From Chisholm Bridge with Peter Langhorne. I need not have worried that it might not count as winter - the wind & driving snow sorted that out!
Up by Gleann nam Fiadh & the initially indistinct path to Sron Garbh. Sron Garbh itself looked intimidating in the conditions but went ok, partly thanks to the stone staircase. From there to Carn Eige we were constantly above 1100m, which I have previously found trying in difficult conditions & no less this time. A moment of doubt at the 1096 col, where the ridge broadens, required a bearing.
At the top of Carn Eige we made a decision to continue to Fhionnlaidh, which proved better for the loss of height but some awkward ground on snow covered boulders at first. Returning we chose an ascending traverse around Carn Eige, which relied on the altimeter to hit the 1047 col (perfectly). Now flagging rather, the driving snow redoubled above that 1100 contour but the sun tried to appear at the top of Mam Sodhail. Another bearing to 1086 col where the descent east is marked by a cairn.
On the descent the wind seemed to increase with snow blowing off the ridges but summits cleared behind us. It seemed long way down Coire Leachavie & along the lochside to the car. 10h45m total, just beats the Walk Highlands summer time of 11 to 13 hours. A tough day but very pleased.
Area :
Glen Affric and Kintail
South of Loch Mullardoch you will find the Glen Affric and Kintail area whose southern boundary is the A87 road to Inverness. The Five Sisters of Kintail, Beinn Fhada, Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan and Carn Eighe are just some of the impressive peaks in this area, and all have their own unique selling points such as remoteness, size, steepness or height. As a result, peaks in the list are all over 900m.
