Belig

The Corbett hunt continues. This time I wanted to try a long weekend trip solely relying on public transport. On a bank holiday (not in Scotland). Some might say foolish. Some might say challenging. 

But amazingly it worked! 

The train took me from Edinburgh to Inverness. The bus then took me west (diverting via Strathcarron due to an RTA in Glen Shiel). I alighted the bus on the roadside at Luib, Skye on the shore of Loch Ainort. It was 4pm. 

After so long on my backside at the whim of others, it was great to get walking. The success of the day was in my hands now. 

I had one more Corbett to visit on the island, Garbh Bheinn. Due to my itinerary and Sunday bus times, I planned to climb a few other neighbouring peaks too. 

First up was the conical Glas Bheinn Mor, straight up from the loch shore. My rested legs made light work of the 500 odd metres to the summit ridge. An ancient dry stone wall along the length of the hill, but disconnected to anything at either end. 

The skyscape looked contrary to the forecast, dark and foreboding with moisture in the air. I descended off the ridge into the bowl in front of my next objective Belig. It presented a formidable face with shoulders either side. The left looked steep and scrambly so I chose the steep and grassier right. 

Passing the summit in a wild wind, the weather was definitely turning worse. I weaved a way down the sliding rubble taking care not to enter inescapable gullies. Sent a final text message to Mrs AB before I lost signal. 

On the map, this pass is called Bealach nam Beiste…or Pass of the Beast. Named after a Kelpie that was killed here by a Mackinnon. Hmmmm…

My original plan had been to camp in this bealach and it would have been a good plan were it not so bloody windy. It was now 7pm and the thick cloud made everything darker. I wandered leeward off the bealach down into the rough corrie looking for a replacement campsite. None was forthcoming. I endured a long, long night. Sloping ground on tussocks and rocks, a gusty wind sacking the side of the tent every minute throughout the night.

Picture shows Belig from the first peak, I ascended the right shoulder.