Coire Lair

This morning Ben Wyvis was white. I took the train from Beauly to Achnashellach where it was raining on the track. After the two carriage train had rumbled round the corner between the rhodedendrons I set off along the sleepers for a couple of hundred metres before climbing a fence and striking onto the hillside.

Fuar Tholl is a hill I've wanted to climb for a long time but the surrounding Munros have distracted attention. Now was my opportunity to savour what the mountain could offer. I followed the steepening east ridge to the summit passing some impressive rock scenery and sloping quartzite slabs. The snow line was at around 500m and the final tower involved a few tricky moves over a rock pinnacle.

The weather was very showery, with the odd break of sun. I traversed the mountain to the north, passing the massive Mainreachan Buttress in a blizzard. Down into Coir Lair where I boulder hopped the river and rejoined the track that heads into the corrie. The picture shows the path junction marked by a cairn with yet another squall heading my direction. Head down, hood up.

Fuar Tholl is great value and to be recommended.

And then down the excellent stalkers path back to the station where my train returned me to the east.