Weekend Meet - Àite Cruinnichdt, Roy Bridge
Fifteen members and prospective members, supplemented by a couple of day visitors, made their way to a busy Àite Cruinnichidh Hostel near Roy Bridge.
The hostel sits above the Monessie Gorge on the River Spean which is crossed by a bouncy suspension footbridge high above the water. The bridge was reopened towards the end of last year having been closed since early 2021 for major repairs and a couple of our parties used the bridge en route to their hills this weekend.
Jan writes -
On Saturday Brian, Emma, Nele, Fiona and Jan decided to leave the cars behind and walk along the old railway to the base of Cruach Innse. Rough ground and diversions due to collapsed bridges made a longer walk in than expected. After a rough steep ascent through heather we reached the windy, cloud covered summit of Cruach Innse. We continued on to Sgurr Innse with a pleasant, unexpected meeting with Dan, Irene and John on the way back from the summit. Some mild scrambling up to our second summit made up for the lack of views and we were all set for our long walk back along the riverside path to the hostel.
On Sunday Wendell, Emma, Martin, George, Freek and Jan parked at Fersit. We walked along Loch Treig for a short while before making our way up the steep scramble climb onto Meall Cian Dearg then along the ridge to Stob a’ Choire Mheadhoin. We dropped down by the rocky path then up to our second munro Stob Coire Easain. The weather was good to us - much better than forecast. We had wonderful views along the ridge and were able to see the tops we visited the previous day. We retraced our route back to the car with a rainbow overhead.
Martin writes -
A small eager group of new (George and Martin) and prospective (Freek and Lindsay) members left at 8am to get a good day and off the hill before the forecast rain. From Fersit a series of minor paths led up towards Stob Coire Sgriodain avoiding most of the snow patches higher up before disappearing into the cloud at 800m. Good time was made onto the first top and then into shelter from the southerly wind for elevenses. Martin's map navigation around the lumps and bumps to the second peak of Chno Dearg impressed, with sneak peeks at the GPS confirming locations. This was Lindsay's 99th Munro, more than surpassing the accumulations of the rest of the group combined. Strong gusting wind pushed the group into seeking a rapid descent down the NW shoulder across initially icy snow patches, disturbing a few ptarmigan, and allowing a couple of practice axe-arrests. The descent became very rough and wet underfoot. Martin narrowly avoided falling or being pushed into a jelly bog halfway down! The rest of the descent was without incident and an efficient return to Fersit in 6hrs meant the cheerful chatty group was down before the drizzle set in later.
Having not been put off by the rough descent on the day before Freek, George and Martin planned to climb the Easian Munros from Fersit in slightly better conditions on Sunday. They were joined by Emma, Jan and Wendall. A fast pace had the leg-weary Munro-baggers lagging on the ascents, stretching the group out. Again the southerly winds impacted on some faces, but mainly kept the clouds at bay, allowing for good views over the Grey Corries and Loch Treig to the previous day's walks on Stob Coire Sgriodain and the Corbett pair of Cruach Innse and Sgurr Innse. Discussion was had around the oddly placed Trig pillar low on the ridge, apparently a legacy from the Loch Treig dam. Some larger snow patches on the ascent required thought about whether to deploy axe or poles, to kick steps or avoid altogether, with mixed opinions in the group. The return route from Stob Coire Easain back over Stob a' Choire Mheadhoin took extra effort with a strong gusty sideways wind. A long descent seemed to keep on going, with relief for many on reaching the lochside track at last. While the conditions felt spring-like and there was plenty of moisture underfoot, a slight drop in temperatures will bring back winter rapidly to these hills. Four Munros, 30km and 2000m of ascent in 2 days felt like quite an achievement to the newer members, but plans were being made for the next visit to the area long before the day was out.
Arthur writes -
Robin, Steve and Arthur had a modest day on Saturday ascending Cnap Cruinn, a Graham which all three had been up previously - several times by one of the party - and none of whom had seen anything from the summit. This outing was no different.
We used the newly repaired bouncy bridge over the River Spean (seen prior to its closure in this photo) to get to our hill and were most impressed how the narrowing of the gorge forced the upstream floodwater over a wide area right up to the railway banking. An old land rover parked by the track with flood debris right up to its windscreen showed how high the water had come.
We descended to pick up the line of the Lochaber Narrow Gauge Railway which ran the 19 miles from Loch Treig to the Fort William Smelter works and which was built to help the construction and maintenance of the tunnel carrying water from Loch Treig to provide hydro power for the works. The smelter, hydro works and tunnel are still there, but “the old puggy line” closed in the 1970’s and the bridges and line have deteriorated badly.
Jim (who did a lot of driving over the weekend) writes -
A tale of two Marilyns, Cruach Doir’an Raoigh and Na Maoilean, accounts for my weekend away with the club.
Cruach Doir’an Raoigh forms the highest point on the Ardnish peninsula. Access is via a track that leads to Peanmeanach bothy, formerly an MBA bothy, but now back in the ownership of the Ardnish estate. There is a handy layby for parking just off the main A830 Mallaig road. From there, the track crosses the railway, descends to the bay in Loch Beag, continues on good if occasionally boggy stalkers path, that slowly gains height along the flank of the hill before its necessary to chose a point to leave and head upwards.
I timed my walk to perfection. The early Friday morning drizzle fizzling out as I put my boots on, the mist gradually rising off the hill and then from the Moidart Corbetts Roisbheinn, An Stac and Sgurr na Ba Glaise as I reached the summit. A great little hill if you are ever on your way to or from Mallaig and need a leg stretcher
On Saturday I drove south to do Na Maoilean, a grassy plateau to the north of Ardchatten priory and the mouth of Loch Etive. This hill is easily ascended from Glen Salach, there being a convenient car parking spot just as the B845 road from Balcardine drops down to Bonawe. Thanks to Steve for the heads up on the parking and the useful access track shown on the 1:25,000 but not my 1:50,000 OS map. From the summit there is grand view of the southern end of Loch Etive and Connel Bridge.
Taking part: Jan, Steve, Irene, Dan, Jim, Martin, Fiona, Brian, John, Emma, Robin, George and prospective members Freek, Lindsay and Nele. With day visits from Wendell and Arthur.
Words: Martin, Jan, Jim and Arthur
Photos: George, Freek and Jim