Scottish Munros

May 1987

1987 May

May 23rd 1987
Ian.  Mal.  Bean
One Munro and 1 top.
Ladhar Bheinn (Knoydart)
Parked up at Kinloch Hourn we had a long undulating walk in along the south loch shore to Barrisdale.  Fortunately the weather was warm and fine.  The local landowner flew in and landed with his small aircraft.  There hardly seemed room to land.  After a short stay we dropped off our camping kit and continued round Barrisdale Bay before turning up into the lower end of Coire Dhorrcail.  From here it was a stiff pull up to Druim a Choire Odhair and along the ridge to the 'top' of Stob Choire Odhair.  It was now very hot and full sun.  A good narrow ridge led us to Ladhar Bheinn itself with its two adjacent tops marked as 1010m and 1020m.  Turning south east we kept height in dramatic surroundings to Stob a Chearcaill.  As we descended to Creag Bheithe we had to contend with some very steep grassy shelves.  Then it was steeply down to camp at Barrisdale.  There were a number of other people around and it was busier than we had expected, but such is the areas fame that it attracts a crowd on its reputation.  This was one of the few remote spots that we met anyone at all whilst Munroing.
15 1/2 miles.  4700ft.

May 24th 1987
Ian.  Mal.  Bean.
Two Munros and 2 tops.
Luinne Bheinn.  Meall Bhuidhe  (Knoydart)
Our luck held and another warn sunny day was in prospect.  Almost immediately we were headed up the Allt Glean n Undalain which we followed for a good mile before swinging southwest to trace a tributary to a 'top' and then it was only a short haul to Luinne Bheinn itself.  The going was rough and craggy as we covered the two miles of intervening wilderness to Meall Bhuidhe, taking in another 'top' as we did so..  The descent was north over Creag Dearg before dropping to the Abhainn nan Eildean only to have to climb up 700ft or so to the top of the Mam Barrisdale.  Collecting our tentage enroute we retraced our steps to Kinloch Hourn.  It had remained hot and sunny all day.
16 1/2 miles.  5300ft.



25th May 1997
Ian.  Mal.  Bean
Three Munros and 1 top.
Sgurr na Ciche.  Garbh Chioch Mhor.  Sgurr nan Coireachan  (Arkaig)
Loch Arkaig is always a longer ride than you think, with speeds of only 20-30 mph attainable.  A wonderful road to cycle sometime.  Today saw us at its westerly end, parking up for another two day camping foray.
The weather remained hot and sunny and was to stay so all day.
After nearly taking Glen Pean by mistake we set off up Glen Dessary, passing the lodge and continuing up the River Dessarry to its junction with the Allt Coire nan Uth.  Here we dropped our tents and headed more lightly laden up the flank of Sgurr nan Coireachan.  From here they way lay due west, following a wall along an excellent fairly level ridge for 1 1/2 miles to Garbh Chioch Mhor.  Down and up produced the fine cone top of Sgurr na Ciche.  Dropping to the valley we followed the infant River Dessary back to our tentage.
13 miles.  4650ft

May 26th 1987
Ian.  Mal.  Bean
One Munro
Sgurr Mor (Loch Arkaig)
Another fine day, but with a cloud base around 2000ft.  From camp we struck straight up stream following the bed of the watercourse.  We didn’t require to consult a map as we knew we had to follow the stream to its source.
It turned out that the Allt Coire nan Uth had, in fact, more than one source.  Malcolm and Geraldine had set off at a brisk pace and Ian and I lagged behind somewhat.  Consequently when they turned north east up a tributary Ian and I just plodded on up the main, valley bottom route.  When we eventually hit a col it was not the one we should have been at. We had come through the cloud level and enjoyed looking down on a superb inversion.  Clouds poured over cols in a number of directions, filling previously clear valleys.  We had a cone mountain ahead of us where there should have been a valley.  Reviewing the map we soon concluded our error.  We were between Sgurr nan Coireachan and An Eag and nearly 1000ft above where we should have been.  From An Eag we shouted down into the clouds as we could see that the other two would have no view at present, and may well wait for us.  Rather than descend to the cloud covered col we decided to take the easier line towards Sgurr Beag and Sgurr Mor.  Mal & Bean had contoured round and we were soon reunited and we mounted the final cone together.  Descending eastwards to a col before the Corbett 'Sgurr an Fhuarain' we opted to leave that hill for another day and headed straight down to cross the River Kingie and a boggy plod southwards back to Glendessarry and the car.
11 miles  3850ft

27th May 1987
Ian.  Bean  (Malcolm had returned home).
Two Munros and 1 top.
A' Chralaig (Repeat).  Mullach Fraoch choire (Repeat)
Starting from a mile east of the Cluanie at 9.20am we ascended direct from the road up the steep southern nose of A Chralaig.  The ridge walk north to Mullach Fraoch choire is a splendid high level walk on a switchback ridge without too much height loss.  It started out cloudy but we eventually came out above these, as we had yesterday.  Later in the day it cleared altogether.  In view of the good visibility we retraced our steps along the whole ridge, to be back at the car for 4pm.  Neither Ian nor Geraldine had previously done these two hills.
7 miles.  4450ft.