While on our annual holiday with my wife to the Isle of Arran, I managed to do two(!) walks. The first was with Oban Walkers (including John Nicol!) from Lochranza to the Fairy Dell (keep your comments clean please!), a stroll of about 10km along the shore, then up and on to a track.
The second was much better and in similar weather--dry and warm with lots of sunshine! This time I walked up Glen Sannox to climb Cir Mhor. The walk up the glen was pleasant on a very good path, ending at the head of the glen in stone steps leading to a tricky chimney (lots of scrambling, but minimal exposure) to reach the Saddle, the col between North Goat Fell and Cir Mhor. There I was surprised to find a steep and rocky path up to the summit of Cir Mhor. My only prevous climb of Cir Mhor was several years ago, and I remembered the summit as being very exposed and scary! However, the exposure was only on the north side, and the views were exeptional. It was not as scary as the chimney!
To change the route down (and to avoid reverse scrambling down the chimney!), I descended north towards Caisteal Abhail (The Castles), but not climbing it. Instead I dropped down into Coire nan Uamh, causing a small rock avalanche on the very loose and steep climb down (good job there was no-one below me!). Coire nan Uamh is spectacular with steep slabby walls, and is a coire within a coire, which means that there is also another climb down to reach the floor of Glen Sannox and the way home.
Do consider this walk if you go to Arran in October. It can be varied, with additions to The Castles, North Goat Fell, A'Chir or Glen Rosa.
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1 comment:
That's a good report John. Strangely enough the only hill I've climbed in Arran was Cir Mhor, bus to the start at the same point as you, then walked down the glen which takes you out at Brodick. Hoping to climb a few more in October during the Club weekend.
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