Sunday 2 February 2014

Beinn Damph, Torridon

I've been experimenting with taking digital photos of slides. They aren't great, but are coming out marginally better than my scanned slides. I suspect they will look overprocessed - what do you think? The main benefit is the speed with which I can photograph a slide compared to scanning one! 

A while back I took slides on a trip to Torridon with the Lomond Mountaineering Club, spending the weekend in the Ling Hut. We had an early night but were woken by folk arriving late, doors banging, whispering, bags rustling, torches shining in faces, the cold coming off the jackets of the new arrivals as their senses adjusted to the environment of a dark dormitory.

Ling Hut and Liathach:


Next morning brought dirty weather. Whilst everyone else headed for easy Coire Mhic Fhearchair or the challenging traverse of misty, snowy Liathach, a couple of us chose the middle course of Beinn Damph.

We decided to head for the corrie directly east of the hill’s summit to minimise contact with the day’s westerly gale. A sharply scented pine forest and foaming river to start, then bog hopping over tough heather and moraine debris. We reached the corrie quickly, the cloud fortunately lifting enough to illustrate our one feasible ascent line. It was still fairly steep, and I forced myself not to worry on looking down from near the slightly corniced top. An exhilarating ascent, although I didn’t fancy going back down that way! The cloud had been lifting at the same rate as we were climbing, and on the top it cleared totally.

Beinn Alligan from Beinn Damph:


Liathach's arrowhead summit was plastered with snow and sunshine; views across Applecross, Skye, Torrridon, Kintail, and Glen Affric. Maol Chean Dearg and An Ruadh Stac looked magnificent. I was delighted we’d come up a hill that had such an excellent view. But of course, everywhere in Torridon is a great viewpoint!

Maol Chean Dearg from Beinn Damph:


We lingered at the top for a good twenty minutes or longer, drinking it all in, before heading back down for a bimble round Shieldaig then games of limbo dancing and table-traversing in the hut. (Could I traverse a table today? I don't think I could!) The next day the entire club drove round to Loch Clair and headed for the two Corbetts of Sgurr Dubh and Sgurr nan Lochan Uaine - or at least I thought we were doing both! Not being Corbett-baggers, everyone else, including my lift home, was content with a single summit, and so I was forced to follow with petted lip.

The glen to Coire Mhic Fhearchair from Sgurr Dubh:


No matter - I want to visit the Coire of a Hundred Hills below Sgurr nan Lochan Uaine some day anyway. I guess I will climb the hill then...

1 comment:

Chris said...

Looks fantastic....but Torridon always does.