisp - what a day!
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| The Brothers Ridge from Saileag |
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| The Five Sisters of Kintail from Saileag |
We very soon had our first Munro summit bag of the day - Saileag (Munro 204, 956m).
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| Rafe - Saileag summit (Munro 204, 956m) - views east along The Brothers Ridge |
The serried hills rolled to every horizon, washed with snow...
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| Views south west from Saileag |
The Brothers Ridge was laid out before us, a sinuous line of mountains rippling eastwards.
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| Jim and Rafe walking east along The Brothers Ridge |
On we go...
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| Views east along The Brothers Ridge, to Ciste Dhubh and into Glen Affric |
The pictures say it all.
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| Views east along The Brothers Ridge |
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| Jim and Rafe - The Brothers Ridge - views to Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg |
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| Jim and Rafe at the start of the ascent to Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg |
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| Looking back (west) to Saileag |
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| The Brothers Ridge - between Saileag and Sgurr a'Bhealaich |
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| Looking back (west) to Saileag |
The snow was in good condition for walking - we didn't need our crampons or axes at all through the walk - and apart from the pointiest bits, we could avoid the snow if needed!
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| Jim - Saileag/Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg ridge |
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| Views west over Kintail from The Brothers Ridge |
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| Views east to Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg from its West Top |
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| Views west from ascent of Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg |
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| Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg from bealach (NH025144) |
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| Glas-choire and Fionngleann from The Brothers Ridge |
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| Jim - Ascent of Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg |
We got tucked in, behind some handy rocks for a spot of lunch, just before the final pull up to the second Munro. We were ready for a bite, and it was good to stop and breathe in the mountains.
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| Jim - ascent of Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg |
We continued along the ridge, superlative hill walking - hardly dropping below 900m for 5km.
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| Looking back (west) along The Brothers Ridge from ascent of Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg |
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| Jim and Rafe - ascent of Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg |
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| Views west along The Brothers Ridge |
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| Jim - ascent of Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg |
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| Views east across Glen Shiel from The Brothers Ridge |
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| Views west from Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg ridge |
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| Jim and Rafe - Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg ridge |
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| Kintail from Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg |
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| Jim - nearing the summit of Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg |
When the second Munro summit - Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg - came into view, it looked fairly hairy! The high point was at the end of a northern spur, a narrow arete with a snowy drystone wall along the top!
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| Jim and Rafe - Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg - views east |
Heart pumping stuff - but wow! Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg (Munro 96, 1038m) - the highest point of the day.
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| Jim - Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg summit (Munro 96, 1038m) |
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Rafe and Polly on the narrow northern spur of
Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg's summit |
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| Jim and Rafe - descent from Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg - views east to Aonach Meadhoin |
We continued on, east along the ridge.
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Rafe and Jim
Bealach between Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg and Aonach Meadhoin |
There were some clouds rolling in, but happily for us, they were well above the mountain tops - and the views were still sharp and clear.
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| Views south from The Brothers Ridge |
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| Jim - views west to Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg |
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| Jim - ascent of Aonach Meadhoin |
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| Jim - Aonach Meadhoin ridge |
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| Jim - Aonach Meadhoin ridge |
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| Looking back (west) along Aonach Meadhoin ridge |
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| Looking back (west) to Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg |
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| Jim and Rafe - nearing Aonach Meadhoin summit |
We were soon climbing to our final Munro of the day - Aonach Meadhoin (Munro 135, 100m) - still enjoying every moment!
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| Jim - Aonach Meadhoin summit (Munro 135, 1001m) - views south east |
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| Jim - Aonach Meadhoin summit - views east |
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Jim - descent from Aonach Meadhoin
Views to Sgurr an Fhuarail |
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| Looking back to Aonach Meadhoin |
There was still some way to go...
A Munro Top, descent into the coire and a 5km road walk back to that start. We needed to keep moving.
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| Jim - ascent of Sgurr an Fhuarail |
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| Looking back (west to Aonach Meadhoin and Kintail |
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| Looking back to Aonach Meadhoin and Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg |
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| Jim and Rafe near Sgurr an Fhuarail summit |
There was plenty of the white stuff on the last summit - Sgurr an Fhuarail (Munro Top 98, 987m) - and the views didn't disappoint. We spent a few minutes taking in the scene before starting our descent. Although we were starting to feel tired, we really didn't want to head down.
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| Sgurr an Fhuarail - views east |
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| Jim and Rafe - Sgurr an Fhuarail summit (Munro Top 98, 987m) |
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| Views back (west) along The Brothers Ridge from Sgurr an Fhuarail |
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| Descent from Sgurr an Fhuarail - views back along The Brothers Ridge |
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| Loch Cluanie from descent from Sgurr an Fhuarail |
Once off the rocky summit, we made good time descending into the bealach. The snow field diminished quickly and we were soon on a grassy trod...
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| Jim - descent along Sgurr an Fhuarail South East Ridge |
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| Coire na Cadha and the South Glen Shiel Ridge from Sgurr an Fhuarail South East Ridge |
At the bealach between Sgurr an Fhuarail and the next hill on the ridge (sh 854m) we dropped off the ridge into Coire na Cadha, a pathless descent to the coire floor.
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Looking back to Aonach Meadhoin and Sgurr an Fhuarail
from descent on south east ridge |
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| Jim and Rafe - descent into Coire na Cadna |
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| Sheepfold in Coire na Cadha (NH054122) |
We had another lunch propped up against the wall of a sheepfold, looking back up into the hills, above the very lovely Steall Bhan waterfall - hardly able to believe that we had been up there, only a short time before.
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| Steall Bhan - Coire Cadha |
We had been readying ourselves for the road walk - expecting it to be a chore, especially in our winter boots...
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| Jim and Rafe - Coire Cadha - nearing the A87 |
But it really wasn't that bad - all downhill - and the verge was wide with short grass for the most part. We were still smiling about our wonderful day when we got back to the car - but it was a relief to get the boots off!
A great day.
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| Views west from the Glen Shiel car park - views to Forcan Ridge and Faochag |
Route: Car park on A87 (NH008135), steeply N up indistinct path parallel to eastern forestry plantation, at the top of the plantation contour E around fence on path for 50m and then turn N at small cairn steeply up another path, initially indistinct, to Bealach an Lapain (NH010145), E along ridge (path) to Saileag (Munro 204, 956m), E to Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg West Top (911m), E to sh 1030m, NE along arete to Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg (Munro 96, 1038m), return to sh 1030m, SE to bealach (sh 827m), E along ridge to Aonach Meadhoin (Munro 135, 1001m), E to Sgurr an Fhuarail (Munro Top 98, 987m), SE to Shurr an Fhuarail South Top (854m), descend steeply to sheepfold (NH054123), path S to A87 at corner of forestry plantation (NH055114), follow A87 to start.
Statistics: Distance: 16.5km Ascent: 1220m Time: 8.30 hours
Saileag
Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg
Aonach Meadhoin
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