Epic day. Welcome back to the mountains.
Parked on Old Military Rd just across Shiel Bridge.
Set off past Glenshiel Lodge, up the main valley and split left to do a clockwise loop (rationale being better to do the more technical ground earlier in the day)
Really felt the empty remoteness of the side valley. Arrived at the head of the Allt a Choire Chaoil and climbed head into the snowscape. Popped up between .610 Meallan Odhair and Forcan. Could see a guided group gearing up at the base of the ridge.
Geared up myself, passed them and got into the zone on the ridge. One committing and exposed rock move stands out. Amazing knife edge summit. All looked good from there until I came to tat and a 10+m downclimb. Hung on the tat, then made a few moves down, then reached a sheer section and climbed back up. Found, to my joy, a route around to the L - a much safer downclimb.
Amazing route, views, conditions. Met one other soloist on top. A roped pair were also ahead and dropped off S of the Saddle. I carried on, completing the horseshoe via Sgurr Leac nan Each .919 and round to Coire nan Crogachan, joining on to the end of my previous Scottish winter day.
One of the best days of my life.
Area :
Loch Eil to Glen Shiel
The Great Glen to the east, the A87 to the north and the A830 to the south separate this area from its surroundings and enclose an area of high mountains and low glens. The highest mountain is Sgurr na Ciche (1040m) and further north the South Glen Shiel Ridge is formed by a whopping seven Munros! Also in the area is The Saddle (1010m) which is home to the classic Forcan Ridge. Peaks in the mountains list are all above 900m.
