The weather forecast last weekend was good enough to a wee hill Skye trip, but not a big hill Skye trip. So @G5OLD Tim and I delayed plans for scrambling and dangling. Mo and I decided to go anyway, so we left on Thursday at 4pm, arriving in the dark and pitching up Dora the V8 Explorer in some damp layby, just off the main road to the south of Portree.
Friday 10th September
We got on the go reasonably early and scooted up through Portree and northwards to the parking for The Storr GM/SI-028. We’d backpacked the entire length of the Trotternish Ridge around 10 years ago, as part of the Skye trail, but didn’t have the energy for The Storr at the time. Mo was keen to settle that.
Today we had the energy, but didn’t fancy it. Low cloud and a very stiff breeze, as well as me feeling a bit off. We pulled up a couple of miles short of the objective and had a regroup. Ben Dearg GM/SI-057 reared above us.
It was clear on top.
It was only 1.5km away.
It had only been activated once.
It hadn’t been activated for 20 years.
I thought I could see a route up.
Mo said no thanks and pulled out her sketch pad.
Ben Dearg from the car park on the Portree to Staffin road
I set off, expecting a bog trot. Once I was past the waterfall photo/instagram spot, which was pretty muddy, the moor revealed springy turf, short heather and not much water underfoot.
Soon it steepened and I picked my way through and up steep grassy mounds, heading for the obvious broad grassy ramp. Once on it, I found a narrow sheep track that took a rising traverse across from bottom left to top right. Steep, but solid underfoot. It released me above the crags.
heading for the grassy ramp
I then took another rising traverse, to the left this time, finally climbing steep grass to the left of the summit crags. I was now on the sloping grassy ridge, which I followed along and up for a bit to the summit. Hard going, very steep. Breathlessly so.
Ben Dearg
The fence post was welcome, as was the peat, although it didn’t provide me with much shelter. Two dozen contacts were logged, including four on 2m FM, with a nice summit to summit with Alex @GM5ALX , who was back east on Glas Maol GM/ES-012, 185km away. It was very cold in the wind though and I was feeling pretty rough.
The Storr and the Old Man
I followed the Trotternish ridge for a bit further south on the way back and came down steep grass that avoided all of the gully nonsense. A bit longer, but it got me back to the car quickly and safely, joining the ascent route further down.
With an improving forecast for the afternoon, we headed west to look for an easy one we could both do, which led us to the foot of Beinn Chreagach GM/SI-139, a lowly 326m and 1 point.
parking for Ben Chreagach
The parking wasn’t great but was fine for Dora. The terrain wasn’t great either. Mo took one look at it and declined. I wish I had too. This hill has only had one legitimate activation in the past 17 years. Just an easy angled 1.5km walk? Not to be!
Knee deep heather, with peaty holes, long grass, also with peaty holes. Soft spongy, energy sapping ground. I wished I was back on Ben Dearg. Reeds, rushes, bracken. All mixed with long grass, hiding a multitude of booby traps.
Usually the vegetation improves with altitude. Not here. Long, wind blown grass all the way to the top. What an absolute slog.
coastal views from Beinn Chreagach GM/SI-139
Still pretty breezy at the top, I collapsed behind the cairn and stuffed the slim-G up into the air. Mo was first in the log (again), and a couple of others. Both of today’s rare summits were desirable to collectors, so I had mini pile-ups on 40 and 20m.
Ardmore bay
Going down was quicker but as bad as going up. I was going against the knap of the grass and it kept catching my boot laces/cleats and tripping me up. Then I fell sideways into a bog. Never mind, at least the right side of me was dry.
Back at the Landie, the sight of me confirmed to Mo that she’d made the right choice. I got cleaned up and we drove up the wee road to Ben Geary GM/SI-159, which unfortunately had no parking, so we came back down and camped at the bottom instead.
no parking in Passing Places allowed. Fine.
Saturday 11th September
It had rained all night and was due to until 10am. So, we had a lie in and left at 1030, heading back up the wee road to Ben Geary. Except, two things.
- Ben Geary seemed to have a different climate, with 40mph wind and sideways rain.
- Dora was running off a cylinder or two. Ok, she still had six, but it wasn’t nice to hear.
