Name: The Ring of Steall Hills: Sgurr a' Mhaim, Sgurr an Iubhair, Am Bodach, Stob Coire a' Chairn, An
Garbhanach, An Gearanach
Date: Wednesday 21st July 2021
Company: Just myself
Distance: 16.1km, Ascent: 1656m
Time: 8Hrs 30Mins
On Tuesday evening, I visited a friend in Moray to
photograph one of several regular visitors to her garden. To get such
close-ups of the Pine Martens, I use the wi-fi card functionality in my
Canon 7DMkII to control the camera remotely using my iPhone. I can take
photographs with the camera located literally just a few metres away without
disturbing the Pine Martens
. A few photos
follow.
Pine Marten:
Pine
Marten:
Pine
Marten:
While waiting and hoping for a Pine Marten to appear, I had checked out the
forecast for the following day and came up with two potential plans, i) a
visit to Skye to ascend Sgurr Mhic Choinnich, my one remaining second round
Munro on the Cuillin ridge, or ii) a visit to Fort Willam to ascend Sgurr a'
Mhaim with the potential to extend the walk to undertake the Ring of Steall.
I opted for Fort William.
As Pine Martens generally appear at dusk,
it was a late drive to Fort William arriving shortly before 1am. A few hours
later I was awake and on my way to Glen Nevis parking in the car park at
Achriabhach.
From Achriabhach, I crossed the bridge over the Water of Nevis where I
stopped to take a photograph of the small waterfall.
Small waterfall at Achriabhach:
I then followed the path running alongside the Allt Coire a' Mhusgain
until reaching the path junction. At the junction, I took the path leading
steeply up the north-west ridge of Sgurr a' Mhaim. Since leaving the van, I
had been walking in low cloud. I suspected this was cloud inversion and that
above a thin layer of cloud there would be beautiful weather.
After
ascending a couple of hundred metres, I broke through the cloud
.
Breaking out above the cloud inversion:
Initially the views of the cloud inversion were not fantastic but I knew
the views would be much better if I could gain a good bit more height before
the cloud started lifting. I therefore cracked-on up the hill.
Looking back from just above the cloud inversion:
I repeatedly had to stop and look back to admire the views.
Cloud inversion:
During the ascent I met and chatted with a couple of young lads from
Fort William who had set off early to walk the Ring of Steall. They were
also repeatedly stopping to admire the stupendous views.
Beautiful cloud inversion:
Looking back:
Cloud inversion below Ben Nevis:
Cloud inversion:
As I progressed up Sgurr a'Mhaim I thought to myself, "Was it the right
decision to take a last-minute day of work?". The answer came quickly, "Hell
yeah!"
Sgurr a' Mhaim provides great views across to Ben Nevis.
Ben Nevis:
Stob Ban and Mullach nan Coirean:
Throughout the day I repeatedly stopped to put on suncream. Having
already had surgery on my nose to remove skin cancer, I am now very wary of
walking in strong sunlight. I also wore a wide-brimmed sunhat throughout the
walk.
Having a break to soak in the view:
Ben Nevis and CMD, Aonachs, and Grey Corries:
Cloud inversion in the low glens:
Despite Sgurr a' Mhaim's relentless steepness, I was feeling good and
was not far from the summit. There was no way I was just ascending Sgurr a'
Mhaim on its own, the Ring of Steall was definitely on.
Final stony ascent of Sgurr a' Mhaim:
The views from the summit of Sgurr a' Mhaim were stunning. My last
ascent of Sgurr a' Mhaim was in 1997; it was my fiftieth Munro.
View from the summit of Sgurr a' Mhaim:
With a long walk ahead, increasing temperature and with no water on the
ridge, I decided to undertake the walk at a good pace in order to not be out
in the sun for longer than necessary. I was carrying two litres of water but
three or four would have been better.
From the summit of Sgurr a'
Mhaim I made my way along the south ridge which is known as the Devil's
Ridge.
