Читать книгу Ben Nevis and Glen Coe. 100 low, mid, and high level walks онлайн

47 страница из 70

Far below you may see the CIC Hut; directly above it the path turns uphill to the crest of the ridge, then turns right and soon reaches the summit of Carn Dearg Meadhonach. Down left you can see the top tower of its east ridge, a rather scrappy scramble.

A brief dip and rise lead to Carn Mor Dearg (CMD). One clear sharp ridge runs down left (Route 12, for the Aonachs); the one for the arête is equally clear, forking right, slightly west of south.

On the Carn Mor Dearg Arête, with the Northeast Buttress of Ben Nevis (Photo S Warren)

The CMD Arête is narrow but well trodden. The crest becomes a line of piled boulders, which can be crossed without hands for the first two-thirds of the way. As the ridge bends right, southwest, and starts to rise, the final crest will require handholds, but there’s a small path down on the left.

Where the crest joins the main mountain there is a marker for the abseil posts into Coire Leis. A few more steps and the rock changes from the pale granite to darker volcanic andesite, with a broad boulderfield rising ahead. Head up beside the fierce drop on the right that’s the top of Northeast Buttress (snow here may form cornices along the right-hand edge), to join the crowds among the various junky structures at Nevis summit.