Saddled up for switchback ride
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IT ranks as one of the finest mountain scrambles in Scotland – the traverse of the Forcan Ridge to a Munro prize at the end, The Saddle.
The Munro can be reached by easier means, but for those with scrambling experience and a head for heights, the Forcan Ridge is meat and drink.
I first did it in winter, when it is a much more serious proposition, and with my last Munro, Sgurr na Sgine, just a hop, skip and jump away, I was keen to use the trip as a bit of a recce.
John and I set off from the car park in Glen Shiel just south of the old quarry at Achnangart, closely followed by a group from various points south of the border, who had spent a very enjoyable but showery and rather chilly week in the area.
After a short walk south, a path leaves the road to pass through a gate on the west side of the glen. The surface from here on is excellent and the path is well drained and surfaced.
It leads on a rising traverse to the Bealach na Craoibha, where we got our first view of what lay ahead.
New snow had fallen in the past few days, and while the ridge might not have been in full winter condition, we knew extra vigilance would be needed. Ice axes, crampons, climbing harnesses and a rope had been added to our kit list for the day in case they were needed.
Carrying on from the bealach we stopped for a break and were overtaken by the group that had followed us up the path, snaking past and saying hello.
Snow and hail showers had been forecast and the first of them struck just as we got under way again, the temperature dropping. So it was time to get the waterproofs on – as much for warmth as keeping out the showers.
To reach the foot of the Forcan Ridge the path first passes over a minor top, Meallan Odhar. Then the scrambling begins in earnest and we negotiated a slab, getting a feel for the rock and what was to come.
From here on we followed the group in front along the rest of the ridge, sometimes scrambling on dry rock in airy situations with precipitous drops on either side.
On snowed-up sections we avoided the harder scrambling and took care with foot placements not to slip. Crampons would have been more of a hindrance than a help, though the climbing harnesses had been donned in case the rope was brought into play.
Views of Sgurr na Sgine opened up behind Fochag, an intervening peak, and I pondered on when I would climb it and bring to a close another chapter in my long association with the hills.
The Forcan Ridge continues for just under a kilometre to a final steep drop. This can be down-scrambled on good holds but peering over the edge, John wasn’t particularly happy with the idea.
I contemplated an abseil but in the end we opted to descend an eroded gully to the left, which provided some entertainment in itself, before rejoining the ridge under the steep pitch.
From there the route was straightforward, ending in a snow-covered path up to The Saddle at 1010 metres, where we joined the other group for a blether.
The route down is straightforward enough to the Bealach Coire Mhalagain and a small lochan. We fuelled up here with coffee and food – and in John’s case hot Vimto, which he swore had extra powers of revival.
Most people take in Sgurr na Sgine in addition to The Saddle but that wasn’t an option for us, though we did think of going to within just a few metres of the top and not standing on it.
Preferring to keep the full experience for my last Munro outing, we instead dropped into Coire Mhalagain and walked under the Forcan Ridge back to the path close to Meallan Odhar and returned the way we had come up, quite satisfied with a good day’s mountaineering.
Venison stew at the Cluanie Inn on the way back to Inverness rounded it all off perfectly.
