free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Corbetts: Meall Horn.
Grahams: Sabhal Beag.
Date: 02/03/2014.
Distance: 23km.
Ascent: 1030m.
Time taken: 6 hours.
Weather: Drizzle clearing away to bright sunshine
Not been up many new hills this year, as they are mostly a long way away now, and the weather hasn't been predictable enough to make the effort. A good forecast for the weekend made the drive north worthwhile. Depending at what angle you draw the line, Sabhal Beag was the last 2000ft plus hill I hadn't done north of Inverness. From now on, trips to the north will be based purely around whatever whim I have at the time, not what is left on the list ( yeah yeah, confessions of a bagger etc etc). This could've been done by bike from Lairg, it would have been a very tight schedule and allowed for no variations or additional hills. An overnighter wasn't an option this time either, so I was glad of the car.
Despite the forecast, it was a drizzly morning when I pulled up just after 10:30. I started walking regardless, deciding to head for Sabhal Beag first. I had my eye on either Meall Horn or Meallan Liath Choire Mhic Dhughaill for seconds, but I could leave the decision for now.
Lone and Arkle:
Within 30 minutes, the sky was clearing, and within an hour I was in strong sunshine. It was an easy walk along a good path towards the col, and there were a couple of nice old bridges to cross.
Loch Stack; weather clearing:
First view of Sabhal Beag:
Meall Horn and old bridge:
Meallan Liath Choire Mhic Dhughaill and satellites:
I left the path before the col and headed up steep outcroppy slopes. This was slower than normal, as I'd treated my legs to a surprise 15 mile run the morning before, which they were paying me back for. There was some interesting rock on the way, and I was soon on the plateau. The views back to the complex corries of Meallan Liath Choire Mhic Dhughaill were enticing, and it was winning at the moment as a second hill.
Bendy strata:
Meall Garbh:
Ben Stack:
Arkle:
An easy stroll led to the summit, with the views north to Ben Hope and Loch Eriboll. I could briefly see both the cliffs of Hoy in Orkney and the Butt of Lewis. Not bad for the retiring miniature of the group. I took a decent break on top, where there was little in the way of breeze.
Easy ridge to the summit of Sabhal Beag:
Ben Hope and Ben Loyal:
Cranstackie and Beinn Spionnaidh:
Hope and Loyal again:
Meall Horn and Foinaven:
Sabhal Mor and Meall Horn:
I had now changed my mind about my next move. It would be Meall Horn instead, as it would have better views of the coast, and it was easier to spell anyway
.
An easy descent led to a slab by col and a steeper ascent onto Sabhal Mor. The last bit was on nice firm snow. Hoy became clearer, but a haze set in over Lewis, meaning I couldn't get a photo of it. A stroll across the rocky plateau of Sabhal Mor took me onto more snow, with a nice cornice over the NE edge.
Hoy, Orkney:
Meallan Liath Choire Mhic Dhughaill from Sabhal Mor:
Final ascent to Meall Horn:
Lochan Eadar da Sabhal:
Loch Eriboll:
Foinaven:
Creag Urbhard:
Loch Eriboll:
Looking east. Beinn Griam Mhor and Beag in the background:
Last time on Meall Horn was a memorable day too, but then it was just the marginally less interesting summit between Foinaven and Arkle. Today it was the focal point of the day.
Summit shot:
Looking back to the summit:
Ben Hee to Meallan Liath Choire Mhic Dhughaill:
However I thought there would be even better views from Creagan Meall Horn, so I carried on to it before stopping again. There were points when I could almost have got my crampons out on this short section, but I was able to avoid the hardest bits of snow.
Main summit from Creagan Meall Horn:
Yep, even better
. Well worth another leisurely stop, looking out at Arkle, Foinaven and the myriad lochs out on the coastal moorland. I could also see towards Stabeg bothy, where I had stayed 4 years ago.
Srath Beag and Loch Eriboll. Bothy is in front of Creag Shomhairle in the centre:
Coast around Kinlochbervie and Foinaven:
Arkle:
Loch na Tuadh:
More Arkle:
The path back was another good one, and was really close by, but a good 300m beneath me. I took a winding line down to it, avoiding the worst of the crags, from where it was a longish but easy walk back. The weather forecast had promised more snow in the evening, and there was evidence of that on the way.
Moody weather creeping in over Quinaig:
Looking down to the path home:
Last look at Foinaven before descending:
For a couple of lower hills, and relatively little-visited one at that, the paths were good and the walking was really easy (couple of short steep bits aside). I passed a couple of other people shortly before descending to Loch Stack. That was it for meeting other folk today.
Arkle:
Any report of this area is incomplete without the classic ‘gateway’ shot:
The sky had clouded over again but it was still much nicer than it had been in the morning. Loch Stack and Arkle still looked atmospheric.
Looking back on Meall Horn from Airdachuilinn:
Arkle and Loch Stack:
Another fine trip to the far north. There seem to have been a few over the last year -long may it continue!
