Waterpipe Gully,Sgurr An Fheadain
Monday 28 August 2006
Glen Brittle Memorial Hut
We take the bus to Portree through the heavy rain showers. We have to shelter in the window of the bakery while we eat elevenses. Then get the bus to Carbost, have lunch looking out at the loch and go round the Talisker Distillery. We hitch back down Glen Brittle from there and go out for an evening explore up the peak in front of the hut windows; Sgurr nan Gobhar. A big pile of scree to negotiate, before some scrambly bits then a pleasant scramble on solid rock along the ridge. Hardly any rain falls so we are pleased to have got out. We turn back about 7pm coming down in a big gully until it gets too steep.
Tuesday August 29 2006
Glen Brittle Memorial Hut
Edgeway, Sgurr An Fheadain
It is raining again, but we continue with our plan to get the bus up the Head of the Brae and to walk to Waterpipe Gully area. We scramble to the top of a Edgeway, a Diff Climb that follows the route of Waterpipe Gully, on the wet rock to recce the descent and downclimb it then go round and do the climb. One word – SLIME, oh yes, and another word – FEAR. The climb takes place in an enclosed chimney which even at the best of times would not have been dry or grippy. In the rain it is dripping and all the moss and algae growing on its walls has swollen up with the water. I really do not enjoy this outing. Best of all is coming out on top uncertain where the exact top is and not knowing where to start traversing in order to descend, and then seeing the cairn we had made to mark the path back to the scramble. Jim had been very accurate with his guess where the climb came to and then in the route of the climb itself. We walk back down the long and winding road to the Glen Brittle Hut. When we get back, Richard has arrived in from a very long and lightweight walk from Spean Bridge which seemed to involve sleeping in ditches and eating crusts of bread and peanuts.
not at home 