Hebrides, 16th-26th May 2008
Page 1 (Outer Hebrides) - Page 2 (Skye and Raasay)
Arriving on Skye mid morning on Friday, we took our time packing things back into the car, then driving around the North of Skye and stopping off for lunch in a hotel. We headed down to Glen Brittle Camp site to pitch the tent and meet up with friends from the Ochils Mountaineering Club who were coming up for a meet for the long weekend. There was light rain for much of the day, which made a change from what we had become used to!
Tadpoles in the burn by the beach. The water level was very low
A stroll on the beach
On Saturday I headed up to Sron na Ciche with Ian McC to climb Petronella. This flowering plant was amongst the boulders below the crag
Ian following the first pitch, which I had made a spirited attempt to fall off on the lead. He led the second pitch, which involved a committing, airy move up over an overlap. We continued up to the terrace below the Cioch, where Ian then confessed that he had never climbed Arrow Route. Since there was no queue for it, he led on up.
Arriving at the base of Integrity on this holiday weekend Saturday, we were astonished to find that there was nobody climbing it and nobody queuing. Clearly, we had no choice but to climb it!
I led the first pitch with more difficulty than I should have had. The Cioch and slab were busy, and 3 pairs were heading up the excellent Wallworks Route
Ian following the first pitch. He then led on up the second pitch
The views out across the islands were gorgeous (though a bit hazy). We descended upper Eastern Gully then scrambled off from the terrace
In a playpark at Carbost in the evening, after a well-deserved pub meal in the Old Inn
On Sunday Jen climbed West Trap Route with Jim S...
...while Freya looked after me
Paddling on the beach in the evening
To finish the trip off, we headed across to Raasay for a day trip on Monday and walked up Dun Caan, its curious flat-topped hill.
Raasay was Freya's 11th island in as many days!
At the summit of Dun Caan
Heading back down, the hills of Skye in the background
Rhododendrons in bloom
Bored council employees?
The Narrows of Raasay from the ferry back to Sconser (on Skye). Then it was just the long drive home...
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