May 2000:- Ullapool Road (South)
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Friday 26th May
The Fannichs:
An Coileachan (250)
Meall Gorm (251)
Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich (252)
Sgurr Mor (253)
Meall a' Chrasgaidh (254)
Sgurr nan Clach Geala (255)
Sgurr nan Each (256)
26km 2000m ascent
Munro Spree


Sgurr Mor seen from the East

I travelled up the day before by train instead of the coach to give me more choice of trains to get me home. The decision to go was made spur of the moment when the forecast on Wednesday evening was for sunshine and showers through the weekend - how wrong they could be!


The two easternmost summits of the Fannichs
seen from the first camp site

The Slopes of
Am Faochagach

Beinn Dearg seen on the
ascent to the ridge

The travel up was through pretty reasonable weather and I settled down upstream from a weather station near Loch Glascarnoch by the Ullapool road.

I travelled up the day before by train instead of the coach to give me more choice of trains to get me home. The decision to go was made spur of the moment when the forecast on Wednesday evening was for sunshine and showers through the weekend - how wrong they could be!

At this time of year the day was bright at 4am up here. So I got up early and walked up beside the Abhainna' Ghuibhais in the sunshine and cloud. I headed for the most easterly bealach of the range via Loch Gorm. A footpath eased the work low down but gave way to heather higher up. On the ridge itself there was no path here. The ridge was wide and grassy and not too dramatic. The corries around here form the highlight.


Eastern glens and corries
of the Fannichs

The westernmost Fannich summit seen
from the easternmost Fannich summit

After visiting the first top, I was hit by the first of the brief snow showers as I walked over the next top. This soon cleared to reveal a good view of Sgurr Mor - the highest top north of Achnasheen. I ascended the slopes of Sgurr Mor and deposited my sack just beneath the summit before walking out to the isolated top of Meall a' Chrasgaidh. I though I'd have these hills to myself but was surprised to see more walkers - a regular sight later on. It was of course the Friday before a bank holiday weekend.


Broad ridges in the eastern part
of the range

Beinn Dearg seen
from the ridge

Fionn Bheinn seen to the south of the
range - noted to be the dullest munro?!?

Sgurr Mor has an impressive northern corrie. The entire upper mountain is in the domed shape of some cake with a big slice taken out of it. The outlying summit took a broad ridge and its main feature was the view taking in all the northern corries of the Fannich range.


The northern corrie of Sgurr Mor
 

The northern Fannich Escarpment
 

Meall a' Chrasgaidh seen from
Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich

By the time I reached Sgurr Mor the weather was clearing up to leave a fine afternoon with far reaching views. The walk now went round to the bas of Sgurr nan Clach Geala where I left my rucksack to climb another outlying summit - a real golf course grade grassy lump!


Sgurr nan Clach Geala seen from Sgurr Mor

An Teallach seen from sgurr Mor

Looking down into Coire Mor

It was time for the highlight of the day. Sgurr nan Clach Geala has a superb eastern corrie with super steep cliffs plunging down 500m down to the glen at Coire Mor at an average gradient of 45 degrees. The cliffs back up right up to the ridge line with the other side being moderately steep as well. There was no sense of exposure and nothing was hard - just a walk. The southern side of this summit leading to the final summit was pretty grassy and no way near as spectacular.


Next day's summits in Great view

The North Ridge of Sgurr nan Clach Geala

My legs were now feeling tired and I still had one more summit to do. The final summit was really a baby version of the previous summit. It had a fine ridge though not as narrow and also had nice eastern cliff. Once back at my rucksack, all that remained was a quick descent to my campsite near the bealach up to the tomorrows summits. The forecast for tomorrow was for wet weather for northeast scotland. It gave no statement for the north west but it was clear that an early start should hopefully avoid the gloom.


Sgurr nan Each seen from
Sgurr nan Clach Geala

The Huge cliffs of
Sgurr nan Clach Geala