Moruisg & Sgurr nan Ceannaichean

In Dr K's absence, That Rogers Character and myself found the right layby on the A890, crossed the river by the footbridge and found the cattle creep under the railway line and began the long gruelling ascent of Moruisg. This hill is hardly the grandest or most shapely of the high ground in this area - but it does throw a challenge into any walker who wishes to climb it. The walking books speak of the gullies running down the side of the hill, but fail to mention how steep the ground gets between them. Its one of those climbs where the car is visible for the first hour or so appearing smaller and smaller down at the roadside. The climb does reward the walker with a broad ridge to stride up to the summit cairn however - opening the way to an increasingly interesting, narrowing ridge around to Sgurr nan Ceannaichean.

The photo above (taken just after we had come down from the hill) shows the cloud crowning the summit ridge like a distinguished head of hair. The reality of climbing up into this cloud (picture below) is that when we sat down at the cairn to enjoy the view we could just about see each other and the three other foolish souls who had chosen such a day to satisfy the peculiar need to stand on top of mountains in the fog.
In poor visibility the twisting ridge tested our map reading abilities, and I was glad that That Rogers Character was there to confer with. Such times on my own always add an element of intense concentration that can detract from the sheer fun of hillwalking. When I'm on my own I am excessively cautious and don't have the courage of my convictions, obsessively reading the map, and checking with the compass and GPS all the time. Having two of us checking the route and independently coming to identical conclusions about our location and direction is somewhat reassuring!

The route off this one isn't too bad, the North ridge of the second hill providing plenty of steep grassy slopes with which to pick routes around its rocky bluffs - leading to a path down towards the river and rail crossing back to the day's starting point. Here, waiting for us was Dr K himself, who had spotted us on our descent and greeted us with good news, - and he had been to the supermarket and stocked us with good food and fine ale for our final evening at Gerry's Hostel.