We retreated and I had a look at Dora. Moisture inside the dizzy cap was to blame. This happened once before, when we camped at 2000’ in a Cairngorm blizzard, so I guess the sideways rain had done the same job.
Dora dried out and back on 8 cylinders, we headed around to Dunvegan for a re-group at the excellent community cafe. It was still a depressing damp drizzle when we went in.
elevenses
When we came out, we were met with blue skies. Yay! Up the road we went, until it ran out at a very large and new car park. Must be one of the instagram spots we didn’t know about. We were here for Beinn Bhreac GM/SI-140, at 329m and with a track most of the way, so hopefully no repeat of yesterday.
nice and easy
When the track did run out, we headed up the hill. It was a bit undulating, spongy and all of the usual, but not too bad. Until we came to the moat surrounding the summit.
the summit defences of Beinn Bhreac GM/SI-140
We squelched around and over it, then made our way up to the summit peat hag and bog. Not great for walking, but perfect for a guyless mast plant. I’d broken the 41’ EFRW yesterday, so up went the EFHW, with 5m up and the rest sloping. 2m/40m/20m. A bit quieter than the last two, but still 9 in the log.
@MM7MOQ on the mic.
On the way back, we gave the moat a wide detour, picking up some nice views to the west, then paid for it with steeper ground back to the track.
heading down from the boggy summit
Back at Dora, we decided to head back east and camp at the foot of Ben Dearg, ready for another crack at The Storr on Sunday.
Sunday 12th September
I now know why Skye has a bad reputation for being over-run by tourists*.
We took the short drive north to the Storr car park. It was 0915. The car park was full. The lay-bys were full. For 1 mile north and one mile south. By the time we found a turning spot and re-passed the car park entrance, there were cars queuing down the main road. Let’s get out of here.
*at The Old Man of Storr, The Quiraing, The Fairy pools etc
We drove south. It rained, despite the sunny outlook. We kept driving until we got to the single track road that went over the bealach to Kylerhea. Stopping at the bealach viewpoint, we had Sgurr na Coinnich GM/SI-020 on the left and Ben Aslak GM/SI-041 to the right. It was noon and the cloud was low.
bealach parking, with Ben Aslak GM/SI-041 somewhere up there
Ben Aslak first. Basically because it was a rare WAB square and an activation would make someone very happy. So, off I went back up the road, through the gate and up the short track to the comms mast. Bits and pieces of narrow path took me over the mosses and up to a lochan. The vegetation now shorter, the ground now steeper. Two grassy gullies cut the face above, and the right one, which turned out to be the right one, led me to the summit rocks.
cloud lifting. Which gully?
A small flat top with shattered rocks and grass. Mast placement no problem and even a wee rock table by the cairn, so a novel standing up HF activation. An activation which brought in 25 contacts, four of those on 2m FM.
clearing skies revealing Broadford
An hour up took half an hour back. I stopped at Dora for tea and my piece (sandwich) before setting back off up the single track road.
Sgurr na Coinnich GM/SI-020 seen from my descent
The same distance but 150m higher. A better track to follow but then a terrible gully through the cliffs. A steep pull up through rocky heather to the right of a tumbling stream. More level above, but soft and spongy. Again, steepness with rocks before finally I emerged breathless onto an undulating grassy ridge. A nice lochan. Then the final obstacle.
up the terrible gully
un-named lochan
one final barrier
A smiliar top, but the views! Superb in all directions, particularly down to the Kyle of Lochalsh and the Skye bridge. Helpful rocks, EFHW as a proper inverted V and the usual (for this trip) routine. 40m was long and 20m was short at times, although I did manage a contact with Ukraine. When I went back to 2m FM to inform Mo I was leaving, another mini-pile up. It has been pretty handy, Mo getting a license. Especially on this trip, when there was often no cell signal in the glens.
late afternoon on Sgurr na Coinnich GM/SI-020
Forty minutes later and I was back down at the Landie. We spent the night, knowing it would be our last. Torrential rain was forecast for Monday and the plan was to head off home first thing.
final camp spot
And as for The Storr, well the Great Man will have to wait.
