We had left the Outer Hebrides behind and now had two full days in the North West Highlands (part of the North Coast 500 driving route)- specifically the superb areas of Coigach/Assynt and Wester Ross which lie north of Ullapool. With a great forecast for most of tomorrow before solid rain was due in, a hike was on the agenda and Ben Mor Coigach it was.
At 7.45am next morning, following that gorgeous sail from Stornoway to Ullapool the previous afternoon, we set off from our Airbnb at Ardmair Bay on a very chilly, frosty morning, just as the rising sun was beginning to put colour into the eastern sky. I could see our objective across the bay, a solid black, steep wall rising out of the sea! It looked so near but the Achiltibuie start we planned meant about an hour’s drive on a big loop out west. Not a hardship, as it’s a stunner of a drive along Loch Lurgainn. In fact, we stopped many times to admire Coigach and Assynt’s unique inselbergs, their summits turning pink then fiery orange as the sun climbed higher.What a landscape…
Ben Mor Coigach with Sgurr an Fhidhleir’s sharp summit clear on the right…
Views from the Loch Lurgainn road by Anne C, on Flickr
Coigach peaks from near Achnahaird by Anne C, on Flickr
Stac Pollaidh, Achiltibuie road by Anne C, on Flickr
Quinag, early morning by Anne C, on Flickr
We were the only car at the parking area at Culnacraig, where the views over the sea, the Summer Isles and Wester Ross were already gorgeous.
Got the gear sorted and boots on (solid and frozen as I’d left them in the car overnight😫 and not for the first time!) then a walk down the tarmac road towards a cottage before branching off on the obvious grassy track which marks the start.
I vaguely remembered this first bit, a climb up a steepish bit of moorland to the 300m mark, though the pathless ascent has been replaced by a very eroded, braided series of tracks – I suppose a sign of how popular hill walking has become.
Hike up to the 300m contour by Anne C, on Flickr
It was great to have this but it was down to the boggy black peat in many places and slithery. Felt a longer slog too (mind you everything is these days😀) and I was quite relieved when the angle eased off and the long, very gradual ascent to Sgurr an Fhidhleir came into view.
Our route avoided the much steeper, much narrower ridge approach (away off to our right) which is described on walkhighlands website and which is just a bit too airy for me.This way offered plenty of roomy moorland and no scary exposure.
Sgurr an Fhidhleir ahead by Anne C, on Flickr
Looking back, the views were so beautiful…
Looking south from the 300m mark by Anne C, on Flickr
It was difficult to make out Speicein Nan Garbh Choireachan(Peak of the Rough Corrie)and the ‘ridge’ approach because the sun was still so low in the sky but the slopes looked dark and ominous.
I was glad of the now very gradual ascent on an excellent path as I was feeling quite tired, exhausted even.Age doesn’t come alone! I’d also had something of a stomach upset which might be why I made such heavy weather of the climb today.
Sgurr an Fhidhleir ahead by Anne C, on Flickr
Chris pushed on up the very gently rising, excellent path through Coire Reidh and I lumbered in his wake, feeling exhausted. The Fiddler’s Peak ( as it translates from the Gaelic) looked quite close but it never actually seemed to get any nearer and I found myself fading a bit in motivation and energy.
I asked Chris for a break and slumped down at a cairn, gulping some water and munching half heartedly on an apple. From that long ago last hike up here, I remembered the other summits around us being very easily ascended but right now, shrouded in darkness, they looked steep and unappealing.
Mumbling to Chris that I’d be happy to reach the first summit then call it quits( actually to be honest, I felt like turning back right now) he never gets very het up about what we do or don’t do and said that was fine by him – no point in not enjoying the day. We could stop off at Achnahaird beach instead, a big favourite.
It feels so rubbish not to reach ONE summit, so I was determined to plough on. I recalled it offered the best views of the whole round so I convinced myself that we wouldn’t be missing too much by leaving the other summits out. I did feel like an ungrateful wretch in many ways, in this amazing landscape but at that point, not connecting with it somehow.
Two hours after setting out, we finally pulled up onto Sgurr an Fhidleir’s fairly roomy summit and – wow!
Amazing Assynt (and Coigach) spread out before us, breath taking, almost no words to describe it really.So unique, so ancient, the mountains like great dinosaurs rearing out of the knolly, lochan – strewn moorland.
Stac Pollaidh Suilven and Quinag to the north by Anne C, on Flickr
Away to the south rose a snowy An Teallach…
An Teallach by Anne C, on Flickr
Suilven with Quinag behind…
Assynt landscape by Anne C, on Flickr
Beyond Cul Beag to Ben More Assynt…
Towards Ben Mor Assynt by Anne C, on Flickr
Cul Mor from the summit by Anne C, on Flickr
Stac Pollaidh looking completely unassailable as it always does from a distance but there is a good, well built path up the back of it….more on the day we climbed up to its narrow, stunning and safe ridge here: THE HILL I THOUGHT I’D NEVER CLIMB – STAC POLLAIDH
Stac Pollaidh by Anne C, on Flickr
Suilven and Quinag by Anne C, on Flickr
Towards Achnahaird…
From Sgurr an Fhidheir’s summit by Anne C, on Flickr
After finally sitting down to have some fruit, I felt a renewed sense of energy, lifted considerably by the grandeur all around.
It wasn’t a spot to leave quickly and we sat snacking and admiring the views for half an hour or so until the chill in the air meant we really had to get on the move again.
Decision time….head back or head on?
Head on! I’d see how things were once we descended to the great rim of the steep corrie headwall below The Fiddler.
The walk back down beside the impressive corrie…
The void below by Anne C, on Flickr
I had thought that the best of the views of the day might be behind us but those vistas along the edge of the corrie were astonishing.
