2110-1-17-15

TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS: "CAMPBELL, SLIGACHAN."

THE SLIGACHAN INN, ISLE OF SKYE.

Sept: 24: 05

My dear Stair

I am off home tomorrow, and according to my promise I am going to tell you our doings. We have had a most successful time – in Walter's bad pun, 16 Sgurrs may regard themselves as sgurred-off – and I cannot tell you how much we regretted that you were not with us.

I arrived here, journeying straight from London, a week yesterday evening. The weather was mist & rain. On the Sunday – an awful day of rain – we climbed Marsco by a horrible grass-and-rotten-rock chimney on the face opposite

Harta Corrie – a horrible & dangerous business. We then descended to the col and climbed Ben [Beinn] Dearg Beg [Begg] & then Ben [Beinn] Dearg Mhor, & then by the ridge to the two tops of Glamaig, descending by precipitous screes. A fairly good training walk! Last Thursday in thick mist we set off with John Mackenzie & did the Pinnacle Route of Sgurr-nan-Gillean (christened in your honour Stair-nan-Gillon), & the Western Ridge, including the Gendarme, in all 5 hours, fishing for 3 in the river after we returned. Our time from the hotel to the top of 2nd Pinnacle was 1 1/2 hours, which John says is a record.

On Tuesday – an awful day of rain – we started walking in the afternoon up to the Harta Corrie.

On Wednesday morning we started early & drove to Glenbrittle & stayed with the shooting-tenant, who by great good luck is a friend of mine. At 10 we left the lodge & got to the lochan at Corrie Labhain [Lagan] in 1 hour – another record – & then by the steep rock face to the top of Alasdair in 1½ hours. We then climbed Tearlach [Thearlach] by a steep north face climb, & traversed the ridge to the foot of Mhicconnich [MhicCoinnich], which we climbed by the hard 'King's Chimney'. We then went to the Col & descended by the screes to Corrie Labhain. While there I saw a sheep strayed in the rocks high up on Sgurr Dearg & I climbed halfway up that mountain by a new and rather difficult chimney to rescue it. We then strolled back to the house & bathed & changed – and after such a day what a pleasure a civilised dinner & a pretty hostess were. The weather was magnificent,

cloudless & cool, & the views were infinite. On the Thursday we started early & climbed Sgurr Dearg by the easy ridge. A terrific gale of wind was blowing from a clear sky, & we could hardly stand on the summit. John said the Inaccessible Peak was impassable in the wind so we went to the top of the Nameless Peak. Coming back, however, we persuaded him to let us try the Inaccessible. We went up the long eastern side & I had to cower again and again on the ridge, cuddling my face against the rock, to avoid being blown off. Also my handhold came away with me once in the shape of a great boulder & I very nearly swung off. However, we got to the top & found the short western descent quite easy. I never touched the rope. John said he had never done the Inaccessible under such difficult conditions. We

then travelled at a great pace over all the tops of Banachdich, & down over Sgurr-nan-Gower [Gobhar] to Glenbrittle, where we changed & drove home in the evening.

Friday was another lovely day, but we slacked. I regret to say that I have had a sprung muscle all week in my right knee which pained me a good deal, also a sore neck which does not allow me to turn my head, so my climbing has been under difficulties. Yesterday we had one magnificent final day. Along with John & another man called Macalister we climbed to the first of the N. faces of Sgurr-nanGillean (time = 1 hour from hotel). We meant to go up the hard Forked Chimney, but somehow we missed it and ascended a very difficult chimney that has never been done before. After about 100 feet it