A'Chralaig and Mullach Fraoch-choire.

Loch Cluanie and south Glen Shiel from ascent of A'Chralaig

We set off from the car at 9am in sunshine, with sharp, clear views across Loch Cluanie, and walked the short distance to An Caorann Mor track. We were watching for any sort of path up the steep grassy slopes of A'Chralaig, but could see no sign (on our return we saw a small cairn and a faint path running through the undergrowth that had been hidden by a parked camper-van in the morning !! - wasn't much of a path anyway),

Rafe at the start of the ascent above An Caorann Mor

We followed the main Glen track for about 250 m before striking off east up the open pathless hillside beside where the Allt a'Bhruie cut into the flanks of the hill.

Allt a'Bhruie, as we ascend A'Chralaig

The going was rough, steep and long, the improving views and the waterfalls in the gorge gave us plenty to distract us from the heart pumping ascent. Along with a golden eagle soaring over us, close in the south, spooking a couple of ptarmigan from their feeding.

Views to Loch Cluanie and beyond from near A'Chralaig

Views west from near A'Chralaig summit

After 800m or so of steep grind we topped out on the summit ridge at about 1050m, just south of the first Munro. A photo fest then took place, the views were tremendous, including a massive cornice hanging from A'Chralaig.

Views north to A'Chralaig summit

Jim ascends A'Chralaig

Jim at A'Chralaig summit

A short walk took us to the summit of A'Chralaig, at 1120m, the highest of the day, the hill meeting glorious blue skies and offering us a view of the rest of the days walk to come to the north, a great ridge, with a surprising amount of snow.

A'Chralaig summit cairn (1120m)

Jim and Rafe on the descent from A'Chralaig - Views to Mullach Fraoch-choire

Looking back to A'Chralaig

We had our first lunch just north of the summit, amongst rocks, out of the rather chilly wind.

Rafe - a good place for lunch, below A'Chralaig summit

We continued north along the ridge with cornice hanging from every eastern and northern edge, occasionally spilling right over the ridge, causing consternation on occasion.

Jim - the walk to Stob Coire na Cralaig

Rafe and Jim - across the snow to
Stob Coire na Cralaig and Mullach Fraoch-choire

Looking back to A'Chralaig from Stob Coire na Cralaig

We passed over Stob Coire na Cralaig, a Munro Top at 1008m and the views north east to the Na Geurdain ridge caused excitement (Jim) and fear (me) in equal measure.

Mullach Fraoch-choire and Na Geurdain ridge

Rafe - Mullach Fraoch-choire and Na Geurdain ridge

We passed Coire Odhar Bealach and the ridge narrowed as we neared the pinnacles of Na Geurdain.

A'Chralaig and Stob Coire na Cralaig

Na Geurdain ridge

Jim was off up the first pinnacle with Rafe before I even got to the base. We soon saw that Rafe would not be going over the tops and we retired to the "wimps path".

On Mullach Fraoch-choire

This proved to be anything but a wimps path, as there was quite a bit of snow and ice to be negotiated or avoided, which meant leaving the path for a touch of hairy scrambling, but we all survived, even our excited dog !

Mullach Fraoch-choire summit shelter (1102m)

The summit of Mullach Fraoch-choire at 1102m was the second Munro of the day and had a massive snow drift over the eastern side of the summit plateau, almost covering the rocks of the storm shelter.

A'Chralaig and Stob Coire na Cralaig from Mullach Fraoch-choire

It had clouded over and a few flakes of snow were falling as we took our summit photographs and this increased as we made our return through the pinnacles, the rocks appearing less intimidating the second time around.

A'Chralaig and Stob Coire na Cralaig Na Geurdain ridge

We met the first other walkers of the day at Bealach Coire Odhar, who asked about the conditions above, before heading off up there themselves. The snow shower had stopped by the time we headed off into Coire Odhar, a short steep scree descent, before a couple of wide and still quite steep snow fields, ice axes out - good fun. Jim pushed his walking pole into the snow right up to the handle without reaching the ground below.

Jim - Descent into Coire Odhar

We headed east and then into the south as we descended around the flanks of Stob Coire na Cralaig, through the pathless grass and bog to the rough path along An Caorann Mor. We had a second lunch beside a small waterfall, Rafe playing in the water whilst Jim and I watched a dipper by the burn.

Rafe plays in the burn, Coire Odhar

The path eventually improved as we tramped south and our speed increased, past herds of red deer bounding over the river and up the hillside away from the scent of Rafe (we assume). We arrived back at the car just as it started to rain.

An Caorann Mor, looking north

Route: Car park on A87 east of Cluanie Inn (NH092121), 250m E along the road, N onto path signposted Glen Affric along An Caorann Mor, 250m, before heading NE onto pathless steep terrain choosing suitable route to ridge (we followed S of Allt a'Bhruie), N along fidge, 1037m spot height, 1051m spot height, A'Chralaig (Munro 33, 1120m), Stob Coire na Cralaig (Munro Top 75, 1008m), Coire Odhar bealach, Na Geurdain ridge, Mullach Fraoch-choire (Munro 49, 1102m), return south to Coire Odhar bealach over ridge, fp NE into Coire Odhar, E then SE on pathless terrain into An Caorann Mor and return to start along rough track and W along road.

Red deer in An Caorann Mor

Statistics:  Distance: 13km  Ascent: 1150m  Time: 7hrs 15mins

Tom a'Choinich and Toll Creagach.

