sharp outlines of the Saddle, the culminating point in the ridge that encircles the Allt Undalain, the glen which runs down to Invershiel from the south, and wondered why, in a district where every eminence and hollow, however unpretentious, has been endowed with a Gaelic name, each fuller of redundant letters of the alphabet and more defiant of the rules of orthoëpy as usually understood than its neighbour, this fine rock peak should be labelled with a mere Sassenach title-and a commonplace one at that. It is as bad as Saddleback in our English Lakeland. The most sporting route to the summit would have been to follow the Allt a' Choir Uaine to its head and climb straight up by the rocks, but this would have avoided the line of peaks on the south side of that glen, and we did not want to miss any of them-all above the sacred 3,000-feet level. We therefore went up the bottom glen only to the point where the hunting path divides, and then followed the right-hand branch of the latter, up the steep brae side-and very hot and steep it was—to the col between our glen and Glen More. Thence we followed the watershed, traversing a long succession of rock kopjes and swampy hollows, not unlike the traverse of Glaramara in Lakeland, peaks of no great merit but gifted with high-sounding names—Sgurr a Gharg Gharaidh, Sgurr Leac nan Each (3,013 feet), and Spidean Dhomhuin Bhric (3,082 feet). From our lunching point on the south side of the last named we had a fine view of Ben Screel and the country beyond to the south. The ridge from this point is decidedly rocky and the precipitous slopes of the Saddle on the north side ought to give some good climbing, especially one big chimney which cuts the mountain side. from top to bottom. But I doubt if the character of the rock itself, from a climber's point of view, is as good as that in Skye. The rock on the ridge itself is tilted at a sharp angle in thick flakes and makes quite a good scramble. A fall on either side would be decidedly unpleasant. The tangled remains of a wire fence do not make the going easier. Three-quarters of a mile beyond Spidean Dhomhuin Bhric is the Saddle, a rock peak, conical in outline and guarded on the south by steep precipices; and a quarter of a mile east of the Saddle, with a sharp ridge intervening, is Sgurr na Forcan (3,100 feet), The Little Forked Peak, a veritable gendarme with some fifty feet of interesting hand and knee work, but it can be circumvented on the south by climbing up an easy chimney. The descent of the ridge on the other side can be made very interesting as it is all rock, much broken up, and there is plenty of scope for the exercise of that much-neglected art, in British climbing at any rate, the rapid descent of rock mountains. The south ridge is quite another affair, very steep and smooth, and apparently unclimbable. After clearing the rocks we made our way down the rough brae side into the upper parts of the Allt a' Choire Chaoil, setting up on the way a covey of ptarmigan that could just fly, crossed over the ridge to the north, and descended, some direct and others by the zigzag hunting path, to the high road in Glen Shiel at the cottage, a short mile above Achnangart. We had ordered a carriage to meet us here and drivẹ us to Cluanie Inn, and I was looking forward to a restful time in the usual "machine," but Invershiel does not run to that, and had sent only a two-wheeled dog-cart—and a horse! There was only room for three, including the driver, in the former, and The delicate question-which Of us three goes on the cattle, arose, Greenwood said horse exercise was a tender point with him—he had only indulged in it once, and his two days' experience of a Norsk pony last year had fed him up. Moreover, if the animal were to shy at a motor car—as in fact it subsequently did he should certainly fall off. Garden said he had not ridden anything since the rocking horse of his childhood's happy days. Parker vowed he would as soon walk. So the lot fell upon me and we started, two and the driver bulging out on both sides of the front seat and the third reclining sack-wise with the luggage behind, whilst I tittupped painfully in the rear. As we made our way up that wild valley and over the watershed to the Cluanie Inn, we marked down for tomorrow's foray the long line of high peaks stretching eastward from the Saddle. But alas! when to-morrow came-I ought to say that there were only two bedrooms in the inn, both occupied, and three of us had to sleep in the parlour, whilst Parker unselfishly took the box room-it was raining hard and climbing was out of the question. At least we others thought so, but Parker, who I suspect has got Munroitis pretty badly, went out for three or four hours and came back wet through but with his rucksack stuffed with the summits of Druim Shionnach, Aonach air Chrith, and Maol Chinn Dearg at least he said so, and he probably spoke truth, for there is no "place of public entertainment" within many miles. The motor car came up from Inverness at two o'clock, and at three o'clock we left, just as the rain was ceasing, and had a fine run home by way of Glen Cluanie and Glen Moriston. In conclusion I may say that to Greenwood and myself the trip was a revelation of the vast extent and beauty of the S.M.C.'s playground, and of the work still waiting for its active members. More power to their hobnails! APPENDIX. The following articles in the S.M.C. Journal and the Cairngorm Club Journal deal with the subject of this article: S.M.C. Journal Altitudes of Scottish Mountains. H. T. Munro. I. 276. Diary of a Week's Ridge-Walking in the North-West of Scotland. A Climb for a View-Scour Ouran. S. M. Penney. Excursions: The Saddle. H. T. Munro. IV. 176. III. 28. In the North-West Highlands in February. S. A. Gillon. VIII. 230. S.M.C. Guide Book: The Saddle, &c. VIII. 259 et seq. Excursions: The Saddle, X. 5; Glen Affric, XI. 54; Carn APPENDIX (continued)— Mam Sodhail (Soul) and Carn Eige. C. E. W. Macpherson. XI. 193. Ridge-Walking at Easter, 1911, in Glens Affric and Cannich. Cairngorm Club Journal— From the Beauly Firth to Loch Duich. Rev. R. M. Cairney. V. 24. Excursions and Notes: A Letter from Shiel Inn, V. 174; |