This was a really challenging walk, right from the start and all the way until the end. Just to get to the car park I had to drive for an hour down a single track road to the end of Loch Arkaig and from there I had to walk for another two hours through Glen Dessary just to get to the foot of the mountain. And of course once I had been over the mountain I had to repeat the process all over again, two hours back to the car, and then one hour back to Fort William. There was a sign near the start of the walk that proclaimed that this was remote, sparsely populated, potentially dangerous mountain country. I was advised to only proceed if I was adequately experienced and properly equipped to be able to manage without assistance. Since I obviously did manage to return safely, even in the poor weather, I guess that means I am. In addition to the remote location I had another problem to contend with: on the previous walk I had finished the day with an aching ankle. An overnight rest failed to ease the pain and this tough walk would put my ankle under tremendous strain. On previous occasions when I had this sort of trouble I found that my inner sole was to blame. In 2001 I had just bought a new pair of boots and the inner sole in them was useless and it actually ruined the holiday. In 2006 I had problems while walking in Glen Coe due to worn out inner soles. This may have been the cause of my problems at the end of this holiday, but first I had a walk to do, whatever pain I may have been in.
After a particularly tricky crossing of the stream, Allt Coire nan Uth, I started climbing the steep hillside up to the first Munro of the day, Sgurr nan Coireachan. During the climb I plunged into the clouds and at one point I seemed to emerge above them with views to the east. Briefly I even had some sunshine and blue skies, which is something I hadn’t seen all week, unfortunately it didn't last long as the clouds soon closed in, the weather grew worse, and normal service was resumed. When I finally reached the summit of Sgurr nan Coireachan I had my lunch and the mist was now so thick it had become a drenching. After eating I dropped down to Bealach nan Gall and climbed back up to start the fantastic ridge across fabulously rugged terrain over the Garbh Chiochs. This was great fun, despite the bad weather, as the terrain was really rocky and complex, and there was a good path that follows a dry stone wall along the top of the ridge. The path gradually climbed up to the broad top of Garbh Chioch Beag before weaving around mighty outcrops beside the sheer drops into Coire nan Gall to my right. Eventually the summit of the Munro was reached at the top of Garbh Chioch Mhor, which given the isolated nature of this location must have amazing views with nothing to see but mountains as far as the eye can see. Even without a view the awesome rocky landscape was an awe-inspiring place, despite the weather's drenching mist and howling wind.
This was an immensely fun walk, but there was an extra treat to come. After passing over the summit I dropped down to the bottom of the pass, Feadan na Ciche, the Whistler, where the wind howls through the narrow gap. I had originally planned to go up the next Munro on the ridge, Sgurr na Ciche, but the weather was so poor and with time advancing I decided it would be prudent to miss it out. While crossing the ridge I hadn’t forgotten that once I finished walking along the ridge I would have to walk all the way back to the car along the bottom of the valley, which was going to take me so long it was would be dark by the time I got back to Fort William. With the final Munro missed out I now had to descend from the top of the pass through a wonderfully steep, narrow and wet gully that was so narrow and with so much water in the stream that the path was frequently covered by water. It was very challenging, but great fun, and over all too quickly. Once down from there my fun was over as I had a long walk back along Glen Dessary back to my car. It was very wet, very muddy and very tiring as I hobbled along on my aching ankle, and of course once back at my car I still had to drive back to Fort William. This was a good walk, but only because of the quality of the ridge and that gully. The exhausting walk in and out and the bad weather were such negative points that it could never be considered great. Nevertheless it was a good walk to end my holiday and the walking season.
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