A Snowy North Shiel Ridge

I'd been given a half day pass out for good behaviour (I've decorated one of the bathrooms in the hostel) and what with the recent dusting of snow I'd spied on the tops on Sunday there was nothing else for it but an early start.

I pulled up in glen shiel a little before 6am and things were looking promising. The sky was clear and lit up by a full moon, I set off up the Allt Coire Tholl without even needing my headtorch. By the time I was approaching the south east ridge of Sgurr An Fhuarail, however, the sky had clouded over and light rain was following me up the hillside. I kept skirting further and further eastwards in an attempt to catch the sunrise at the other end of the glen, but unfortunately luck was not with me today - cloud was!


Despite this the ridge did offer some atmospheric views across to Ciste Dhubh, A'chralaig and Mullach Fraoch-Choire as the cloud danced around their summits.


I followed the narrowing ridge over Sgurr An Fhuarail and then made my way onto the snow-covered summit plateau of Aonach Meadhoin, which despite its cloud covering had a real wintry feel to it. I hung around for a while hoping the cloud would clear but I soon got rather chilly so decided to head off towards Sgurr A'Bhealaich Dheirg, the next Munro on the ridge. Again the ridge started to narrow and I enjoyed a few short scrambly sections before starting on the long slog up to the summit, accompanied all the way by a soundtrack of rutting stags. The summit cairn actually lies beyond an easy but exposed ridge, made more interesting by a good smattering of snow. As I sat eating my sandwiches (cheese, sausage and redcurrant jelly if you're interested!) I was treated to a few glimpses of the summits I'd covered earlier on as they poked through the thick cloud.


Back on the main ridge I continued westwards, dropping sharply out of the cloud before tackling another short scramble leading to the bealach. Onwards and upwards I went, up the grassy slopes of Saileag for a well-earned rest at the rather pathetic summit cairn and another sandwich. The early start was starting to catch up with me, so I took a breather here for a while before backtracking down over Sgurr a' Bhealaich Dheirg and forking south down the broad ridge to Meall a' Charra. I was soon back at the van and made it back home in time for lunch!

--Matt