Sgurr nan Ceannaichean - Moruisg route, 18 July 95 (1 of 9)
Starting the climb up the north ridge of Sgurr nan Ceannaichean. Despite the fact that this was a very short route by Highland standards, I was feeling distinctly unwell, and so decided to leave my weighty SLR behind and just take my cheap compact camera instead. As I managed to complete the route without difficulty, this was a decision I later regretted! (Olympus Trip)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hillwalking journal entry for the day:
Tuesday 18/7/95
Sgurr nan Ceannaichean - Moruisg
11 km, 980 m: 5 hrs
Conditions: Dry and sunny
Base: The Heights of Inchvannie, Strathpeffer
Map and starting point: OS Sheet 25, GR 082521
<<<<>>>>
I moved into a caravan at the Heights of Inchvannie above Strathpeffer on the previous Saturday. Accommodation quite comfortable with unimpeded views over the Strath to Knock Farrel and beyond; also excellent TV reception!
I had taken Tuesday and Wednesday of the previous week off work with a sore throat and high temperature but went into work on the Thursday 95% fit. I was therefore mortified on the Friday (a close-down day) to find my condition flaring up again, and I started the holiday with a sore throat, a hacking cough and partial loss of voice!
I had originally intended to knock off Fionn Bheinn on Saturday afternoon but obviously I’d had to abandon this plan. I was no better the following day and so just stayed in and watched TV. I was still no better on the Monday and passed the time playing the tourist in Inverness.
I was only slightly better on Tuesday but as I was not lacking in energy, and as the weather looked promising, I decided to risk it and attempt a short route with an easy escape to the main road: the Moruisg horseshoe. This would also give me the option of bagging Fionn Bheinn on the way back to the caravan.
I left the car at the side of the road just after the gate leading to the bridge over the Allt Gharagain. The hills were looking very enticing in the early morning sunshine, and despite my poor state of health I set off with great enthusiasm down the track. I crossed the allt and the railway line, and without bothering to look at the map, made my way more or less due south, heading for the broad north ridge of Sgurr nan Ceannaichean, initially following a trace of a path. The going was rather wet, through rain sodden grass and heather, but my new goretex Brasher boots kept my feet dry (surprisingly!). Despite this I was more than a little annoyed to remember that my original intention had been to follow the stalker’s path, initially running to the west - this would have offered a much easier start to the day.
I crossed the Alltan na Feola - a very picturesque setting - and then made my way up the uninspiring lower reaches of the target ridge. I felt quite fit, and more or less kept going till reaching the top of the ridge, and then easily to the summit.
There was a stunning panoramic view: the Cuillin of Skye, the North Achnashellac hills, the Torridon hills, Slioch and the Fisherfield hills in the distance to the west and north, and the more remote West Monar hills immediately to the south. I bitterly regretted not having brought my SLR and had to make do with my 35mm Olympus Trip which I had brought along as a weight-saving measure in view of my less than robust state of health (a focal length of at least 100 mm was needed for the more remote hills).
I noted with interest that my altimeter - set at the start of the route - had slightly underestimated the height of the hill - previous experience had indicated a systematic 4% overestimate. I attributed this to a defective (or imprecise) temperature compensation mechanism, as I had only previous used it under winter conditions.
On descending to the col at the start of the climb up Moruisg I discovered that my boots - which I was wearing for the first time that day - were at least half a size too small! I was mortified by this, and realised that the goretex boots were obviously a smaller fit than the standard Brasher boot: I had not bothered to try them on in the shop as I was confident that I knew my fitting from the 5 or 6 pairs of similar boots purchased over the past few years!
An uneventful climb to the summit, topped by an elaborate and imposing bee-hive style cairn. I stopped for a short lunch break and managed to fend off the midges with my recently acquired anti-midge hood.
Easily but painfully down the hill, first heading north and then tending to the NW. I reached the railway line about 1 km to the east of the crossing and walked along the track for the rest of the way. The concrete sleepers were too close together for rapid progress and I started mentally composing a stiff letter of complaint to BR to distract my attention from my pulverised feet!
Thence back to the car.
Despite my poor health and ill-fitting boots the day had proved to be quite enjoyable; however, I did not feel any urge to slog up Fionn Bheinn and so I drove straight home.
