Sgorr Choinnich

The forecast was better for today, so we toyed with the idea of hiring bikes to get up to Bidein a’ Choire Sheasgaich and Lurg Mhor via Attadale, but decided in the end that this was too much bother and expense and settled on "the two closer ones" on foot all the way - Sgurr Choinnich and Sgurr a’ Chaorachain. At ten past ten we set off up the track to Pollan Buidhe, which was right next to Gerry’s Hostel. It was very good going and a nice walk, but the hills we were heading for were depressingly hidden in cloud.

We crossed the Allt a’ Chonais at the wire bridge, which lent a bit of spice and some photo opportunities to the walk, then we headed up the stalkers’ path into the mist.

However, as we reached the Bealach Bhearnais and started hunting around for the right ridge to follow, it became clear that the dense mist was confined to the side of the hill we had come up, and we began to get views down into Bealach Crudhain towards Loch Monar, which we couldn’t quite see from there. We sat and had lunch enjoying this, while the mist came and went.

Then we set off up the ridge of Sgurr Choinnich which was gradually clearing as we climbed. We were also getting nice views over to Beinn Tharsuinn.

Watching the mist coming and going on Beinn Tharsuinn

A view down to Loch Monar from the ridge

It looked for a while like it could turn into another day like Tuesday on Sgorr Ruadh, but then we caught up with the mist again, then reached the summit of Sgurr Choinnich. The tiny cairn fooled us into thinking there was something else further on, but when we reached the end of the ridge we suddenly got great views and sunshine again, and could see we’d gone past the summit.

We hung around there for a while enjoying the views and contemplating the climb up Sgurr a’Chaorachain.

Patches of sunshine on Pollan Buidhe

Then we started down to the col, and climbed quite quickly up the other side to reach the summit of Sgurr a’ Chaorachain. This was Howard’s Number 100 and Isdale duly produced a miniature bottle of whisky to celebrate.

We then decided that we would all accompany Isdale on the easy stroll over to Bidein an Ẹin Deirg, Sgurr a’ Chaorachain’s outlying Top, but we managed to convince Howard that trying to reach Maoile Lunndaidh was out of the question! The walk over was pleasant, but the mist was still coming and going. Pictured here is Bidein an Ẹin Deirg, I think.

On the return from Bidein an Ẹin Deirg

We then had to return to Sgurr a’ Chaorachain, which was now back in mist, then headed down the north ridge at a fairly easy angle, before dropping off north-west very steeply. Alasdair actually fell a few metres and grazed his nose, after which everyone began to go very carefully!

Originally we intended to cross the Allt a’ Chonais by the wire bridge again, but we were quite a bit further east now, so I went down ahead and found that the stream was easily jumpable, so that we could get back on the track a bit sooner.

So we crossed the stream, and after a short stop we stomped off down the track at a fast pace.

We arrived back at Gerry’s Hostel at 7.35 and had dinner cooked by Howard. I got as packed up as I could, said my farewells to everyone and retired to bed, intending to make an early start in the morning before anyone else was up.