Date: Saturday 29th December 2018
Company: Just myself
Distance: 6.1km, Ascent: 570m
Time: 3Hrs 05Mins
As per yesterday morning, the weather on Skye this morning was fairly dismal but was forecast to improve around 11.00. I therefore had a bit of a lazy morning in the van making myself a cooked breakfast and some coffee. Shortly after 11.00, once the rain had stopped, I drove round to Torrin for an ascent of Beinn na Cro.
Click here to see a map of the route undertaken
From the lay-by I made my way towards a gate to avoid having to climb over the barbed-wire fence.
Beinn na Cro from lay-by:
I followed faint traces of track running alongside the fence up the initial slopes.
Looking back towards van:
The ascent of this hill provides great views looking back towards Loch Slapin.
Loch Slapin:
During the ascent I came to a barbed-wire fence running parallel right across the hillside. Every weakness in the fence had been addressed with blocks of wood below to prevent crawling under it. Even the burn had wooden planks below the barbed-wire to avoid anyone going up the burn. I spent quite a bit of time looking for a weakness in the fence but ended up having to climb over it. I managed to get over successfully on the ascent but can't say the same during the descent as I managed to catch my leg on the barbed-wire drawing some blood.
To the landowner, you are an a***hole mate. This is the usual ascent route for this hill and you are going out of your way to make access difficult. Install a stile or even just a metre section of fence with no barbed-wire on the line of the ridge to make the ascent easier for walkers. In the meantime anyone ascending this hill may want to take up some boltcutters?
Loch Slapin and Bla Bheinn panorama:
The final 270m of ascent is a bit steeper but posed no difficulties.
Ascending Beinn nan Cro:
I could have done this hill more quickly had I not stopped so frequently to take photos looking back to Loch Slapin. Lovely views.
Crepuscular rays lighting up Loch Slapin:
Panorama:
Loch Slapin:
Ascending Beinn na Cro:
Despite a couple of showers passing close-by, I managed to avoid getting wet
.Crepuscular rays lighting up a rain shower:
The final ridge was wider than I had expected it to be.
Alas the views from the final ridge and from the summit were not as good as they could have been thanks to low cloud. I guess I can't complain as the cloud was above my summit.
Onto the narrowing ridge:
From the summit it was nice to see Dun Caan on Raasay. I ascended Dun Caan in June this year with my daughter.
At the summit of Beinn na Cro:
From the summit I returned to the van via roughly the same route.
Looking back to Beinn na Cro during descent:
By the time I got back to the van the cloud had lifted above Bla Bheinn providing nice views of the Clach Glas ridge.
Bla Bheinn:
This was my 43rd Skye Marilyn, only 5 remaining.