An unlikely hike to start the year
A remote hike to Quinag's hidden nooks and crannies
New on the blog: field notes from our first hike of the year (and the first day of the year with reasonable weather) where we overcome the seemingly impossible (with a little patience and decision making).
Excerpt: “Quinag’s dramatic western face is one of those hallmark views as you drive west from Lochinver. Its sheer, seemingly unscalable slopes make it look daunting for casual walkers, which explains why most ascents start from the east. I’ve been curious about alternative approaches and stumbled across a route in the Cicerone guide to Scotland’s Far North which details an ascent of Quinag from Tumore via Bealach Leireag. This path leads to Bealach a’ Chornaidh, offering access to Quinag’s main peaks. With limited references online, we ventured out on a wintry January morning to explore it firsthand.”
By the way, don’t be like these people who were rescued from Scafell Pike waist-deep in snow. If you’re interested in getting out more this winter, read this post from last year about how I upped my skills for winter hiking and recommendations for great instructors to learn from:
Your photos are fantastic! Going outside and doing those things in winter is amazing and satisfying and also catching any sunshine hits too.
I’ve admired that face from Little Assynt but never been up the hill, though would love to explore it. I guess your route would be a knee-sapping descent in summer, but maybe a fun ascent route.