Rafe - Gleann nam Fiadh 

We set off with high hopes, following an excellent weather forecast. The mist around the tops rapidly dispersing as we ascended, as predicted by the experts.

Abhainn Gleann nam Fiadh 

Abhainn Gleann nam Fiadh 

A 3km walk in, along Gleann nam Fiadh, through Caledonian pinewoods and past waterfalls, swollen by recent snow melt passed the time quickly.

Abhainn Gleann nam Fiadh 

Gleann nam Fiadh from beside Allt Toll Easa

Creag na h-inghinn on Tom a'Choinich

Rafe - Ascent of Creag na h-inghinn on Tom a'Choinich

We crossed the Allt Toll Easa without any difficulty and proceeded up the zig zags to the start of the "ridge" up Creag na h'inghinn, the south east ridge of our first Munro, Tom a'Choinich.

Looking down Creag na h-inghinn on Tom a'Choinich

Looking back to Creag na h-inghinn, Tom a'Choinich

We chased the last of the mist up the slopes, but never managed to catch it, and as the views expanded the sun came out and lit up the snow.

Cornice on Tom a'Choinich

Rafe was ordered away from the rather precarious looking cornice.

Rafe looks south from Tom a'Choinich

South of Tom a'Choinich

Cornice on Tom a'Choinich

Soth west from Tom a'Choinich

A golden eagle soared over across the hill, just to the south of us, wheeling around and down into the glen.

Rafe and Jim - Summit plateau, Tom a'Choinich

What a glorious day. The summit plateau of Tom a'Choinich gave us 360 degree views of snowy summits and blue skies all around.

Views north from Tom a'Choinich, Loch Mullardoch

Tom a'Choinich from descent to Bealach Toll Easa

We descended into Bealach Toll Easa via the only hairy moves of the day, and this only due to a bit of unavoidable snow on the steep and somewhat exposed path just below the summit.

Bealach Toll Easa to Loch Affric

Bealach Toll Easa lunchtime views - Loch Mullardoch

We had lunch just west of the bealach with views to the north over Loch Mullardoch and the mountains beyond.

Tom a'Choinich from ascent of Toll Creagach

Toll Creagach from the West Top

It was a bit of a trudge up to our second Munro of the day, a grassy bank with a Munro Top along the way and a wide expansive summit plateau.

Tom a'Choinich from Toll Creagach

Views south west from Toll Creagach

The views opened up again - with Ben Nevis out of the clouds to the south, with many, many hills in between.

Toll Creagach summit

Descent south fromToll Creagach

We dropped off the plateau, down the southern slopes on pathless terrain, seeming to lose height quickly, but it was quite a time before we reached Gleann nam Fiadh.

Descent to Gleann nam Fiadh 

Abhainn Gleann nam Fiadh 

We passed the waterfalls and the woods again, but this time sunlit, back to the start. We finished off the day with coffee and a cake at the Bog Cotton Cafe at the campsite.

Tom a'Choinich

Route:  Car park by Chisholm Bridge by Loch Beinn a'Mheadhoin (NH215242), follow Abhainn Gleann nam Fiadh along its glen, cross Allt Toll Easa before turning NE and following the path upstream. Creag na h-inghinn, Tom a Choinnich (Munro 41, 1112m), Bealach Toll Easa, Toll Creagach West Top (Munro Top 155, 951m), Toll Creagach (Munro 77, 1054m), south to Abhainn Gleann nam Fiadh path and return to start.

Tom a'Choinich from Gleann nam Fiadh 

Statistics:  Distance: 17km  Ascent: 1100m  Time: 6hrs30mins

Tom a'Choinich from Gleann nam Fiadh 

The Old Man of Stoer.

Point of Stoer Lighthouse

We set off from the lighthouse on a blustery cool day, but it was bright, with the sun threatening to break through. The walking was along the cliff tops, as close to the edge as we felt was safe.

Looking north from near the Point of Stoer Lighthouse

The going was rather boggy in places and we needed to make rather more detours than we liked, to avoid getting very wet feet (and possibly knees). Rafe ploughed on through everything as usual.

Waterfalls flowing upwards from near the Point of Stoer Lighthouse

The cliffs were magnificent. The water on heath above gave rise to cascading waterfalls over the rocks, some of them with the water flowing up, due to the south westerly blowing in.

North of the Point of Stoer Lighthouse

The Old Man of Stoer

As we gained our first glimpses of The Old Man, an exposed promontory seemed a good viewpoint and Jim trotted off, with Rafe in tow, across the rocks as if there wasn't a 100m drop below. I was more measured in my crossing of the ridge, ie, I crawled crabwise to the end, dreading every gust of wind.

Jim and Rafe dice with death near The Old Man of Stoer

But it did make for good photographs.

The Old Man of Stoer

The Old Man of Stoer

We continued on, over the clifftops, to The Old Man. A wonderful spot, with views along the North West coast and over to the Assynt hills.

Near The Old Man of Stoer

Point of Stoer Lighthouse

We returned along the coast, but further away from the cliffs, giving us wider views of the whole area.

Suilven from near Point of Stoer Lighthouse

We had a coffee and a cake at the Blue Tea Van at the lighthouse car park, lovely views and good conversation.

The Blue Tea Vans facebook page link

Canisp and Suilven

Route: Point of Stoer Lighthouse car park (NC004327), along the coast path north to The Old Man of Stoer. Return along cliff paths, but further from the edge, south to the start.

Statistics:  Distance: 6km  Ascent: 250m  Time: 1hr 45mins

Assynt Hills