Northern Fannich range...

https://picasaweb.google.com/102361192587557786751/SgurrNanEachSgurrNanClachGealaAndMeallAChrasgaidhWithClaire



These are some of the pictures from one of the best days on the hills I have ever had - anywhere. Stop.

I will upload the rest when I get back to Cumbria and can buy some more space on Picasa, but for now there will be a brief description.

Claire and I stayed in the bunkhouse last night as the b & b at Forestway had been booked for a while. After the rest day of yesterday - including a trip to Gruinard Bay - photo's of which are on picasa as well; we got up bright and early ready to go. Claire's calf had improved massively overnight and with the addition of a knee brace she felt ready to go. One problem with the early start were the midges; the car-park above Loch a' Bhraoin was full of the little buggers...the one living creature I could wipe off the earth without a second thought or pang of conscience. After an exercise in getting trainers on etc that would have befitted the Marx brothers we set off. First down the loch and then up the lovely stalkers path that runs right though to Loch Fannich. The original idea had been to do Meall a' Chrasgaidh first, however the temptation to follow this path all the way up the glen - at least 4 miles and gain an extra 300m of high before going to the col below Sgurr nan Each (and dumping the sacks!) was made. It turned out to be a rather good one....

The slog up from the belach (col) to the ridge was a hot, sweaty and midgy one as there is no real path. Once the col was gained we could drop sacks and amble up to the top of Sgurr nan Each - to be confronted with a view that was almost unreal. I would estimate that an expert on the scottish hills could have named well over 100 mountains - Beinn Eighe and Beinn Alligin being especially prominent - as was An Tellach. We went back to the col and retrieved our sacks and had lunch, before beginning the 900' grind up Sgurr nan Clach Geala , the second highest peak of the Fannich chain and another amazing viewpoint. Needless to say it did not disappoint, only Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich was absent as it hides behind Sgurr Mor , but we could see coast to coast - out to the Moray Firth and west to the sea at Gruinard and also out beyond Loch Maree.

We descended to a three sided col and ambled slowly (in the heat and it was hot) up the final summit of the day - Meall a' Chrasgaidh. From there, we took an interesting route off the mountain and down to the stream the other side from the stalkers path - this was forded and we ambled back to the car....a quite superb day in an amazing location....SO lucky