So I was looking at a couple of hills that I hadn’t done before but thought they would be better suited in winter given a good weather forecast, while looking at the map my eyes wandered to the left and noticed some other hills I’d not noticed before, The Brothers Ridge. That was it, they would be my next target taking in 3 Munro mountains.
I arrived on a boiling hot day and stared at the route up, up it went in a horribly steep ascent to the Bealach an Lapain, a saddle between the Brothers Ridge and the Five Sisters of Kintail. The contour lines on the map didn’t lie, they were scrunched up close together indicating how steep this hillside was. Ultimately it was a case of keep putting one foot in front of the other until arrival.
Looking over to the South Kintail Ridge
One foot in front of the other, stop, guzzle some water, carry on trying to ignore the humidity. Two thirds of the way up the slope opened up a little allowing for a faint breeze, it was glorious. I finally broke over onto the bealach and it was time to find a suitable spot for the tent, not always easy when trying to orientate to the wind which was fairly prominent at this point; it was a little chilly at this point in time.
Good camp but no water
I had just enough water to get a cup of tea on the go which would be needed to fortify for the search fo water, always the case to risk trying to find a source or carry the weight of 2 to 3 kilos of water up with you.
Turned out the only option was a long very steep descent deep into a corrie over the back to find a dribble of water, it’s much a case of swings and roundabouts.
On return to camp a nap was in order followed by dinner then a little scout around. Come dusk I scooted up a small hill that ultimately head towards the Sisters.
Looking towards the Five Sisters
Back at camp
Home sweet home
Next day was the big day-ish, with a traverse of the three summits, there was a caveat though; I would have to come back over the first to summits to make it back to my camp, effectively five summits in all.
I started off with only essentials plus water bottles to get more water if I came across any to hopefully save me from having to descend into the dark depths of the corrie, my last water source.
The first summit behind my camp
The first summit was a bit further over than it looked from below but the worst of it was the next summit looked far off, more than on the map.
The summit of Saileag, a brief rest.
I pushed on over to my next target, Sgurr a Bealaich Dheirg, this required a bit of a scramble to get to the summit, the sun was getting warmer by now, wish I’d brought my sun hat.
Just below the rocky summit of Sgurr a Bealaich Dheir
The final summit looked so far away together with a fair bit of descent and ascent to the last summit of Aonach Meadhoin, there was water I noted to my relief and would collect it on the way back. It was a twisty serpentine of a path but on reaching my final destination there were fine views up Loch Cluanie though a little hazy. I took a small rest in the sun before the arduous return not forgetting to collect the water.
It was getting hotter and hotter with brief interludes chatting to people, a welcome moment to try and cool down. I plodded on meeting young and old along the way and after an exhausting journey I was at last back at camp, time to get a brew on.
I was now faced with a ‘Hobsons Choice’, there was no breeze to speak of now and inside the tent I roasted, outside I grilled in the afternoon sun.
Having seen that the moon would be up at dusk I planned to a time-lapse, that was soon scotched as the moon disappeared below a cloud bank.
Lunch companion
South Kintail Ridge and my miniscule car is down there somewhere
The next morning I planned to go back up the small hill I went up on my first night for sunrise, but it was hazy cloudy so just hunkered down in my sleeping bag and snoozed a bit.
Hot coffee for breakfast before packing up
It had been a baking hot adventure, overly so at times, but a successful trip with 3 more Munros tick off, I would soon have to head on down the horribly steep slope.
When planning it’s good to scan around the map to see what catches you eye either side of your initial interest, you never know what you might come across, for me the Brothers Ridge was a superb outing if a little hot.