Blaven, Normal (Coire Uaigneich) Route
15th August 2004 & 5th May 2007

Route: Ascent: 955m=3130', 5½ miles, 3½ hrs.

Access: The Car Park is on the west side of Loch Slapin, in the NE corner of the forest at NG561217 on the A881, immediately after (south) of the bridge over the Allt na Dunaiche. It is up a track with a gate and an information noticeboard beyond.
Route: This is a half day walk on well-used paths. The ascent path starts from the road on the north side of the bridge, although there is (or was) a connecting path from the top end of the car park. Once on Blaven, some points of the path may be difficult to find in rain or cloud. Note particularly that the path up the E ridge takes a sharp right from the end of the Coire Uaigneich path marked on Harvey's map at about 450m, immediately after the east-facing cliffs relent. It is easily identified as being the point at which the path is level with Loch Fionna-choire on the col opposite.
There is a very good constructed path as far as Coire Uaigneich. In the corrie the path is mainly stone slabs, small rocks and fine grit, but not steep. Thereafter, above about 500m, the walking is mostly over steep, loose, small scree. The path south from the south top is entirely of this type. However, once the east ridge is reached on the route to the summit, the terrain becomes firm and rocky, with a short tricky step of a couple of moves just before the summit is reached. It is easiest to return by this route and the tricky step on the way up is descended with a straightforward jump down.
The full circular walk can be done in either direction, although the traverse between the two tops is clearly easier in the anti-clockwise direction, and that is recommend. The path between the two tops involves some minor scrambling from the col to the south top, and is the only difficult part of the whole walk. There is a short, easy but exposed ledge and then a very steep gully. In the anti-clockwise direction from the summit to the south top, the ledge to follow is easily seen head on and the very short scrambling section is an ascent. Moreover, for this direction if the scrambling proves too much, at least one has conquered the Munro, and a return to the summit is problem-free.
Remark: This is Route 103 in J. Wilson Parker's "Scrambles in Skye", Cicerone Press, 1983 with grade 2W and a diagram on pp. 130-131.
Weather 15/8/04: Cloud down to below 1500' (450m).
Weather 5/5/07: Relatively cool with cloud down on the tops.