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Beinn Eighe Ruadh-stac Mor Spidean Coire nan Clach Map The forecast for the day was for good weather in the morning turning to rain in the afternoon so I was keen to get an early start. Out of bed at the crack of dawn, a quick breakfast and then a 25 mile sprint to Glen Torridon where I parked in the Beinn Eighe car park at 7.15. It was only when I got out of the car and raised my eyes to the hills that I remembered that my boots were still sitting in a plastic bag in the middle of the floor back at the cottage. Aghhh!!! Nothing for it though but to drive all the way back to Gairloch, collect them, and drive back again. So it was 8.25 before I actually set off - but mine was still the only car in the car park at that time. Under glorious blue skies I set off along the well-laid path which wends its way between the massifs of Liathach and Beinn Eighe. The track climbs very gradually away from the glen and once beyond the gateway formed by the two mountains a magnificent vista slowly appears - mile after rolling mile of empty wilderness dotted with streams and lochans and steep, isolated hills. Quite breath-taking.
By 9.25 I had reached the point where the path splits and taking the right-hand branch I followed the contours round the outlying hill, Sail Mhor, until I came to the lochan in the corrie, Loch Coire Mhic Fhearchair. (10.25) I was greeted by another brilliant view as I approached the corrie: a sparkling waterfall spilling from the lochan before me, the long, massive ridge of Ruadh-stac Mor rising steeply to my left and the towering eastern cliffs of Sail Mhor looming immediately on my right.
I climbed up to the lochan and looked across to the head of the corrie where a wall of cliffs appeared to bar all access to the tops. At one point, however, there appeared to be a distinct line scored vertically up this barrier and from the guidebook I guessed that this must be the path up. I made my way round the lochan and up the stony lower slopes past a few smaller lochans till I came to the final stretch - a very steep ascent up a scree slope which reminded me of the An Stac screes of the Cuillin. It was steep enough to make me feel just slightly nervous as I clambered up the last few metres, dislodging the odd stone as I went. Still, in the end I got to the top with no trouble and scrambled up onto the col between Sail Mhor and Ruadh-stac Mor. From there it was a straightforward walk north along the ridge to a small prominence where the summit is located. (11.45)
Great views all round and the weather still clear although a few clouds were creeping in from the horizon now. I returned to the col and looking down saw 2 blokes struggling up the scree slope. I gave them a wave and carried on round the horseshoe in an easterly direction. There was another subsidiary hill before me and two people were climbing up it ahead of me - no idea where they came from. I didn't follow them, however, for I noticed a path leading round the side of this peak and by following it I ended up avoiding the top; when I rejoined the ridge on the other side I found myself ahead of the other two walkers. From here an excellent ridge walk of narrow crests, rocky aretes and some easy scrambling eventually brought me to the top of Spidean Coire nan Clach (1.15). As I was approaching it I could see a couple slogging their way up the scree slopes on the southern flank of the mountain. I reached the top before them but when I looked round for them they had disappeared - as had the two walkers I'd leap-frogged and who had been following me. Never saw any of them again.
(In addition to the people I've mentioned I met 2 blokes approaching the summit of Ruadh-stac Mor as I was descending it, and another party of 2 men and a woman just behind them, also on their way up RSM. On the way up RSM I had seen someone coming down towards the col from the other direction but they also then disappeared. After that I met a man and his wife on the ridge as I was climbing towards SCNC - they were coming the other way and said hello; and finally, just past them an old boy on his own doing the traverse in the opposite direction to me. He was using 2 walking poles and finding them awkward in the scrambly bits. He chatted for a minute and left with the cheery parting shot 'see you later, dead or alive…') At the top of Spidean Coire nan Clach the ground fell steeply away on the NW side, the side which looked over towards Ruadh-stac Mor.
I carried on a short distance past the summit and by not paying attention managed to miss the path down so I decided to make my own route directly down the steep scree slope. It was hard going but a quick way of losing height and I picked up the track lower down. It was a well-made path which zig-zagged a lot in the lower reaches but soon got me to the bottom of the mountain. The weather had clouded over by now and I was hurrying to get back to the car before the expected rain began.
Back at the car 3.10 and only a few spots of rain ensued. A great day and a great mountain - one of my favourites. | |||||||||
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