Heading from Sgurr a' Mhaim towards the Devil's Ridge:
View towards An Gearanach, An Garbhanach and Stob Coire a' Chairn with
the eastern mamores beyond:
Approaching the Devil's Ridge:
The Devil's Ridge was every bit as easy as I remembered from my previous
traverse. There are only a couple of short hands-on sections the most
difficult of which can be avoided via a by-pass path.
The Devil's Ridge:
Devil's Ridge scramble:
Beyond the Devil's Ridge it was onwards and upwards to the summit of
Sgurr an Iubhair. The last time I ascended Sgurr an Iubhair it was a Munro.
It has since been demoted and is now just a subsidiary peak of Sgurr a'
Mhaim.
At the summit of Sgurr an Iubhair:
From Sgurr an Iubhair I next progressed towards Am Bodach. My one
previous ascent of Am Bodach was in full-on winter conditions with ice axe
and crampons. Compared to the previous ascent, this ascent was much more
straight-forward.
Ascending Am Bodach:
Looking back to Sgurr an Iubhair and Sgurr a' Mhaim during ascent of Am
Bodach:
At the summit of Am Bodach I stopped to have a good drink before again
continuing on round the Ring of Steall.
Great view from the summit of Am Bodach:
The descent of Am Bodach was my least favourite part of the day. The
descent is very steep and the path was very dry and dusty adding to the
potential for a slip. I therefore took my time in descent. Most people
undertake the Ring of Steall in a clockwise direction unlike myself who was
undertaking an anti-clockwise circuit. An anti-clockwise circuit would make
Am Bodach easier.
Looking back at steep descent from Am Bodach:
The next hill of the day, Stob Coire a' Chairn, was the easiest of the
day albeit I was now really feeling the heat.
I passed a young couple
taking a small, very hairy lapdog round the Ring of Steall. It was really
struggling after the first hill and I wouldn't be surpised if it is dead
within the week .
Heading for Stob Coire a' Chairn:
The summit of Stob Coire a' Chairn provided my first proper views of An
Garbhanach. The ascent looks insanely steep and dangerous but it isn't as
bad as it looks.
On reaching the col between Stob Coire a' Chairn and
An Garbhanach I stopped to speak with a large group of lasses who were
enjoying the great weather and views. I recognised a couple through a mutual
friend on Facebook.
During the ascent of An Garbhanach and subsequent
traverse of the ridge out to An Gearanach I didn't bother taking photos as I
was struggling with the heat and concentrating on not putting a hand or foot
wrong. The ridge between An Garbhanach and An Gearanach is harder than the
Devil's Ridge; akin to the Carn Mor Dearg arete linking Carn Mor Dearg to
Ben Nevis. I think I found it trickier than it could have been as I stuck to
the ridge instead of taking the bypass path.
Looking towards steep An Garbhananch from the summit of Stob Coire a'
Chairn:
Looking back to An Garbhanach:
It was a welcome relief to reach the summit of An Gearanach as it was
exceptionally warm (26C in the glen below).
At the summit of An Gearanach:
From the summit of An Garbhanach, I followed the steep path down passing
numerous other walkers ascending their first of four of the Ring of Steall,
in midday heat.
The descent was fairly pleasant with one exception,
Clegs! Numerous clegs were flying around me and every so often I felt an
ouch as one of the feckers bit me.
On reaching the Steall waterfall
the river was so low it was possible to walk through without even using
stepping stones never mind the wire bridge. The Steall waterfall was also
little more than a trickle.
Steall waterfall:
From the Steall waterfall I followed the track back out to the Glen Nevis
upper car park. I then grudgingly walked down the road to reach the lower
car park where my van was awaiting.
On getting into the van I started
the engine, put on the air conditioning and drank 1.5 litres of water. The
air conditioning managed to get the inside temperature down to 30C.
Glad that I undertook the Ring of Steall, it is a great circuit
.
PS If
doing the Ring of Steall, WalkHighlands suggests a time of between 9 and 12
hours.