As May bank holiday weekend finally arrived two YMC cars set forth for another remote corner of North West Scotland: Glen Torridon and the Torridon Hills. With the weather forecasts uncertain and two cancellations before leaving the Vale of York, Andrew, Brian T and I were primed to have to decamp to friendlier climes or else come home early! After a day in Andrew's recently mended Passat with its dubious hand break systems we wound our way down the singletrack road from Kinlochewe into the glen, arriving in the lovely Torridon village youth hostel before 6pm for a welcome cup of tea outside the hostel beneath brightening skies. There was a good buzz about the Scottish Youth Hostel as people started to arrive from all over the place ready for the weekend. Tenk and Brian H arrived soonafter with a car full of gourmet nosh and some dodgy card tricks. Brian T victorious at Scrabble.

Saturday 3rd looked better than expected first thing and a unanimous decision was made to undertake a loop round Beinn Eighe taking in a fabulous approach route from the glen through Coire Dubh Mor looping round through the immense U shaped valley into the impressive corrie (Coire Mhic Phearchair) between Sail Mhor and Ruadh-stac Mor - slowly revealed as we climbed round. Fine views of the Triple Buttresses.

The Triple Buttresses Beinn Eighe

Sighting of the Loch Ness Monster (on May Day bank holiday in Torridon)

Hesitation, repetition and halting in general were discouraged as some of the party had decided to wear a limited amount of clothing in preference for treading lightly and there was a chill edge to the wind!

Skirting the glorious but cold-looking Loch Coire Mhic Fhearchair we scaled a steep scrabbly gulley and along the arête to Ruadh Stac Mor. We then followed the ridge round to the summit of Spidean Coire nan Clach before making our way back down into the glen (across snow fields obscuring the paths higher up) where we were met by the advance party (Tenky) and their softtop back in the glen saving us from a long walk back on the road.

Ruadh Stac Mor: summit

Spidean Coire nan Clach: summit (pronunciation uncertain) as well as Brian T's very long ice axe

Next we checked out the Ling Hut to size it up for Sunday and Monday nights (the SYH was booked out). The hut's chief characteristics were a spectacular setting and some quirky fittings including a hand pump to fill the water tank, hand written labels clearly and sometimes humorously demarking everything in the hut and some historic mountaineering regalia which had certain people in the party ooing and awing. A visitation was then made to the Torridon pub before another large meal was consumed in the hostel. After more scrabble (I forget who won) certain members of the group felt that they were obligated to join in the East Kilbride singing and rambling brigade by undertaking solo renditions of chart topping numbers including 'What do you do with a drunken Sailor', 'The Streets of London', 'The Ladies of the Harem of the
Court of King Caractacus', 'These Boots are made for Walking' and 'The Wind in my Lycra'. When in Rome (or with the East Kilbride singing and rambling brigade) I say.

Sunday's weather was down on paper as the worst of the weekend so Confidence was Low. However, owing the time limitations for certain members of the group and the fact that MWIS's predictions for Saturday had been much worse than the real event, we opted for Liathach anyway with one eye for any signs of worsening weather. Unlike Beinn Eighe, this involved a steady gradient in one direction (up) from first stepping off the path via Coire Liath Mhor. The range had looked daunting yesterday due to the steep, stark pointy summits and stubborn snow fields. Not far off reaching the roughly east-west ridge, with grey lowering skies looming, Andrew debated turning back but was persuaded to continue to the summit of Spidean a'Choire Leith (the pointy one) since we had already made most of the climb.

Liathach Range Caption: the pointy summits of the Liathach Range - steep up and steep down!

Spidean Choire Leith ahead: great arete!

Tenky, Brian H and Andrew leaning in the wind but pleasingly grouped

Brian H and Tenk then headed south west for the notorious Pinnacles ridge and summit of Mullach an Rathain whilst Brian T, Andrew and I turned back. In spite of this, we all managed to meet back down at the glen at around the same time to say goodbye to Tenk and Brian who were headed back to Yorkshire, and for the remainder of us to finally quit the youth hostel ready for moving to the Ling Hut.

The Ling Hut (SMC). On a good day.

That afternoon we drove out to the village of Lower Diabaig driving through the tiny village of Torridon and out past Inveralligan to the back of beyond. Spectacular seascapes and isolated settlements and glad we were not still on the tops as the clouds rolled in the rain came down.

Diabaig from above

After a night in the Ling Hut with its hearty gas heat and lighting but distinctly uncertain plumbing, a later start before waking to blue skies and light winds ready for the Bank Holiday Monday and a circuit based on Beinn Alligin. Drove to the car park in the woods at the junction with Coire Mhic Nobuil above Upper Loch Torridon and took a leisurely stroll along the river gradually ascending from the Coire Mhic Mobuil's gorge up to the Horns of Alligin (Anat Sail Bheg).

Enjoyable scrambles

Enjoyable scrambling on the 'horns' and fantastic vistas but nothing overly taxing. Amazing views and light winds from the summit of Sgurr Mhor caused us to linger there awhile with Brian T and Andrew summit spotting in all directions.

Summit: Sgurr Mhor

Another enjoyable ridge walk to the summit of Tom na Gruagaich and then we came down steeply to the south on yet another superb rocky path. Good food with high prices was enjoyed at the Torridon Inn's restaurant having visited Shieldaig to check out the eating options on the sea front - alas not a lot of space.

Brian T's preferred transport to the pub, to the south of Upper Loch Torridon

Tuesday we decided to bag Mullach an Rathian on the Liathach having missed this on Sunday so departed the Ling early and made short work of the steep, scrambly climb to the summit from the road - the hardest climb yet! Luckily our way was eased by another fantastic cool mountain stream and the sublime weather. Having achieved the hazy but dauntingly sheer summit (not a lot of sitting space here!) we hot-footed it back down to the road observing on the way one or two young frogs beside the path(!). On our lengthy drive back to York, we called in at Lesley's (ex YMC member) in Edinburgh to wish her adieu for her forthcoming emigration.

Summit: Mullach an Rathian on the Liathach, true bagger style!

The team: Brian T (beats being in B&Q), Andrew, Head Chef and armed with eccles cakes, Amanda (thwarted at scrabble), Richard (lightweight) and Brian H (drank beer on the summits, unlawful)

Trip was made good by: superb rocky paths through the bogs and scree, cuckoos, Bill's quirky notices in the Ling Hut, not being in B&Q on the Bank Holiday weekend, the absence of midge activity, custard.

Trip was not enhanced by: the weather on Sunday afternoon, snores in the hostel, morning plumbing in the Ling Hut.

Thanks to Andrew for your suggestion to go and for organising it all!

Amanda