The Fannaichs and Ullapool Hills: Sgurr Breac (138) and A' Chailleach (144)

Walk date: 18/06/08
My Munro #'s: 151 and 152

Pronunciations - translations - heights:
Skoor brechk - speckled peak - 999m

A chalyach - the old woman - 997m

Statistics:
Duration - 10:00 - 16:30
Distance - 19 km
Total ascent - 1180m
Weather - Cloudy and very windy at altitude early in the day. Wet for a while but with a sunny finish.

Team - with Paul.

Other hikers: 1.

Completing the circuit:

Paul P and George Ullapool Hills 2008 - Day 5 (Weds)

The second of our 'recovery days' saw us returning to the previous day's glen and taking in the rest of the grand circuit. Knowing the ascent well, we travelled up the glen without incident, with myself adding some more to Gibb's Bridge and Paul refusing its offering again!

After refreshments at the col in a fine shelter, we rose steadily up the back of Sgurr Breac and onto its broad summit crest despite some impressive gusts of wind slowing us down. After the summit we kept with the good but faded in places path onto Toman Coinnich and then up A' Chailleach, which in nice weather must be a gorgeous hill but one we experience in heavy rain and continued wind. By the time we were back at Toman Coinnich it was of course sunny again, and this gave some great weather effects as the cloud slowly dissipated.

For a descent, we went north with good walking down Druim Reidh (a path also appeared to go down this having originated from Bealach Toll an Leachall, but we had missed its start in the poor weather). The path also remained good down Sron na Leitir Fhearna which we were very grateful for as it seemed imposingly steep from below it. A straightforward stomp to the car then followed and without any more 'manual' river crossings!

An old friend, revisiting Gibb's Bridge:

Gaining height in the return to the col:

Let's do it, the back of Sgurr Breac:

Paul demonstrates just how windy it was getting:

I can see the car from here, and the east end of Loch a' Bhraoin:

A small mound of a cairn survives on Sgurr Breac.

Loch Fannaich behind:

And in motion:

From Toman Coinnich onward to A' Chailleach:

Looking back to Sgurr Breac:

Loch Toll an Lochain from the approach to A' Chailleach:

A happy man and his A' Chailleach cairn:

Cloud burn-off back at Toman Coinnich:

Ditto:

And with a Paul to boot:

Good walking down the back of Druim Reidh:

These lower slopes still provided good views:

A' Chailleach and Paul:

Loch a' Bhraoin looking good:

As Druim Reidh runs out, some quick descent is required: