With Covid-19 having prevented us from making our traditional trips to the Highlands at Easter and Spring Bank Holiday, Ruth and I had to venture north in midge season instead for a replacement week of Corbett-bagging. I took the Friday afternoon off work which meant that the long drive north to Glen Shiel, where we camped semi-wild near the roadside, ended at the relatively civilised hour of 9:30pm. We woke the next morning in misty, midgy conditions so opted to drive on down the valley and have breakfast in Kyle of Lochalsh, where it was sunny and midge-free!
We had arranged to meet up with Amy, a bagging friend who now lives nearby in Drumbuie, for our Saturday walk up Belig (Graham) and Garbh-bheinn (Corbett) on Skye, and she duly arrived in the chosen layby at the appointed time. We had seen as we approached Skye that many of the hills were shrouded in low-level cloud so were hopeful of inversion conditions as we set off up the lower slopes. Sure enough, after about half an hour, we began to emerge from the top of the cloud into the sunshine and for the remainder of our ascent of Belig enjoyed spectactular views over the cloud to Glamaig and the Black Cuillin.
A steep descent and re-ascent took us across Bealach na Beiste to Garbh-bheinn, which was in cloud when we arrived but cleared to give great views of Bla Bheinn and the Cuillin as we enjoyed a leisurely lunch. There were more excellent views of Marsco and Glamaig as we descended the easy ridge of Druim Eadar da Choire back to the cars.
A map of our route can be seen here: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1255816
Having said our goodbyes, Ruth and I headed to Broadford Backpackers Hostel for the night: we had been surprised to find a room available at short notice a couple of days before! Surprisingly but conveniently, even the self-catering kitchen was available for use.
The next morning we headed back west to Sligachan to tackle Skye’s other, better-known Corbett, Glamaig. Once again, half an hour of ascent brought us above the valley cloud, although it was not such a spectacular unbroken layer as the previous day, and the Black Cuillin was fully clear from the start. We mused as we climbed that the Glamaig fell race must not be much fun on the unrelentingly-steep scree and grass, but soon enough reached the summit and paused a while to enjoy the views over Raasay and the rest of the Cuillin hills, as well as some more-distant mainland peaks.
Once we’d taken our fill, we descended equally steep ground to Bealach na Sgairde and then climbed back up to the adjacent Graham, Beinn Dearg Mhor. There the ground became easier for the continuation to Beinn Dearg Mheadhonach, and the day ended with a pleasant, easy descent along the ridge of Druim na Ruaige. A map of our route can be seen here: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1255818
A great start to our week, with conditions just as spectacular as those we’d enjoyed eight years earlier when we bagged all the Skye Munros! Many more photos can be enjoyed on my album on Google Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ukDxReoAySqA1A3o7
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