Sgurr Cos na Breachd Laoigh and a proper summit.

[fmck]

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Date : 1st and 2nd of September. 2008.

Weather : Good for summer 2008.

Present : Just me again with my flappy sole boots.

Dog friendly : Yes I suppose.




This trip was a bit thrown together at the last minute after noticing the weather might not be too bad in the NW. Packing on the morning, walking dog, trying to find somebody to look after him, it was late before I left. Stopping for fuel and munches at Asda in Linwood, trying to find a tube of glue strong enough to hold my Raichle boots together for one more day. It was nearly one before I was crossing the Erskine bridge!

I reached Strathan about 4pm and not wanting to lose any time grabbed the bike out the back of the van and pedaled like a mad man up the Glen.
The plan was simple, up the track from Glendessarry lodge and follow ridge up Druim a Chuirn across the ridge to the Corbett Sgurr Cos na Breachd- Laoidh and drop back down to bike. Its the Standard route really but is clearly the best one so that was ok with me.


Sgurr Cos na Breachd-Laoidh and Druim a Chhuirn.


I always think Sgurr na Aidhe looks really good from this end. It has a fantastic narrow summit ridge.


The weather was holding but they were some really black looking clouds out to the SW and they were coming this way. The path up was the usual Dessarry type more like following a stream than a path. The A'Chioch pinnacle up on the connecting ridge looked like it may be good to climb and soon easily enough the summit of Druim a Chuirn was reached.

A'Chioch pinnacle



On Druim a Chuirn looking to Sgurr Cos na Laoidh.


The connecting ridge was passed during horrendous rain, wind and teeming hail storm. I did plan to go up the pinnacle but decided that hanging about big pointy pinnacles during a hail storm might not be wise and pushed on. The pinnacle is more just a big split boulder and is a bit of a let down on reaching. The weather passed and I reached the summit feeling rather damp.

Times like this I think my jacket from ebay may not be what it claims to be. I think I may have been had.


The view was pretty good and both Loch Nevis and Morar were visable and the ridge to Sgurr na Ciche.

Sgurr na h-Aidhe with Loch Morar and Nevis visable


Along the ridge to Sgurr na Ciche


Looking down to the bothy A'Chuil.


I got down to the van just after 7pm and headed along the Loch to a nice spot to spend the night. The spot I noticed earlier had been used by others, they had obviously spent some time collecting their rubbish together and bagging. Why they left them after collecting it together was abit of a pain, really annoying.

That evening I could see out the windows that outside belonged to the midges. Its funny but when I looked up all the midges were crawling around the windows outside only on the side I was sitting! Bit creepy that they are watching through the windows, I hope they werent looking for any tips at reglueing Raichle boots.

Camp at Loch Arkaig.


The following morning after breakfast I drove down the side of Loch Arkaig with my mug of tea. After meeting several construction vehicles on the road most of the tea was now down my white T shirt. Nice look.

Its a long drive down the glen but to top it off I was going to Kinloch Hourn, both drives on the same day. The reason being my last visit to the Corbett Sgurr nan Eugalit I was standing on the wrong top so this had to be rectified. It was a pleasant day so no lose there. Its an easy path to follow up and my usual lightweight approach of just having a belt bag was maybe not such a good idea. The sun was very hot and I struggled to find places to put everything. I passed the trig point with a snarl and headed along the ridge to the Actual summit. The cairn here was tiny, smaller than most Graham summit cairns was this really it.

On the actual summit looking to the false. Can you see the Cairn.


Glad to find the proper summit with its toty cairn.


Sgurr Sgaith Airgh summit was obviously smaller further along the ridge but it had a big well built cairn on top. Maybe it was an optical illusion, maybe I read it wrong again, bugger Im not taking any more chances.

Sgurr Sgiath- Airigh summit.


Looking back from Sgurr Sgiath Airigh


Large cairn of Sgurr Sgiath Airigh.


It was worth the short walk the views were good.
View from SSA of Meall nan Eun.


View to Druim Fada (Graham)


Actual summit
Its interesting that it does feel odd trying to figure what summit is higher when looking at them. Looking at the few rocks (cairn)on the actual summit I do wonder if this mistake is pretty common it certainly isnt helped by the SMC books diagram marking the summit wrong. The cairn was so tiny I dismantled it in seconds and rebuilt it in a more sturdy construction adding a large pointy boulder stuck out the top.

Final Note
Well thats it for me folks Its my last trip report of the Corbett section and probably all Scotland hill sections. (Grahams, Corbetts and Munros). The few hills left have been covered before and if I have anything of use to add I will post onto the end of said reports. I will be retiring to the Sub 2000ft section and plan on doing reports on some areas of hills that are little traveled plus the Islands of course.

Chears everybody,

Fraser.

[OwdJockey]

Many thanks Fraser for all of your previous reports, photos and advice.

I am sure this has probably been asked before on this forum, but are you not planning to produce a report on the climactic finale to your Munro, Corbett and Graham sojourn?

[JimH]

Sorry to hear that this might be one of your last trip reports.
Always enjoyed reading your trip reports. Usually from some far flung place that i've never been to.

[Cuillin]

[tombuidhe]

Great stuff fmck !!

Good luck with the grand finale and do keep us posted with your tales of sub 2000.

tombuidhe

[foggieclimber]

Thanks for this report and best wishes for your completion of the Munros, Corbetts and Grahams. Good to hear that this is just the end of the beginning for you as you go off to explore even lower and further afield hills.

[RCFC]

Everyone on here knows how hard it is sometimes to do just a few each year never mind the numbers you have achieved Fraser.It is a remarkable achievement and one you should be rightly proud of.I suspect you are on the brink of joining a very exclusive club.
I look forward to reading about the final fling-hope the sun shines for you.

[fmck]

Thanks guys for such good support always from the same group its much appreciated. I will be posting something for these last hills be it pictures or a wee slide show even maybe a bit of film.

Anyway must rush I have the Arran ferry to catch, sub 2000 Marilyn bagging today:wink:

[kinley]

Looking forward to news of the finale Fraser. (and wierd and wonderful places on the Sub-2000 board )

You look happy to have found the real cairn