Loch Tuath below by Anne C, on Flickr
4 stags were making their way slowly along the shores of Loch Tuath, a lovely sight…
Stags crossing Loch Tuath below by Anne C, on Flickr
No way was I leaving the mountain when the views were this good! Onwards and upwards!
There was an on and off path up the next rise taking us onto the main ridge which leads to the summit of Ben Mor Coigach itself. It was only 150m of ascent but felt harder, my legs still a bit weak.
The path to the next summit veered off to the right but we stayed deliberately left to reach a spot at the 700m mark.
The ascent up to point 700m by Anne C, on Flickr
Cul Beag and Cul Mor by Anne C, on Flickr
Stopping part way up, I looked back to see a Golden Eagle sweeping across the void, heading our way before disappearing below the ridge itself. Its great golden head was clearly visible in the sunlight. Appropriately, it had come from the direction of Beinn an Eoin – the Hill of the Bird.
Golden eagle flying over us by Anne C, on Flickr
The prow of where we had just been, such a distinctive outline, was now very clear…
Sgurr an Fhidhleir left by Anne C, on Flickr
Beinn an Eoin…peak of the birds by Anne C, on Flickr
Zoomed to Ben More Assynt which years ago, I’d nearly got blown off, the winds were so strong.
Ben Mor Assynt by Anne C, on Flickr
Suilven continually drew the eye…
Suilven and Quinag by Anne C, on Flickr
In 20 mins or so we reached another stunning spot, the angles different now with views opening up to the south.To have missed this – it’s just as well photos are digital now because I would have run out of film! To see it all in such weather, in those tawny, late autumn colours which are probably my favourite of all, was a joy.
It was gorgeous territory, a joy to wander around and there was hardly a breath of wind.
We now had fine views south over the Beinn Dearg group and across Loch Broom to a snowy An Teallach. Further south again, on the coast, layer upon layer of Wester Ross mountains seemed to go on forever.I don’t remember being on this corner of the hill which gave a stunning view too of the sharp looking summit of Speicein Coinnich and the alternative route up from Blughasary.
An Teallach by Anne C, on Flickr
Beinn Ghoblach mid distance left…Torridon beyond by Anne C, on Flickr
Ben Mor Coigach’s Ardmair bay side by Anne C, on Flickr
Looking over Loch Broom by Anne C, on Flickr
As we made our way out to the summit of Ben Mor Coigach itself, there was quite a bit of frost and icy rocks on the now slightly more broken ground so a bit of care was needed. Anything still in shadow was quite slithery.
Heading for Ben Mor Coigach summit by Anne C, on Flickr
Ben Mor Coigach itself was another wonderful summit with great views over the bristly, steep ridge of Speicein nan Garbh Choireachan. I knew Chris fancied descending that way and suggested he should do that and we could meet back at the 300m mark. But after checking it out, he decided everything was a bit icy plus he had a ‘dodgy’ wife today and better stick around.😊
Looking south over Speicein nan Garbh Choireachan by Anne C, on Flickr
Returning from the ridge by Anne C, on Flickr
Early afternoon and the sun was lowering already in the sky, the light changing all the time.
Summer Isles by Anne C, on Flickr
Towards Sgurr an Fhidhleir by Anne C, on Flickr
Chris checking out the sharp descent ridge by Anne C, on Flickr
Trotternish on Skye by Anne C, on Flickr
A breeze had picked up now and heavier cloud was starting to build to the south, a forerunner of the projected rain coming in tonight. I felt lucky that we’d been given this window of perfect weather for what in many ways is a perfect mountain.
Chris was ready to head down pretty quickly but I really needed an extra 5 mins sit down here, just for a breather.
The thrills of today weren’t over yet because as we finally headed off back down the path, there was sudden movement ahead of us amongst the rocks. Ptarmigan!
There were four of them, flying off briefly but given they need to retain energy to survive in this harsh environment, they landed a very short distance away. I really love seeing them, these wild birds of the high places (that said, in Iceland, we saw them as tame as pigeons at sea level.)
Ptarmigan by Anne C, on Flickr
From that last summit, it took us 90 mins or so to return to the car, soon picking up the excellent track down Coire Reidh (the appropriately named Corrie of the Slopes.)I must admit, there wasn’t much left in my legs at this point, I felt quite tired but so pleased we’d explored most of the mountain.
An Teallach a bit out of focus by Anne C, on Flickr
Six hours on a fantastic hill and one which must also be good in snow with mostly wide, benign slopes (except for the Choireachan ridge which can be avoided.)
The next day was as dreich as the Met Office had predicted so that had been a very fortunate window in mid-November.I had recently read about the Power of Awe and how important it is to mental well being. I’ve felt awe on most hill walks and perhaps that’s why getting high on a hill (literally!) becomes so addictive.That sense of wonder and awe was certainly very real for me during today’s walk on Ben Mor Coigach.
Next and final day: A beautiful, showery drive to Gairloch and the lovely Gruinard Bay beaches
Previous Days:THE OUTER HEBRIDES – 10 DAY NOVEMBER TRIP (Days 1/2 Oban and Barra)THE OUTER HEBRIDES 10 DAY NOVEMBER TRIP ( Days 2/3 Eriskay, Benbecula and The Uists)10 Days OUTER HEBRIDES in November (Days 3/4 Berneray and over to Harris)THE OUTER HEBRIDES 10 DAYS NOVEMBER TRIP(Days 4-5Harris)10 DAY NOVEMBER TRIP OUTER HEBRIDES (Day 6)10 DAY NOVEMBER TRIP OUTER HEBRIDES (Day 7: Harris to Ullapool)
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