Sunday 20 September 2009

Maol Chean-dearg (bald red head) 933m 14/09/09


Sometimes when we climb a Munro in Scotland we do so in very bad conditions so that we keep no photographic record other than a misty gloomy looking pair on top by a cairn. Often when we view the snapshot back home we wonder why we bothered, not so this trip!

We were lucky this time no doubt about it. I am only going to show you the best day today but I will see if I can post some more shots of the other 4 Munros we did later. We managed to climb 5 in five days with a day off on the 3rd day for Bella to rest her feet as she was licking them quite a bit and we like to look after her. So this was day 5 and our 5th Munro. The first piccie is us standing proudly on the top in superb visibility and that sky was really blue, so was Upper Loch Torridon far below us with Torridon village just visible. On the left is a Corbett called Beinn Damph. We climbed the hill on our own but on the way down we past first 2 people then a group of about 7 and then another 3 with one chap keen to take photos in the good clear air and who could blame him?

This is a shot of me walking along the track from Coulags at the start of the day it meandered through some very pretty birch woods by a lovely river called Fionn-abhainn


Here we have a view of the river and its bridge with just a wisp of cloud still clinging to the valley.





This next shot is of the Clach nan con-fionn a famous stone which legend says Fionn tethered his hunting dogs to. It reminds me of a smaller version of Napes Needle on Great Gable.





This is me climbing steadily towards the summit, we had to go over quite a lot of quartz and some fairly large boulders to reach the top, but not as bad as on the way up Scafell Pike thinks she.

Here is a shot of Pete and Bella on the summit plateau with Beinn Liath Mhor and Sgorr Ruadh in the background.


This last shot is of the bothy on the way up which at the time we thought was private and had to be booked but on the way down we met a 'Surveyor' who informed us that he had just been to measure the bothy for a new door and that it was open to anyone. He said pop in on the way down and take a look which we did. I can honestly say that it was one of the best I have seen. Wooden floors and walls and an upstairs with two larger rooms and one wee room which might have been reserved for the ladies......Two good sized downstairs rooms with a fireplace in each and a little bit of coal and kindling plus some night lights. So it could have been made cosy I expect, but I have never wanted to spend the night in one as I prefer a bed in a B & B but they serve a useful purpose and if caught out I would not hesitate to doss down in one.





3 comments:

rita said...

What wonderful days you've had up there in Scotland, Lyn, Pete and Bella! Do you want to make us jealous? You almost did, but the days in the Lakes were the same, splendid, brilliant, glorious days (OK, except one, but some rain is normal, isn't it?). I've very much enjoyed this time by participating some walks with Cathy and David, and they were really really good, simply perfect.

Would you like to have some pictures for the blog?

Well, it was a little bit of bad luck that you were in Scotland exactly the same time I stayed in Keswick, and of course I've missed you, however, not long until next time, see you in October then.

Bis bald!

Tess said...

Only one word to sum it up - WOW! Makes me green with envy. Most importantly, you've got sunshine!! Glad the weather seems to have held up for you, love the photos. Hope the holiday went well :-)

Lyn Armstrong said...

We have been sent quite a lot of pictures from when we were away which we need to post, so at the moment we have plenty thanks kira. Some of them were taken by Cathy when you were on the walks....

Also glad you enjoyed the report about Scotland Tess, we had a superb time.