[Trip Index] [Munro Index] [Home] 28th May 1995   An Teallach Sgurr Fiona Bidein a` Ghlas Thuill Map Clear day. Great, impressive mountain with some scrambling involved but no sense of danger at all. Stayed at Dingwall. This is Andrew's, somewhat fuller, account: A very long, gruelling day - we were on An Teallach ('the Forge') for 10 hours. It is a great E-shape range, and we ascended the great crouching Sail Liath, followed the ridge round to Corrag Bhuidhe, a terrifying sequence of ridges which in parts were only the width of a settee, and sheer on each side. The ascent to Sgurr Fiona was very difficult - the last 30 or 40 feet was a sheer climb in parts. Fortunately there were a series of paths which ran round the pinnacle, and from these it was possible to find a way to scramble up. One party was using a rope to get up the sheer pitch. Very impressive views from these tops, west out to sea, and north to Ben Mor Coigach - a great long ridge N. of Loch Broom. Once at the top of the last peak, Bidein a' Ghlas Thuill, we proceeded a little way north along the ridge and then dropped steeply down into Coire a' Mhuillian - a very dramatic corrie. Saw a ptarmigan on Sail Liath - a resident of treeless Scottish mountains about 1,900 ft. === Andrew's Photos === Myself preparing to tackle the traverse of the ridge On the ridge Looking back at Sail Liath, I think Further along the ridge Andrew going for the casual look A glance backwards How on earth did we manage to get up this bit! The last pinnacle Bidein a` Ghlas Thuill We drove to Dingwall via the elegant Strathpeffer and got accommodation at St Clement's on Castle Street - a long drive and huge garden, magnificent early-mid 19th Century, spacious gentleman's residence - huge landing and a staircase that flowed rather than climbed upstairs! Mrs Sheila McClennan was a gentle, quietly-spoken, middle-aged Scot - she offered us hot water bottles since there were no electric blankets and the radiators were switched off. Dingwall - quiet, clean, no litter, main street virtually pedestrianised. The Scottish pattern that I'd first encountered in Arran in July 1970 - just one or two pubs open midweek. The Royal Hotel, Hill St - a low drinking den, swearing Scots, smoking articulated half-smoked cigarette in ash tray. Another huge place - the National Hotel - kilt and accordion - Wadworth and Tetley & Orkney Island Dark at £1.60.