[Trip Index] [Munro Index] [Home] 25th May 2008   Eididh nan Clach Geala Seana Bhraigh Map Another glorious day of blue skies and cloud-free tops. I started at 8.15 from the layby near Inverlael on the A835 south of Ullapool and followed my old route of 8 years ago, when I did Beinn Dearg. This time I managed to negotiate the forestry section without any detours and with that behind me I took to the path along Gleann na Sguaib. It was pretty easy going and I soon passed a couple who had overtaken me on their bikes whilst on the forestry road. They were heading for Meall nan Ceapraichean and then Eididh nan Clach Geala. A fine start A couple of miles beyond the trees the path split with one track heading straight ahead for Beinn Dearg and the other bearing off to the left. I took the left-hand fork and was able to make good progress on the excellent stalkers' path which led up to the side of Eididh nan Clach Geala's western ridge. I left the path at this point and climbed easily onto the ridge, then made my way along to the summit (10.55). Walking up Gleann na Squaib . . .   towards Meall nan Ceapraichean on the left and Beinn Dearg on the right Eididh nan Clach Geala summit cairn Summit cairn with Seana Braigh to the right A fair distance but all pretty easy. There are two cairns on facing mounds at the top. I visited both of them but I believe the true summit is the southern one - the cairn was bigger anyway. I was still in shirt and T-shirt up to this point but a cold wind started up and I donned my anorak and fleece for a while. I could see Seana Bhraigh from here and it didn't look too distant. I set off down to the intervening plateau which proved to be full of ups and downs, gullies and hillocks - an area which would probably be quite difficult to navigate in cloud. I was heading NE towards the impressive valley head of Cadha Dearg and came quite unexpectedly to a more or less vertical drop. This was at grid ref NH278858 - it doesn't look much on the map but it was way too steep to descend - well for me anyway. Cadha Dearg I checked the map and continued east and south for a short while then found a cleft where I could get down reasonably safely. After that I carried on to the dramatic edge where the land drops away into the great bite out of the land that is Cadha Dearg. Turning right at the rim I continued up grassy slopes towards Seana Bhraigh, remembering in time to contour left to avoid having to surmount the 906 metre hump. It was an easy enough walk up to the summit (13.00) where there is a windbreak perched on the edge of the vertical crags of the impressively rugged corrie, the Luchd Choire. The southern slopes of Seana Braigh At the summit At the top there was a bloke sitting enjoying the peace and views. He was called Laurence Rudkin and told me he had done the Munros 3 times, his son had done them once, and his wife had also done them. As we were chatting another chap arrived, long red hair tied in a bunch at the back and wearing shorts. They both left before me as I sat awhile eating my sandwiches and enjoying the view, but eventually I set off back. Looking down the north-east face The Rudkin bloke had headed off North but Red was returning the same way as me and I could see him striding away ½ mile ahead. On the way down the bump I met 3 blokes and 2 dogs coming up - they just grunted as they passed by. My next encounter was with two wild goats on the path by Cadha Dearg. They had large, curved and pointed horns and didn't seem overly afraid of humans. I kept my walking pole pointed towards them on the basis that if cavalry horses refuse to charge bayonets perhaps goats would refrain from charging a walking pole. It worked well enough in so far as I got past them ok. Shortly after that I met another taciturn walker coming up - a lone woman this time. 'Hello' was all I got from her although I had heard her talking to herself before she came into view round the bend. The goats I continued across the wide, gently rising open tracts and eventually reached the excellent path which, skirting to the north of Coire an Lochain Sgeirich, descends at an easy angle all the way back to the forest. A short way down this path I caught up with Red and walked with him for a while. He told me he had recently retired from the RAF after 22 years of service. In the RAF he'd looked after Nimrods. Now in civvy street his job was looking after Nimrods. The more things change the more they stay the same, eh. The route was through easy, fairly open grassland passing the odd crag to either side. It was a long way though and after a while I let Red forge ahead again while I dropped down to a leisurely stroll - it was a nice day after all. Finally the track began to descend towards the original forestry area and as I picked my way through the heather I met a couple lying by the path sunbathing. On the way back The old boy was 80 and his missus was probably 60-something. She said she envied me for being fit enough to get as far as Seana Bhraigh and offered her opinion that a heart attack on the hills would be preferable to slow decline in an old folks home. I expect a lot of people would agree with that. They lived in Preston but had also lived in Hertfordshire before that - Hemel Hempstead. She was very chatty and I think if I'd offered she'd have left hubby by the path and gone back to SB with me. After chewing the fat for a while I left them there, dropped down the hillside to the forest and then returned along the forestry track back to the car (17.10) A good day out.