Sgurr nan Ceannaichean - Moruisg route, 18 July 95 (1 of 9)
Starting the climb up the north ridge of Sgurr nan Ceannaichean. Despite the fact that this was a very short route by Highland standards, I was feeling distinctly unwell, and so decided to leave my weighty SLR behind and just take my cheap compact camera instead. As I managed to complete the route without difficulty, this was a decision I later regretted! (Olympus Trip)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hillwalking journal entry for the day:
Tuesday 18/7/95
Sgurr nan Ceannaichean - Moruisg
11 km, 980 m: 5 hrs
Conditions: Dry and sunny
Base: The Heights of Inchvannie, Strathpeffer
Map and starting point: OS Sheet 25, GR 082521
<<<<>>>>
I moved into a caravan at the Heights of Inchvannie above Strathpeffer on the previous Saturday. Accommodation quite comfortable with unimpeded views over the Strath to Knock Farrel and beyond; also excellent TV reception!
I had taken Tuesday and Wednesday of the previous week off work with a sore throat and high temperature but went into work on the Thursday 95% fit. I was therefore mortified on the Friday (a close-down day) to find my condition flaring up again, and I started the holiday with a sore throat, a hacking cough and partial loss of voice!
I had originally intended to knock off Fionn Bheinn on Saturday afternoon but obviously I’d had to abandon this plan. I was no better the following day and so just stayed in and watched TV. I was still no better on the Monday and passed the time playing the tourist in Inverness.
I was only slightly better on Tuesday but as I was not lacking in energy, and as the weather looked promising, I decided to risk it and attempt a short route with an easy escape to the main road: the Moruisg horseshoe. This would also give me the option of bagging Fionn Bheinn on the way back to the caravan.
I left the car at the side of the road just after the gate leading to the bridge over the Allt Gharagain. The hills were looking very enticing in the early morning sunshine, and despite my poor state of health I set off with great enthusiasm down the track. I crossed the allt and the railway line, and without bothering to look at the map, made my way more or less due south, heading for the broad north ridge of Sgurr nan Ceannaichean, initially following a trace of a path. The going was rather wet, through rain sodden grass and heather, but my new goretex Brasher boots kept my feet dry (surprisingly!). Despite this I was more than a little annoyed to remember that my original intention had been to follow the stalker’s path, initially running to the west - this would have offered a much easier start to the day.
I crossed the Alltan na Feola - a very picturesque setting - and then made my way up the uninspiring lower reaches of the target ridge. I felt quite fit, and more or less kept going till reaching the top of the ridge, and then easily to the summit.
There was a stunning panoramic view: the Cuillin of Skye, the North Achnashellac hills, the Torridon hills, Slioch and the Fisherfield hills in the distance to the west and north, and the more remote West Monar hills immediately to the south. I bitterly regretted not having brought my SLR and had to make do with my 35mm Olympus Trip which I had brought along as a weight-saving measure in view of my less than robust state of health (a focal length of at least 100 mm was needed for the more remote hills).
I noted with interest that my altimeter - set at the start of the route - had slightly underestimated the height of the hill - previous experience had indicated a systematic 4% overestimate. I attributed this to a defective (or imprecise) temperature compensation mechanism, as I had only previous used it under winter conditions.
On descending to the col at the start of the climb up Moruisg I discovered that my boots - which I was wearing for the first time that day - were at least half a size too small! I was mortified by this, and realised that the goretex boots were obviously a smaller fit than the standard Brasher boot: I had not bothered to try them on in the shop as I was confident that I knew my fitting from the 5 or 6 pairs of similar boots purchased over the past few years!
An uneventful climb to the summit, topped by an elaborate and imposing bee-hive style cairn. I stopped for a short lunch break and managed to fend off the midges with my recently acquired anti-midge hood.
Easily but painfully down the hill, first heading north and then tending to the NW. I reached the railway line about 1 km to the east of the crossing and walked along the track for the rest of the way. The concrete sleepers were too close together for rapid progress and I started mentally composing a stiff letter of complaint to BR to distract my attention from my pulverised feet!
Thence back to the car.
Despite my poor health and ill-fitting boots the day had proved to be quite enjoyable; however, I did not feel any urge to slog up Fionn Bheinn and so I drove straight home.