Torridon

Ascents of the Torridon Munros started when I was 17 years old on the summer Botelar Grammar School  Fell Walking Club (FWC) trip to Scotland where we did Liatthach on this trip. I revisited Torridon in 1998 when I completed the ascents of Ben Eighe and Ben Alligin. I know that I had definitely climbed Spidean a’Chore Leith with the FWC but I could not remember climbing Mullach an Rathain, Spidean’s sister peak. Hence I decided to climb both peaks to make sure I had summited on both Munros.

A well constructed path basically lead from the A road right to the top of Spidean a’Choire Leith. It was steep at first. There is sudden right turn on the way up where I went a little astray and summited a nearby peak before I realised where I had gone a bit wrong. Back heading in the right direction I worked my way steadily towards Spidean’s summit. After the drop down it was a straightforward climb up the quartzite blocks to the summit. The views across to the nearby peaks of Ben Eighe and Ben  Alligan were wonderful and began remember how special the Torridon hills are. They feel old and very wise.

After the summit I descended towards Am Fasarien and decided to take the Pinnacle by-pass path rather than going over the pinnacles. Even the by-pass path has some hairy moments particularly after the heavy rain with some quite dramatic drops and very little path. A delightful grassy section lead to the final crest before Mullach an Rathain. Lunch was taken on the top admiring the view and then the very steep and rough descent down to towards the road again. After the reaching the road I managed to get a lift back to my car with a ceramic artist from Doonreay in the far North.

A great day - definitely one of the best Munro days.