Leaving A'Chralaig we were well buttoned up as it was cold, occasionally windy and very misty. There is a path going down the ridge with a few rises and a few snow patches through which we had to plod. Later the path moved upwards until the top called Stob Coire na Cralaig was reached. At this point the mist disappeared and we could see exactly where Mullach Fraoch-choire [Mullach Fried Curry] lay. The ridge clearly narrowed and was very notched. It looked interesting. Going along it was like a mini Devil's ridge as it wound its way upward to reach the rocks or towers. The first was very straighforward but I felt distinctly queasy on the second. It involved a small climb, a short walk/crawl along a crest but it was the descent on the other side that worried me. Nothing on either side (but probably only about 10/15 feet drop). The next tower I ducked and took the side path but Graeme went straight up about 15 feet straight and onto the crest. From the other end when I got there I could see it was easy at that side. My easy path I should mention ended in snow and I had to scramble a little to get round it. After these it was an easy walk to the summit where there was a circular, collapsed cairn. Nice views but hazy and still a bit misty as we had our fruit juice and apple.
On the way back Graeme ducked the steep tower this time but straight over the others. At this point trying to get round the snow covered path I took a wrong turn and ended up with a scramble anyway. I also came unstuck at the queasy tower when I attempted to use the path round it and came again against a snow block, with no footprints over it. I was dreading having to do the scramble but Graeme insisted that one of the other walkers had come round this way and that I could make my way round above the path. I tried this only to find myself back at the start of the scramble. Forced then to complete it I found it not so bad and easier than on the way up. The books say these are simple scrambles and if they are I haven't a chance on the Aonach Eagach. One thing though I have to say is that after this I skipped down the exposed path whereas before I had treaded rather warily.
At the bottom of the ridge at the col we could see the corrie below covered in snow but with plenty ot footprints going down. We decided to go down this way. First was a short, loose rock descent then a drop of about 500 feet or more on snow. The snow was deep, Graeme's stick going down its full length and at one break, near a stream the snow was at least five feet deep. The descent here was nice and easy on the legs but we suffered later from the grassy descent to the path. This then involved yet another of those awful walks down a long, long path which led direct to the car.
Camped in Glen Shiel. We opted for A'Chralaig and Mullach Fraoch-choire as being easily reachable and offering some optional scrambling. The starting point is just past the Cluanie Inn and we were able to park on the road by a bridge. No path and the way up is simply up. You have to reach the ridge and to get there is a 500 metre straight climb. Two others, a man and woman followed us and, perhaps to avoid us, they headed up somewhat to the left of us. It was just a question of looking for the easiest line but it seemed to take ages to reach the ridge where we joined the other couple for a brief few words. The views down Glen Shiel were good but the mist was still hanging around and spoiling the view. On the ridge the way was easier. It follows the edge of a corrie, with thick snow on the edges but no problem to us. Higher up the route gets rocky but not in any way difficult. The route tends to be up and along, up and along right up to the top. This top has the biggest cairn we have ever seen. Very carefully built with smooth sides it must be ten feet high. By the time we had sat down to Guinness (nothing for Graeme) and cheese sandwiches the mist had completely surrounded us and visibility was down to a few yards. While sitting there we were amazed when it started to snow. There was no wind at the time and it drifted down just like a Christmas snowfall. It seemed so incongruous when just 3000 feet below us would have been sunny and pleasant. Fortunately it only lasted about 15 minutes and did not lie.
