Fifteen MMCer’s travelled to Glen Brittle for the annual meet in what is arguably one of the best situated and well appointed huts in the whole of our splendid country. After negotiating the ‘bank holiday’ traffic along the road (although it was not actually a bank holiday at all, more the torrent of tourists trying to get to and from the infamous Fairy Pools) and dodging the pot holes – one of which looked more like a sink hole, the mountaineers arrived over Friday evening at the hut.
Plans were hatched and shared on the Friday night ranging from gentle strolls, epic ridge traverses, coffee shop expeditions and various other activities. The weather was slightly disappointing but of course it did not stop play. Breezy conditions, and misty Cullins made for tricky and challenging navigation at times and it was noted by some that it was not unusual to see that most other hills on the Misty Isle were indeed free from mist.
The Book of Climbs (BRB) has recorded the following accounts of the activities of the members.
Friday
Tim – I did the Graham of Carn Mhic an Toisich on the Friday from the Glen Moriston footprints. After some pleasant birch woodland it was mainly up a gravel track and next to pylons, followed by a short but pleasant pathless section to the summit. The views were wide ranging to the north – the Munros of Affric and Strathfarrar particularly prominent – but more limited by cloud to the south.
Colin – I started from the bealach Udal on the Kylrea road and climbed Sgurr na Coinnich . Rain started just as i got over Skye bridge but dry before i started walking and in shirt sleeves till the top following a faint path most of the way. Very windy on top but clear views. Took a rougher way down stumbling around like Norman Wisdom in some places, definitely an auld manny thing that .
Saturday
Dan M, Joe G and Bob M – A classic Skye morning – low cloud, high winds and threatening rain. We decided to wander into Coire Banachdaich to have a look. Once on the ridge it didn’t seem too bad so we continued up to Sgurr Dearg. Descending via the An Stac screes seemed like a good idea before realising that the initial decent and slimly basalt slabs in wind and rain was ‘character building’. Once reached the An Stac screes provided an excellent and fast descent to the Coire.
Alan D, Fiona D and Sheena F – Alan – sore knee, Fiona – sore back, Sheena – sore foot. So, no ridge although claggy and windy. Road trip to Neist Point was the order of the day where they walked out to the lighthouse. They couldn’t believe the numbers of people and cars heading that way [that bank holiday traffic again]. They then headed up to Waterstein Head cliff at the mighty height of 296m. However, they had to abort the mission as the experienced mountaineers had in their wisdom left the essential items of waterproof trousers in the car. They got absolutely soaked by the extremely heavy shower that overtook them – so bore a hasty retreat to the car and proceeded to wring out their breeks and change into dry waterproof trousers for the rest of the day. The coffee shops of Dunvegan looked enticing and warm so coffee and cake was sampled. They then returned to GB, (that bank holiday traffic again!) and finished off the afternoon with a walk along the beach.
Barry S and Blair C – decided to tackle Sgurr na Banachdaich and had a good attempt considering the weather but they decided to turn back as visibility was poor. They popped in the café at the campsite and explored the beach before part two of the day which involved a trip to the Fairy Pools. Paid £8 for the car park – a rip off, [must be that bank holiday again and an opportunity to fleece all those tourists]. A second coffee and cake sustenance was required so they could tackle the road [that bank holiday traffic] back to base. All in all, an enjoyable day was had by both.
Chris S, Phil C and Graeme M (Zippy) – An epic day! A long walk into Coire a Ghrunda and then onto Sgurr nan Eag. The wind was stronger in the glen than up high which was surprising, however the weather deteriorated with constant cloud and drizzle making route finding entertaining: Lesson 1 – the ridge in poor weather is HARD WORK. After Sgurr and Eag we took a while getting to Sgurr Dubh Mor – slippery with a dose of extra slippy. Elected to go on to Sgurr Alasdair and down the great stone chute rather than try and retrace steps. Definitely the right option, although the chimney climb up to Sgurr Alasdair was wet cold and horrible. Down by Coire Laggan and back to the hut. Great day with thanks to Graeme [and his Garmin] for outstanding route finding.
Graham J and Martin M explored some of the climbing routes in the north of the island around the Staffin area. They wondered why there were so many people around the Staffin slipway – surely not all climbers or indeed dinosaur hunters. Must be that bank holiday lot again!
Colin – headed to Orbost I didn’t think it was doable but decided to try . So headed towards Macleods Maidens on bike got just over two miles then it goes to single track, managed another 100mtrs. Bike back in car and headed to Glendale back on Ebike and went to Ramasaig . Loads of coos hanging about the gate I was going through so about turned. Great long 38 mph downhill on way back. Went on to Neist point car park then the rain and wind started and gave me a good soaking. Saturday night good crack as usual the band was still playing when i went to bed. Drove straight home Sunday, Fairy Pools more or less deserted at 8am.
Sunday
Graeme and Martin did the round of the red cuilin being na callich – a lovely wee hill.
Joe G – After many visits to Glen Brittle in almost 30 years until this Sunday morning I had never walked along coast out to Rubha an Dùnain to the famous Viking canal and harbour. Either the weather has been too good and I wanted to be up high or the weather was too poor and the views were limited. On this occasion winds on the tops were forecast to be stronger, and more dangerous, than the previous day, but views were clear to the summits. So with clear views from Sgurr Alasdair to South Uist I set off into the wind to the peninsula. I had expected to see the canal and harbour dating from Viking times but hadn’t quite realised that this part of Skye is full of history – Mesolithic chambered cairns, an imposing wall that belonged to an Iron Age fort, remains of a medieval village, and the sad remnants of a village cleared to make way for sheep in the 19th Century. I followed the coast eastwards for a while, towards Soay annd Gars-bheinn until a wall of rain obscured my view to Rum and Canna just as three eagles circled overhead. I turned my back to the incoming weather and headed back over rough ground to Glen Brittle.
Tim – Sunday I dabbled in hill obscurity between Greshornish and Waternish. Starting from behind the Greshornish Hotel I walked on the easy but boggy paths to Loch Diubaig, and then I ascended Beinn Diubaig from the loch, all 216m of it. It’s very rough going, followed by a conundrum on the flat top of which of the numerous lumps is actually the summit. I don’t know if any MMCers went any higher that day but I was being blasted by an oddly warm but very strong wind at 216m, so I promptly made my way off the hill via the nearby forest tracks, finishing off a short but pleasant return to the low but rough north Skye hills by where I used to live.
The Glen Moriston footprints
As mentioned before, Tim also visited the highlight of Glen Moriston – the Glen Moriston footprints! In 1827 Finlay Munro, a preacher, stood right there to preach in Gaelic to the passerby. His words were well received, but a few men mocked him. As a reaction to that, Munro declared that the ground on which he stood would bear witness to the truth of his words until the Day of Judgement. These two marks are said to be his footprints, where reputedly nothing will grow (apart from grass and moss, clearly). Tim described this experience as a wonderful point on an anti-bucket list ‘100 things not to bother seeing before you die.’