An Teallach

I woke in Sail Mhor Croft Hostel and got up at about 6am. Looking out the window I could see hazy clouds in the sky but the weather looked promising. The hostel seemed to get busy very early on with people apparently trying to get an early start for one reason or another. Howard surfaced at about 7 but, unlike most of the other hostellers, we weren't in any particular hurry today so we waited until the kitchen had quietened down a bit before we had our breakfast. We spent some time reading up on An Teallach and especially the famous scrambling route over the Corrag Bhuidhe pinnacles. It all sounded a bit intimidating. We also looked into the various options for approaching An Teallach from Corrie Hallie.

After we'd finished our leisurely breakfast we drove back up the road to Corrie Hallie and got started walking at about 9.35. We had decided to follow the recommended route up Gleann Chaorachain again and then up the southeast ridge of Sail Liath. The sky was now cloudless once again. It seemed almost too good to be true - that is, until I realized that I had left my sun cream back at the hostel! Fortunately Howard had an ample supply so I didn't have anything to worry about.

The walk up the track seemed a lot easier now as we weren't carrying heavy packs any more. Of course we could have camped overnight somewhere near the top of the track instead of sleeping at the hostel and saved ourselves a few kilometres walking, but this would have meant carrying even heavier packs with an extra day's food in them. It would also have meant either traversing An Teallach with full packs (no thanks!) or somehow getting back to the campsite in the evening. No, the hostel and the extra walk was definitely the better plan.

The view across to Beinn a

Looking over Strath na Sealga to the Fisherfield hills

We found the cairn marking the route up onto Sail Liath, filled up our bottles with water, and started the climb. The path wasn't very distinct at first but became clearer further up the ridge. Parts of the ascent were quite bouldery and the route occasionally disappeared for a stretch. The path zigzags up the slope and so the ascent seemed fairly easy - perhaps our legs were just getting used to climbing Munros again!

The slope gradually eased and we reached a bump in the ridge only to see the real summit of Sail Liath some distance away. It was an easy walk however and when we got there it was some time after 12 - time for a first lunch.

It was now quite windy and we sat looking at the stupendous (not to mention scary!) view of Corrag Bhuidhe and discussed how we felt about scrambling over the crest. In the end we decided that since it wasn't actually necessary, and with the added hazard of gusting wind, we wouldn't even attempt it. Wimpish or wise? Hah! What a question...

We pushed on down for a short way, over Cadha Gobhach and then up the steep slopes of Corrag Bhuidhe, with the wind gusting quite strongly in places now.

Beinn Dearg Mór over Strath na Sealga

The eastern Fisherfield Munros

A glimpse down to Loch Toll an Lochain

The view up Gleann na Muice

Loch na Sealga, Beinn Dearg Bheag beyond

Looking back over Cadha Gobhlach

There are in fact a lot of paths criss-crossing up the slope of Corrag Bhuidhe which made it quite hard to watch out for the "bypass" path to the left. However, shortly before the way up began to look a lot trickier, we spotted a path that looked pretty obvious and went for it.

The bypass path was certainly obvious, though narrow, and easier than scrambling over "airy rock towers" in gusting wind, but it had it it's tricky passages as well. There were wonderful views across Strath na Sealga to the Fisherfield Munros and Gleann na Muice.

Gleann na Muice and the end of Loch na Sealga

We rounded a corner and could see a crowd of people on a pointed summit not far ahead, which we decided must be Sgurr Fiona. Again there seemed to be several paths so we just kept heading towards the summit, as the spectacular views of Corrag Bhuidhe and Lord Berkeley's Seat opened up behind us. From here you can see why the bypass path is on the west side of Corrag Bhuidhe and not the east!

By the time we reached the summit of Sgurr Fiona the crowd had moved on and we had it to ourselves for a while - time for a second lunch, again with fantastic views all around. It was still extremely windy as can be seen from my hair in this photo.

Loch Toll an Lochain

An Teallach has two Munros, Sgurr Fiona being the first of them that we had reached. Sgurr Fiona has no less than five subsidiary Tops. These are Sail Liath and Cadha Gobhach, which we had climbed, two more on the Corrag Bhuidhe crest, which we hadn't, and Sgurr Creag an Eich on a western spur seen in this photo, which we were also not planning to visit.

The second Munro is Bidein a' Ghlas Thuill, which at 1062m is 2m higher than Sgurr Fiona so should rightly be considered the 'real' summit of An Teallach. Our plan was now to continue on over Bidein a' Ghlas Thuill and then descend behind it into Glas Tholl and so return from there to Corrie Hallie.

The cliffs of Sgurr Fiona

We began the steep descent of Sgurr Fiona's northeast ridge, with once again multiple paths to choose from, and then continued on up towards the summit of Bidein a' Ghlas Thuill, with impressive views back to Sgurr Fiona and Corrag Bhuidhe.

Looking over Loch Toll an Lochain to Sàil Liath

Looking back to Corrag Bhuidhe and Sgurr Fiona

Howard pulled ahead as we climbed, which was nothing unusual, but we had loads of time today so I just tramped on up at my own pace enjoying another fantastic day and the stunning views all around.

At the summit of Bidein a' Ghlas Thuill we had another longish rest. However there was still quite a way to go, so eventually we pulled ourselves away and started on down, continuing along the ridge for some way at first. As usual, there seemed to be multiple paths descending on the left side of the ridge but it was mostly easy going even without a path.

When we got to the bealach we discovered that the steep descent into Glas Tholl was in fact full of snow. There were steps to the right of the snowfield left by others who had been up and down so I carefully edged my way down, turning to go backwards after a bit, which felt safer. Howard meanwhile was putting on his gaiters. He then came down using a completely different technique, going forwards and digging his heels into the snow. He was almost running and using the wind, which was very strong up from the corrie, as a brake. It looked dangerous to me, and sure enough, he ended up in what he described afterwards as "a somewhat uncontrolled slide", but fortunately he managed to steer himself into a soft landing at the side of the snowfield, a few metres below me.

Looking back up Glas Tholl

On we went, out of the snow now and down a steep but very clear path into the flat corrie bottom. The path continued clearly and from there it was just a long and very pleasant tramp down towards the road in the afternoon sun.

Looking back to Bidein a

Glas Mheall Liath

Looking east to the Beinn Dearg range

Waterfall on the return to Corrie Hallie

The descent to Corrie Hallie

At the bottom near the road I was ahead, hoping to reach the car well before Howard and so save him the trouble of the 1km walk back up the road to where the car was parked. However just as I was nearing the road the path plunged into dense rhododendrons, but seemed to continue on through them, narrow at times. I then emerged into a very boggy open space, then it was back into the rhododendrons, suspecting by now that I was no longer on the main path at all. There was more deep bog just near the river and finally I came out onto the road. From there I had just a short walk back up to the car, with Howard appearing not far behind me.

On the way back to the hostel we visited the "Dundonnell Stores" (which was actually some way past the hostel) to buy filter coffee, which I had somehow forgotten to bring, and rolls for the following day. We then returned to the hostel for "afternoon tea" of toasted scones, coffee and millionaire shortbread. Soon after this we moved straight on to dinner which was Chicken Tikka Masala and rice again. We sat in the common room and read while a party from Yorkshire were having a huge and elaborate meal they had cooked. Outside there was a beautiful sunset over Little Loch Broom which provided one last photo opportunity of the day. We got to bed before 10. We planned to climb Slioch the following day, moving on to a hostel at Kinlochewe or Achnasheen.