Am Bathach

Ratagan youth hostel was nice and warm with a mix of munro baggers, Spanish students, Australian spinsters and families.

Friday morning I awoke to torrential rain. The two old Aussies ladies were looking outside and asked me what the Five Sisters were. The hills were all shrouded in mist and the disticntive cones of the Five Sisters were hidden. I assured them that they were there and were worth seeing.

Goign back through the hostel I met the guy that had shared the bothy on Wednesday night. He had left and climbed to camp on the bealach next to Ciste Dubh. In the middle of the night gales had collapsed his tent, bending the poles and getting him and his stuff soaked. He had packed early, headed for the road and hitched down to Ratagan where he was making good use of the drying room.

I said bye again and headed up the Glen stopping at the access point for the Five Sisters and checking where the path starts. I've still to do those hills and am waiting for a good window of weather. The cloud was still low and I headed up to The Cluanie Inn and sorted some gear out in their car park listening to Bonnie Prince Billy and Leonard Cohen then decided to go up Am Bathach, the Corbett in front of Ciste Dubh.



It would be a good viewpoint with a nice ridge and views into Affric and also down the Glen Shiel. I parked in the layby beyond the Inn then headed up the side of the forest going straight up the ridge.

With a light pack I gained height quickly but it was tough weather, alternating between torrential downpours and sunshine. You could see each shower coming towards you then the blue sky behind. One couple passed me on the way down just short of the top and I sat there for a while making another soup - great idea taking the stove.

It is a nice hill - great views all round and a pleasant ridge.

Then it was a drop to the three way bealach between Am Bathach, Ciste Dubh and Sgurr an Fhuarail to the West. It was a boggy place but there was a raging stream and I filled a water bottle and took a refreshing drink before heading out through the wide U shaped glen back to the road. It was a boggy path but the views to the south glen shiel ridge were stunning with sun and shadow flying over them.

Back at the car I made a cup of tea and then headed off. It was about 4pm and rather than drive home I visited the Great Glen Hostel - welcoming as ever. I was given a dormitory to myself which was nice and I cooked a meal before spending an interesting evening chatting to Burt, an American guy who was in the middle of a 3 month cycle tour of the UK and Ireland.

A good couple of days.