I've been meaning to climb and photograph An Teallach in the North West Highlands for quite a while now. I've been impressed by many fine Winter images of it's crags, coires and buttresses but an opportunity of a Summer weekend arose to climb it so I took the chance. The weather forecast gave a few days of settled warm weather so to take full advantage of the trip I decided I would try for both sunset and sunrise shots of it. The logistics and time involved to walk in each day though was too much and the only real option was to camp closer to the summits.
I set off from the Corrie Hallie car park and made steady progress to Loch Toll an Lochain where I pitched my tent, a quick feed then it was time to get up on the ridge, a steep hour of climbing later and I was on the summit of Bidean a Ghlas Thuill, the highest of the peaks.


Sgurr Fiona and the ridge towards Sail Liath, Loch Toll an Lochain in shade.

I took a few shots from here but knew that the light would be better from Sgurr Fiona with the western ridge being illuminated so I headed for the second summit.
Once on top of Sgurr Fiona breathtaking views of the ridge and the wilderness of the Fisherfield Forest opened up, mind, the midges still helped themselves to an evening supper from me!


The ridge from Sgurr Fiona towards Sail Liath, the Fannich hills can be seen in the distance. My camp site was at the corner of the loch, a fabulous amplitheatre of rock and water.


The expansive view into the Fisherfield Forest and Bheinn Dearg Mor from Sgurr Fiona.


A look back to Bidean a' Ghlas Thuill, An Teallach's highest peak. It was a steep walk down the grass slope on the right to my camp.

After getting the shots the light was fading and I had over an hour to get back to my camp so I made the return trip down a very steep grass slope and was mighty thankful for a lie down once back in my tent.
The alarm was set for 4am but a kindly Stag close by kept barking every half an hour just to ensure I didn't sleep in! I woke to an eerie silence (apart from the stag who eyed me from a crag) and the promise of a good sunrise. Bleery eyed I made the repeat trip back up to the ridge and made Bidean a Ghlas Thuill just in time for the first rays of light. I waited half an hour or so and made some pictures of the light dancing across the opposing peaks of Sail Liath, Cadha Ghoblach, Corrag Bhuidhe, Lord Berkeley's Seat and Sgurr Fiona, these would be the ridge peaks I'd be walking along.


Sunrise over the An Teallach ridge, one of Scotland's finest walks.

A quick nip up to Sgurr Fiona again and some more pictures of the light illuminating Bheinn Dearg Mor then it was off along the ridge. I had intentions to climb over the Pinnacles of Corrag Bhuidhe but one foot on the ridge before Lord Berkeley's Seat made me opt for the tourist route around the western traverses, discretion being the better part of valour and all that! Live to tell your grandchildren, I say!
The ridge can easily be traversed if opting for the horizontal paths that skirt all difficulties but could be a different proposition in Winter, I finally made it to Sail Liath and the descent back to my tent but made a few more shots of the Fisherfield wilderness en route and a few encounters with the ferral goats.
Once back to the tent, it was packed away and an hour or so walk back out to the car and some much needed sleep.

I'd recommend An Teallach as a walk of the highest order, it looks spectacular and offers tremendous views to the Bheinn Dearg and Fannich group of hills but especially towards the Fisherfield and Letterewe wildernesses.

One of Scotland's finest.

Please click on a photo or visit the An Teallach and Fisherfield area gallery for more images.