8.5 miles 7h 50m ascent 1013m
Sannox-Cir Mhor-Caisteal Abhail-Sail an Im-North Sannox
Day 2 (for us) of the Arran Mountain Festival.
Judging by the sunlight coming through the curtains when I woke up we were in for a scorcher. I made a mental note to take extra water and decided against lugging a flask of hot coffee with me. We started the day with another full breakfast. I say full breakfast since the plate was full, but there was no black pudding. Perhaps they are frowned upon on the Isles? This time we had managed to negotiate an earlier start and had bought a box of chocolates for the cook since she had come in early on a Sunday morning to make our breakfast.
Suitably fed we set off for Brodick to join our walking group for the day. This time we were wise and applied some factor 50 to our exposed parts. The wisdom was in short measure though since I failed to take it along for reapplication later in the day. My elbows and neck were to pay the price.
Corrina and Ken were our guides. Helpful, knowledgeable, perhaps a little too speedy for my comfort at times, but it must be hard for them to cope with a sloth like me, forever stepping aside to take pictures.
Sannox Burn
After a brief minibus ride we arrived in Sannox and set off along a good quality path up Glen Sannox. Steep hills stood either side of this glacial valley, the Bastion with the Devil’s Corrie to our left and Fergus’s Seat with the Witch’s Step to the right. Soon enough Cir Mhor came into sight which with its mountainous shape looked imposing, perhaps even intimidating, as we approached it. Sannox Burn runs close by the path, the water running over slabs of granite. Since the water level was low many of these slabs were exposed and had dried into a whitish grey giving the appearance of a bright white road. I now realised what the white strip running in Glen Catacol the previous day had been.
This area had been used in the past to excavate barytes (barium) and the remnants of the works were still visible. Apparently there was once a small railway serving the mines here. Anyway, what with me gawping instead of concentrating, I took a tumble here. It is strange how the mind works at times such as this. I somehow lost equilibrium and in a fraction of a second I was aware that remaining standing was no longer an option, yet I was able to choose where to fall (path or grass). No physical harm done.
Cir Mhor
We stopped by the burn below the 200m contour for rehydration and snacks before the steeper section to the saddle. From here Cir Mhor looked even more of a challenge. The Castles and Witch’s Step were now clearly visible, but looked decidedly less impressive than Cir Mhor. But this was because they were so far away.
The path then took us to the foot of Cir Mhor and a steady climb up rocky steps and short easy scrambles to the Saddle. We had been told at the beginning that we would be keeping a “reasonable pace”, something I had interpreted as “pretty quick”. During this section I was happy to realise my mistake. We took it at a comfortable pace with enough rests even for me. I think we took about 40 minutes from the burn crossing to the Saddle.
On the saddle we had time for rest, rehydration and tough bananas. From here we had great views back down Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa. There was time to consider Coire na h-Uaimh and its possible pronunciation (weave?) and the remaining climb to Cir Mhor’s summit. The sun was now really putting some effort into shining, so I broke out the sunhat. Luckily it was not the daftest headwear on show (by a long way). Yes I do mean that tartan hat.
on Cir Mhor
The remaining 350m was much of the same, steps and very short scrambles. We passed a spade (or was it a shovel?) stuck by the path, which had apparently been left by the guys who had been up here repairing the eroded paths. I would have taken a photo but I was probably in “OMG-when-are-we-going-to-take-a-rest-stop” mode during which I can only concentrate on walking/climbing.
Closer to the summit there were a number of grassy ledges and it was just a brief scramble to the top. It was a little crowded on top so we soon came down to one of the sun trap ledges for lunch and a post-prandial nap, watched over by a raven (the Devil’s spies. I ate my sandwich gazing over the corrie of the caves (Coire na h-Uaimh) to the forked castle (Caisteal Abhail) and the Witch’s Step. What a vista.
A' Chir
The views here also take in Goatfell, the A’chir ridge leading to Beinn Tarsuinn, and the Beinn Bharrain hills (from the previous day). We were even able to watch (through binoculars) some brave souls making their way along the A’Chir .
After a good dose of UV, we shouldered our packs and headed down the ridge sweeping above Coire na h-Uaimh to Caisteal Abhail, our highest point for the day. This was a long slog in the summer heat but the distant granite pillars slowly grew closer and soon enough we were clambering up to the top to be greeted by fantastic views. Up close the castles are far more impressive than they had appeared from Sannox Glen.
Cir Mhor from the Castles
We had short break on the Castles to rest our legs and exercise our cameras. The views back over Cir Mhor, in particular, were wonderful.
Being ahead of time, there was some question as to whether we might attempt the Witch’s Step, but the prevailing view was against this so the pick up bus was summoned earlier instead. I should admit that I was among the “no” votes since I require a period of working myself up for challenges such as that.
Caisteal Abhail
From the Castles we headed off down the long spur that sweeps around Garbh Choire to Sail an Im (the heel of butter? That can’t be right). This was a pleasant way to end a walk, a gentle gradient, easy footings, and nice views over Lochranza and back to the Castles.
This ridge is a good walk in its own right, though perhaps under-rated because of comparison with its neighbours. The path winds its way around mini versions of the castles, the Creag Dhubh, and eventually changes from gentle rocky ridge, to a steeper grassy slope.
Sail an Im
The steeper gradient placed a little more strain on older knees. I was tempted to break out the walking pole, as others had, but decided I was young enough to do without (I was born in the space age).
We descended into an area of wetland, with several small lochans glistening on the shoulder of a small hill (An Tunna) and made our way across some boggy ground to reach a path at the start of some forestry.
The path had been visible from the ridge, and had looked yellow, prompting me to point it out as the yellow brick road. Unfotunately, George was still a sharp as ever, even this late in the day. Quick as a flash he told me that I might get a brain if I got to the end of the road. Cheeky B….r. Had I mocked his hat? A temptation that St Anthony would have been hard pressed to resist. No, I had held my tongue. Admittedly, that was because I couldn’t think of anything funny to say, but that’s not the point.
North Sannox Burn
The yellow brick road was actually a light grey gravel path, which would once have been guarded by a gate in the deer fence. The tall stile was still there but the gate itself looked to have been destroyed, as had another further along the path. We actually saw a deer below the deer fences.
This path ran alongside, or at least close to, North Sannox Burn which had a couple of small waterfalls. After the day amongst granite strewn hills it was a pleasant change to walk by waterfalls, through the greenery of woodland, with a cuckoo calling out (or was it a dove cooing?).
This was a great day’s walk in ideal walking weather. The hills were enough of a challenge to leave me with a sense of achievement. The views were great. And all this in good company.
