SKYE WEEKEND

Atmospheric Sanctuary

Probably the best of the weather 

Crowds gone 

All quiet on the Storr's summit 

No sun but plenty of atmospheric cloud 

Kilt Rock Waterfalls 

Quairang

Waterfalls at Quairang 

The Needle in the cloud

The Storr summit 

Heading back in the rain

The Sanctuary & Old Man of Storr 

Photo ops everywhere 

The Old Man

Best view of the day

Husband and wife team Eduan & Fiorella from Turin, Italy are out with me this weekend. They are on Skye for just two days. Thankfully Storm Calum wasn't too vicious on Friday afternoon and we got over the Skye Bridge with no problems. In fact late Friday afternoon was lovely.
Today we started off on an easier hill day. We ventured up to The Storr. This small hill of just over 700m is a fantastic day out. Famous for the rock pinnacle below,  The Old Man of Storr.  This is a popular walk and only takes 30 minutes to the 'Sanctuary' where the Old Man takes pride of place. Big improvement at the start of this hike in recent years. The old spruce tree plantation has thankfully been felled and the forestry commission have replanted the area with native woodland. Lovely open views out to to Rasaay and beyond now. Unfortunately the cloud descended and it started to rain by late morning . Still, it's a fantastically atmospheric place even with low cloud swirling around the steep crags and pinnacles.  We escaped the crowds and headed up to the summit of the Storr later on. After lunch and coffee in a cafe we missed with the Tour buses around the spectacular Kilt Rock Waterfall viewpoint.  Still with energy to spare we headed for another stroll at the Quirang late afternoon.  It started to rain heavy by now but still some atmospheric views on this terrific walk on the Northern Trotternish ridge.

SUMMER FOR 1 DAY

Sgor Gaoithe summit 

Glenfeshie

Bank of cloud of Sgor Gaoithe 

Warm

Blue skies is nice

Bright sun, high winds, rolling clouds

Even warmer here

clearer afternoon 

Autumn berries

Autumn leaves

Tarmachan Mountaineering prides itself on offering bespoke days out and courses. We are also as flexible as possible towards working around best weather opportunities for individuals and groups. Today was one of those cases. Steve wanted a good weather window for a day on the hill. He's been on holiday all week at Kinguissie and today was the day to get out.  A forecast of warm, dry weather and sunshine for today. He's also a keen Munroist and Sgor Gaoithe was on his list. 
We set off from Glenfeshie in warm sun. There was a strong wind blowing,  up to 50mph even at 800m. Strangely enough the place were it was calm was on the actual summit area. Unfortunately we had cloud capping the top 100m. Just the odd break here and there. From the summit we made our return over the many 'Munro Tops' or 'Sgorans' as they are named locally.
After the heat, comes the storms (again). Watch out on Friday, Calum's on his way.

CAIRNGORMS & TORRIDON WEEKEND

Hells Lum Crag and Loch Avon

Weve had a mixed bag of weather over the last few weeks. Unseasonably cold on the mountains with a fresh dusting of snow above 1000m at times. It went wet and warm for most of last week and then another two days of colder conditions on Friday and Saturday. Friday was good in the Cairngorms with just the odd snow flurry now and again.  Lighter winds so feeling pleasant in the sunny spells.

FRIDAY 5 OCTOBER

Rainbow over Glenmore

It was a good day for wildlife in the Northern Corries of The Cairngorms on Friday. Very quiet on the hills which is all good for spotting our wonderful animals and birds. The Mountain Hare are still in the their dark Autumn coats but I suspect it won't be long before they'll be changing to a more winter-like shade of  grey.

Mountain Hare, Northern Corries

With the lighter winds it was a pleasant scramble along the Fiacaill a'Coire Sneachda ridge. There had been a couple of morning snow showers. The overnight temperatures had been low. The west had seen more snow than here and Ben Nevis had a covering to 1000m this morning but none to speak of here.

A solitary scrambler on the Fiacaill

...and another solitary figure on the Fiacaill!

