Club members were treated to the usual mixed Skye weather: strong winds on Friday, fair-to-middling conditions on Saturday, and by Sunday, deluges of rain accompanied by yet more wind. The recently shorn sheep were none too impressed.
Friday 4th September
The only two members to report anything of note en route on Friday, when conditions were clear but decidedly windy, were Evelyne Droege and Tim Spencer. Evelyne stopped at Plockton for a woodland and coastal walk to Duncraig Castle, enjoying fine views back towards Plockton.
Tim, meanwhile, walked up Plockton Crags from Loch Achaidh na h-Inich via the hill fort at Sean Chreag. The word windy featured in his report too, presumably in relation to the weather.
Saturday 5th September
Saturday brought adventures aplenty and even an appearance from the sun, although the Cuillin ridge itself remained largely in cloud, particularly towards the south.
Alison, Drummond, and Evelyne set off together for Coire Lagan. Mindful of injuries, Evelyne opted for a gentler day, while Alison and Drummond continued towards the Great Stone Chute and Sgùrr Alasdair. Club stalwart Drummond had been up Sgùrr Alisdair and the infamous chute before, though he had forgotten quite what a hard slog it was. This was Alison’s third attempt, having previously concluded that a steep chute full of moving scree surely couldn’t be the intended route. It turns out it was.
Up they trudged, scrambled and occasionally slid, helped by a following wind, before sheltering for a quick sandwich at the top of the chute. Following Tim’s succinct directions of “turn right”, they duly did and scrambled on to the summit. Fortunately for Alison, it was shrouded in mist, concealing most of the alarming bits; Drummond calmly led the way. A fit young German couple in shorts nevertheless overtook them. Summit photos were duly taken, Alison firmly attached to a rock, before they descended the same way and emerged from Coire Lagan into sunshine. Drummond has no intention of doing the route again. Alison won’t rush to do it again, either.
Evelyne, meanwhile, enjoyed her walk up to Coire Lagan, although by the time she arrived it was in cloud and decidedly chilly. Her reward was a sunny descent with some excellent views.
Tim headed off solo for Sgùrr Dearg via the West Ridge. Conditions were again misty and windy or as Tim described them, “damp and greasy”. He went as far as the Bealach Banachdich before heading down via the usual gully through the coire.
Joe Watkins, Jule Enke, and Phil Coppin also set their sights on Sgùrr Dearg, ascending via the western ridge. Damp conditions at the In Pinn proved sufficiently uninviting, so they bailed, descended the horrible slabs to the top of the An Stac scree and instead ascended Sgùrr Mhic Choinnich where they were rewarded with no views whatsoever. Typical Cuillins.
Emily Wallace and Tim McDonough ventured further north, Emily having aspirations to climb the Basteir Tooth. This being Tim’s first outing in the Cuillins, he was apparently easily persuaded. From Sligachan they walked into Coire a Bhasteir, headed for the saddle at Meall Odhar and gained the ridge at Bealach nan Lice. Naismith’s Route was damp, so three pitches were called for. The handholds were wet and slippery, adding a little extra interest, but they had great fun and even some excellent views.
Dan Moysey and Joe Glennie headed for Coir’ Uisg via the Bealach Coire Banachdich, returning by Bealach Glaic Moire. They ascended Coire Banachdich to the bealach via the path marked on the 1: 25,000 map, then descended by gully and scree towards the head of Loch Coruisk, occasionally finding cairns and the suggestion of a path. Turning north, they made for Bealach Glaic Moire, again finding intermittent traces of a path, before descending through Coire a Mhadaidh towards the Fairy pools. The coire was very impressive, its huge walls disappearing towards Sgùrr a Mhadaidh in the mist. They met their first people of the day at the bealach, and rather more inevitably, the usual hordes at the Fairy Pools. They had a long road walk back to the hut. Their appearance must have been forbidding by this stage, as nobody stopped to offer them a lift.
President Sheena Forsyth and Simon Jacyna started from Sligachan, leaving the visiting hordes behind to walk up the path and across the bogs to Marsco. A good path eventually led them up steep grassy slopes, where they enjoyed excellent views of the surrounding hills and even spotted a raven.
Seasoned climbers, Martin Collins and Graeme Jones, meanwhile, embarked on an epic Skye road trip in search of something actually climbable. They passed Neist and ended up at Flodigarry, where they found a three-star HVS 5a. A boomshaka blast was apparently had. No further legally publishable details were supplied.
The day’s efforts were rounded off with party games, including, for reasons still unknown, turkey gobbling. Rumour has it that Tim McD. further raised spirits with an outing of his accordion, while some of the club’s more distinguished elders demonstrated their impressive stamina by carrying on into the wee small hours.
Sunday 6th September
Reports of Sunday activities were understandably sparse on the dreichest and wildest day of the weekend. The driest option proved to be completing the hut jigsaw, which Tim finally polished off.
Simon made an attempt on the Viking harbour at the end of the peninsula, but a flooded, uncrossable river forced a retreat. Thus ended another jolly Glenbrittle meet: Munros climbed, routes abandoned, scree cursed, knees tested, weather endured and, crucially, jigsaw completed.
Tim stayed an extra day and on Monday did Creag Dhubh Mor (Graham) from Strathcarron, via Loch nan Creadha and descending via the Bearness path. Clear but very windy. A very pleasant short trip, a little rugged, and with interesting views in all directions.