Sunday 5th Sept 2010 - The Aonach Eagach

Pronunciation/Translation: Aonach Eagach - oenoch egoch (notched ridge), Meall Dearg - myowl jerrack (red hill), Sgorr nam Fiannaidh - sgor nam feeanee (peak of the fair haired warriors)

It's been more than a year since I last made a traverse of the Aonach Eagach above Glen Coe. On that occasion the ridge had been shrouded in cloud which made it's crossing a little more unnerving in my opinion.
I didn't have Alfie back then, so wasn't considering how a Springer Spaniel would cope with the Crazy Pinnacles. In the end Shona and I decided to let him sit this one out, but vowed to scrutinise the route for possible canine accompaniment in the future.

 We arrived at the starting point a bit later than we'd normally have liked, probably due to an extended break at the Green Welly Stop to admire all the motorcycles parked up.
Setting off at 2.30pm meant we couldn't hang around, taking the well maintained path west of  Alt na reigh, it wasn't long before we were enjoying the views on Am Bodach of the Chancellor and fading into the distance the ridge in all its glory.

The wind had begun to pick up and was blowing us along from the southeast. First part of the scrambling done, we quickly reached the summit of Meall Dearg 953m. Although breezy, the conditions were in our favour and I was especially pleased to see that the rock underfoot was nice and dry. Apparently the Rev.A.E.Robertson chose Meall Dearg as the final climb of his first round of Munros in 1901.

 

Up ahead we could see some more climbers reaching the Crazy Pinnacles. We stopped for a quick chat with John and Betty who were rigging up a belay to assist them to descend a tricky part of the pinnacles. We carried on westwards and Shona was having a ball practising her hand and footholds on the weathered rock.

The going got a bit easier on the approach to Stob Coire Leith, as did the pleasant but very windy approach to the summit of Sgorr nam Fiannaidh 967m, the second Munro of the day.

Our descent route was the controversial path west of the Clachaig Gully. The guidebooks  dissuade you from using this way off the ridge as it has been the scene of some recent fatal accidents. Yes,  the path is very steep and very eroded. Great care is required, especially where the path skirts the steep sides of the gully to the left. More importantly do not be distracted or hurried along by the sight of the beckoning Clachaig Inn which gradually gets larger the nearer you get to the Glen. Only consider decsending this way if it's clearly dry underfoot.

An alternative descent is to head back along the ridge eastwards and drop down in line with Loch Achtriochtan. After a quick refuel at the wonderful Clachaig Inn we spotted John and Betty's head-torches descending this way.

A few miles further up the Glen we reached our car. One other vehicle was still parked up and we assumed it would be John and Betty's, so a detour was quickly planned.  It was nice to see the look of relief on their faces as we drew alongside and offered them a lift back up the Glen to the Alt na reigh parking area.