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| 22nd July 2006 - Glen Brittle, Skye With most of the club away on various exciting holidays, this was bound to be less well attended than most recent meets. And so it began. Peter & Ken arrived at a very quiet Glen Brittle Hut late on Friday, to be greeted by the custodian and no-one else at all. So, a couple of beers & early to bed. Saturday was just as warm and dry as the previous week had been, so they headed off to go climbing in Coire Laggan. They easily found their intended route, Cioch West, because it has "CW" scratched in the rock at the bottom. Why don't all routes have this ? 4 hours, some puffing and panting, a very exposed crux, but mostly just great climbing later, and they were at the top. They continued on to the Cioch itself (although not by Cioch Nose - doh!) A great days climbing in Skye, in t-shirts. Back at the hut, Sandy arrived a bit later on. His first day in the hills since last year's Glen Brittle meet had been on The Saddle, on the way up. He wanted to see if you can see Suadarlen bothy from the top of The Saddle. You apparently can. The Pottinger family turned up as well. Sunday morning was pretty grotty. Low cloud over the hills & it was threatening to drizzle. Ken & Peter went off in the direction of the Inn Pin, but turned back at the lochain in Coire Laggan. Sandy got a trifle lost on the way up to An Dorus, but got back safely. Others went for less adventurous activities. Ken left on Sunday afternoon, and Craig arrived. Eric and his dog also turned up on Sunday and stayed for two nights. The dog wasn’t allowed in the hut, and Eric was banished from the dorm after one night for snoring and slept downstairs - a traditional Highland welcome ! The Monday was wet and overcast as well, Craig and Peter went fishing - with no luck. However, on Tuesday morning the cloud was above the ridge so they decided to go up and do Arrow Route. The day hadn't promised much, so completing this route felt like a bonus. There was some excitement - after abseiling off the Cioch, they were eating their sandwiches, and witnessed a be-helmeted and be-roped party of 3, all festooned with gear, attempting the traverse from eastern gully onto the terrace (normally pretty much a walk) and giving up halfway round. Perhaps just as well they didn't get to the routes ? Sandy and Ian P had headed up Sgurr nan Eag and Sgurr Dubh Mor. On Wednesday, Sandy made another attempt on An Dorus. More successful this time, he headed south finishing up at Sgurr Mhic Coinnich. Failing to find Collie's Ledge, he returned to the hut. On Thursday, Sandy and John P went in the direction of Bruach na Frithe. All in all a pretty fair week for Sandy - about half the ridge bagged !
Peter finds the "thank God" hold on the crux traverse of Cioch West ...
... having completed the route, he enjoys a contemplative cigar
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