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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 |
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