The nearest un-climbed Munros were over an hour's drive away, but I was keen to tidy up a 'hanging Munro' I had failed to summit on two previous occasions - the charmingly named Eididh nan Clach Geala - the 'Nest of the White Stones' in the Beinn Dearg group. We had climbed Beinn Dearg itself earlier in 2017 in altogether different conditions, on one of the hottest days I can recall on the Scottish hills (see at https://peakery.com/beinn-dearg-united-kingdom-1084m/summits/143395/).

I drove south to park the car in the walkers' car park at Inverlael, starting my hike at 09:30 a.m. I took the long trail east up Gleann na Sguaib, first through forest and, after a gate in the deer fence, out onto the open moor. The path was a good one, making progress much easier. As I passed the Eas Fionn waterfall I became aware I was being watched. A large herd of female red deer were grazing above the path and watched my progress intently. At a small cairn I took a smaller branch path leading up to Lochan a' Chnapaich. As I approached, the deer took flight, heading off in a long line across the moor.

The path led me up at a gentle gradient into a wide stony corrie, with the south edge enclosed by another Munro - Meall nan Ceapraichean 977m. Further south Beinn Dearg, at 1084m the highest in the range, remained obstinately capped in cloud, although the other surrounding summits were now clear.

I was looking for a faint path which left the stalker's trail to the lochan to climb steeply up onto the west ridge of Eididh nan Clach Geala. Eventually I found it, close to the lochan. It was more an intermittent line of human erosion than a path as such, but it was of some help in making progress up the steep south face of the mountain. I emerged on the stony west shoulder. As I negotiated the boulder field I watched at close quarters a solitary ptarmigan, before it took fright and flew away. A grassy rake aided progress, and it was not long before I reached the summit plateau. There the full force of the west wind hit me and I donned all available extra clothing to protect me from the wind-chill. After more boulders to negotiate, the summit cairn came into view. It was not a place to linger today. There was no wind shelter on the summit and the wind was ripping into me. My summit photo could only be taken with the use of the selfie-stick kept for such conditions.

I left the summit quickly, but decided to visit the north top too, as it looked as high. This was even stonier, and gave better views. Loch Broom, Ullapool and the cloud-girt hills of Inverpolly were laid out before me to the north-west, while to the north-east the remote Munro Seana Bhraigh was a notable feature. Keen to escape the wind-blast, I headed quickly down by my route of ascent. As soon as I left the summit plateau the wind abated, and I made steady progress down to the lochan. This was a good place to stop, and I sheltered by a boulder for something to eat and drink.

Refreshed, I began the long descent by my outward route back to the car. This took several hours, but without incident. As I reached Inverlael I could see Eididh nan Clach Geala far up the glen now in a pre-sunset glow.