A SHORT ROUND OF THE RED CUILLIN
My last trip north didn't go well. It didn't go at all actually. The apparently annual back spasm while loading the car left me watching in dismay as one of the best winter weather windows in years slipped away. Nearly two months later and I'm just getting back to it...so despite its brevity, there was no way I was missing this one.
I'd had my eye on a 'round' of the Red Cuillin for some time and had hoped to complete it while the snow cover lasted. In the event the recent thaw followed by a hard freeze resulted in a complete absence of snow but a lot of ice which made for slow descents, and frozen scree which proved particularly tiresome and impossible to heel down.
The sun eventually gave way to high level cloud and the temperature was sub zero throughout. Wind chill was severe.
But what a day! The highlight perhaps being a repeat performance from several years ago on Cul Mor, when a golden eagle lifted from the summit of Beinn Dearg Mor as I crested the last rise, massive wings furling just feet away, before circling above me for some time.
Far from being the longest route though it is unremittingly steep, and undeservingly overshadowed by the 'main' Cuillin Ridge, it was undoubtedly the best day on the hill so far this year.
