Date: Friday 26th August 2022
Company: Myself and Ann-Marie
Distance: 19.7km, Ascent: 1230m
Time: 7Hrs 50Mins
On Friday morning, we good suited and booted inside the car before walking at pace to escape swarms of midge and numerous deer ked. We did not have a fixed route in mind with the only real objective of the day being to summit Sgurr Mor.
Route:
Rights of Way signs at Strathan:
A short distance before reaching Glendessary, we left the main track to ascend to the bealach between Druim a' Chuirn and Fraoch Bheinn.
Ascent from Glendessary alongside the Allt na Feithe:
Looking back to Glendessary and Monadh Gorm:
Much of the ground at the Feith a' Chicheanais was wet underfoot. As we progressed towards Sgurr Mor we could see that the top was capped in cloud. We hoped that the cloud cap would lift by the time we would be approaching the summit.
Sgurr Mor and Sgurr an Fhuarain:
The ascent of Sgurr Mor looked as steep as I remembered from my previous ascent in September 2005.
Looking across to steep ascent ahead:
From the bealach we descended to Glen Kingie and then crossed the River Kingie without difficulty. On my previous ascent in 2005 we had struggled to cross the river while it was in spate.
Glen Kingie:
Crossing the River Kingie:
Looking back to Glen Kingie and Fraoch Bheinn during ascent of Sgurr Mor:
On reaching the ridge alas the cloud level had dropped meaning we would get no views from the ridge or from the summit.
Onto the east ridge of Sgurr Mor:
Ascending Sgurr Mor's east ridge:
While at the summit we could see small sections of blue sky above and hoped that it might clear. It did not. We therefore returned back the same way without also ascending nearby Sgurr an Fhuarain, a Corbett I had included with Sgurr Mor on my previous ascent.
At the summit of Sgurr Mor:
No views from the summit:
Ann-Marie at the summit of Sgurr Mor:
On reaching Glen Kingie we could see that Sgurr Mor was still capped in cloud. Around twenty minutes later the cloud lifted above the summit but only temporarily.
Looking back to Sgurr Mor and Glen Kingie:
Sgurr Mor summit now free of cloud:
Glendessary:
Good to re-do Sgurr Mor but somewhat disappointing that on both ascents of this hill I have had no views.