Quinag and Sail Gharb

The next section of my walk was where the fun really began. The assent of Spidean Coinich from the road is no more than an easy uphill walk. To get onto the other summits means an airy decent for a hundred feet or so, followed by a walk along a narrow ridge then an even longer airy descent to Bealach a Chrnaidh. I was glad there was no wind to buffet me about on this section.

Looking down from the top of Spidean Coinich to the narrow ridge section.



The start of the narrow ridge section.



Looking back over the northern shoulder of Spidean Coinich from the narrow ridge section.



Looking down to Lochan Bealach Cornaidh from the narrow ridge section. One slip and I could be swimming in it.



Looking across Bealach a Chrnaidh from the end of the narrow ridge section. You can just see the path wind its way back up the other side and onto the next top. It was not as hard as it looks from this angle, it was just a case of doing a little at a time and not looking down too much.



Looking towards Loch Assynt and Lochinver from the start of the longer airy decent at the end of the narrow ridge section. I noticed the eagle was keeping its eye on me as it circled overhead. I wondered if it though I was going to be its next meal ?



Looking back across Bealach a Chrnaidh to Spidean Coinich, its airy descent, the narrow ridge section, and the longer airy descent section. You can just make out the path on the right hand side of the photo as it winds its way up onto the narrow ridge.




Turning north from the top its only a kilometre walk to reach the middle summit of Sail Gharb which at 808 meters high, is the highest peak in the Quinag range.



From there you get a good view of the rest of the route. Fortunately it didn’t look as airy as the section I had just done.



Two summits down... one to go....