After the Fiacaill I took a wander over the plateau and to one of the finest of viewpoints in the entire Cairngorms overlooking the Loch Avon basin. The Autumn colours are looking superb just now, all helped along with the bright skies. Shadows lengthening over the Shelterstone Crag. Winter not far away!

Loch Avon basin looking beautiful in it's Autumn colours

Back across the plateau and plenty of ptarmigan about. In all today I counted 26 of them scattered across the coire's and plateau. Humans tallied 0, all day.

Ptarmigan under blue skies

The ptarmigan and mountain hare are probably the most likely wildlife you will see up on the Cairngorm plateau. You would have to be pretty unlucky not to see these fine creatures.

Unlucky or just not going to the right places :)

The Ptarmigan and Mountain Hare are supremely adapted to the wild weather conditions on these mountains.

Mountain Hare hiding

I must have stood staring at a fine Mountain Hare for over 10 minutes on my way back to point 1141m. His head just above a large boulder. I was poised with the camera but knew as soon as I moved he was going to bolt. So he did! Next time! There's always a next time with wildlife, that's why we keep on going back.

SATURDAY 6 OCTOBER

Fuar Tholl

The weather forecast was looking fine in the NW Highlands on Saturday. A cold airflow promised for some beautiful photography. The morning seemed to be the better part of the day. Karen and I headed to that most beautiful part of the Highlands, the Coullin Forest. There are many mountains that lie in this area between Glen Carron and Glen Torridon. We  chose Sgorr Ruadh, walking in from Achnashellach. This fine Munro gives quality views to the big Torridonian giants to the NW.

The impressive Sgorr Ruadh from Coire Lair

I never tire of the fabulous approach walk up Coire Lair. As soon as you leave Achnashellach station you have constant, spectacular views of the mountains as you walk on the excellent stalker's path into the coire.  Fuar Tholl looms  ahead followed by Bein Liath Mhor and then Sgorr Ruadh. All these mountains can be climbed in a long day which makes a fine circuit.

Coire Lair and Beinn Liath Mhor

By mid-day the cloud had blocked out most of the gorgeous blue skies, sadly. It's still spectacular Torridonian scenery even under a grey sky. The tops were still clear of cloud as we made our way up the brilliant North ridge of Sgorr Ruadh.

Beinn Liath Mhor and Sgorr Ruadh from Coire Lair

Showers out west over Loch Carron

Sgorr Ruadh summit

Fuar Tholl

No wonderful views of Liathach from the summit but we did get a glorious view to Fuar Tholl over towards the east. We startled a herd of deer as we descended down to Loch Bealach Mor which lies at the low point between Sgorr Ruadh and Fuar Tholl. A quick dip for the swimmer in our group here. Getting a bit chilly!

Afternoon swim

Another heavy snow shower on the final descent back to Achnashellach. It didn't quite live up to the weather forecast and no spectacular, beautiful photography this time. A fine day out and always a place I return to, especially in winter. Next time, white!

Fuar Toll

Another shower

WARMER, WINDIER

Cairngorm Plateau 

Top of Goat Track 

Cairn Lochan 

Looking across to Braeriach 

Bit breezy for the Fiacaill 

Clouds scurrying above Coire an t-Sneachda 

ptarmigan out of the wind in the coire

Good shelter here

There was another fresh dusting of snow on the Cairngorms yesterday. By the looks of it even more than last week and at a lower altitude. Overnight the showers turned to rain and the temperatures rose. This morning it was completely free of snow. Like a normal early October really. The winds are still with us, we've been in a constant cycle of very strong to gale force winds over the last couple of weeks. Today it was probably gusting to around 70mph in Coire an t-Sneachda. I think it would have been a bit blowy on the Fiacaill ridge so opted to head up the Goat Track instead.  I love a good tussle with the elements and today was fun. In between the very brief snow showers there were good sunny periods as the clouds scurried across the mountain tops. Funnily enough not a single person seen today on the hill! The Mountain Hare on the top of Cairn Lochan shot off over the cliff as I surprised him and the patarmigan were well sheltered in coire an Lochain. Down here there was hardly any winds so it must have eased off in the afternoon.