Hill: Sgurr na Banachdich
Date: Friday 2nd September 2022
Company: Myself and Ann-Marie
Distance: 8.75km, Ascent: 900m
Time: 4Hrs
The MWIS forecast suggested 20mph winds and 80% cloud-free
Munros with the weather deteriorating as the day went on. We therefore
started walking around 7.15am in order to get the best of the weather. The
forecast however turned out to be far from accurate with winds averaging at
least 30-40mph, several hours of rain and with the summits capped in cloud
throughout. Seriously disappointing forecast from MWIS.
Having ascended
Sgurr na Banachdich five times previously, a sixth ascent was not my main
objective of the walk. My real objective was to ascend Sgurr na Banachdich's
South Top and Sgurr Thormaid.
We set off via the standard ascent
route starting at the Youth Hostel and up via Coir an Eich, the easiest
ascent route to the summit of a Cuillin Munro. I will not describe the walk
in detail in this report as I have already done so in previous reports.
Waterfall above Glen Brittle Youth Hostel:
Heading towards Coir' an Eich:
Coir' an Eich:
Ascending a path through the scree:
Sgurr nan Gobhar:
Once into the cloud, visibility was poor with the wind sufficiently
strong to physically move me.
Approaching the summit area:
Alas, ascending the South Top and Sgurr Thormaid would need to await
another day as I was not venturing into unknown territory with almost zero
visibility in gale force winds with someone who had not previously been on
the Cuillin. Looks like a seventh ascent will be necessary to get these
Munro Tops.
At the summit of Sgurr na Banachdich:
An Diallaid:
Sgurr nan Gabhar:
Looking back to Coir' an Eich:
By the time we got back to the Glen Brittle Hut we were soaked through and I
was thoroughly p'd off with MWIS. Friends who walked later in the day had a
good day as the weather improved and did not deteriorate as had been
forecast.