The Saddle to Creag nan Damh

Peaks: The Saddle (1010/3314), Sgurr na Sgine (944/3098), Sgurr a'Bhac Chaolais (885), Creag nan Damh (918)
Area: Glen Shiel, Scotland
After arriving in Glenelg yesterday afternoon, we relaxed by the shores of Loch Hourn in more stunning weather this morning, before I headed off for a short outing above Glen Shiel in the afternoon. Kate dropped me off in the valley, giving me just under four hours to do as much as I could. My plan was to head up the Saddle via the superb-looking Forcan ridge, and then try to get as far as possible along the South Glen Shiel ridge. This went well initially, as the route takes a very runnable stalker's path to the col between Meallan Odhar and Biod an Fhithich. The col gives tremendous views towards the NE ridges and cwms of the Saddle. But my plans for a quick ascent began to be altered as I started the scrambling, because the Forcan ridge was both better and longer than I'd expected, and it seemed inappropriate to rush. Initial slabs lead to a great view and a horizontal ridge, before more sustained scrambling up a steeper section gain the top of Sgurr nan Forcan and a cracking, much photographed onward view. The narrow ridge ends in a scrambling descent, all highly enjoyable, before a sharp crest gains the final easier rocks to the summit. Great views of Glenelg, the Cuillin, the Five Sisters and the South Glen Shiel ridge. The weather again just became clearer and sunnier as I jogged down the easy broad gully towards the Bealach Coire Mhalagain. A sharp pull from here gains the end of the ridge of Faochag ('the whelk': conspicuous and highly photogenic from Glen Shiel). A surprisingly tough extra ascent leads south to more remote territory, eventually gaining the twin summits of Sgurr na Sgine. This is another fine hill, hidden from Glen Shiel, with a craggy southern face. These crags made my onward route problematic, as a long traverse is then required to gain awkward bouldery terrain leading east below the south face of Sgine to a bealach above Coire Toite. An awful, but unavoidable, pull up pathless, rough terrain gains the flat top of Sgurr a'Bhac Chaolais. Surprisingly steep and draining, but good running down the easier eastern ridge finally gains Bealach Duibh Leac and the start of the South Glen Shiel ridge proper. I was running out of time by now, however, so kept a decent pace going for the featureless slopes of Creag nan Damh which mercifully gave way to some mild scrambling near the top. As I descended towards Sgurr Beag I decided to play it safe and contacted Kate to arrange a meeting at the Battle Site, descending into the remote Am Fraioch Coire. This is a superb, wild spot high above Glen Shiel: tremendous views to the Five Sisters. Hot sunshine now as I descended towards the waterfall, feeling uneasy about the onward route. Sure enough, a line of crags meant I had to traverse up the ridge to the west before fashioning an intricate and unpleasant downward route through bands of wet slabs and mossy gullies to gain the sunlit, much gentler lower coire and a delightful path. I pelted down here to arrive at the meeting place bang on time.