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Sub 2k Marilyns: Meall an Fheadain, Beinn Eilideach
Date: 22 and 23/10/2020.
Distance: 0.5km + 14km.
Ascent: 50m + 650m.
Time: 20 minutes + 5 hours, 5 minutes.
Weather: Thursday - Calm and overcast with sunny spells. Friday - Breezy with heavy showers, sunny spells and the odd hailstone.
We had been thinking of using the second half of our week off to head up to Orkney, but in the event it looked a bit breezy over the weekend and we weren't sure whether we would end up marooned there. Instead we set our sites on easier to reach locations, and the Halloween specials that the Lochinver Larder had in stock (Thai spiced pumpkin and toffee apple pies - not in the same pie of course - they were well worth the journey alone).
Thursday was the calm and benign day of the holidays, so we decided to do some cycling. We had been eyeing up the Loch Lurgainn - Inverkirkaig -Lochinver - Inchnadamph circuit all summer, but although I reckon Jackie could have managed it in early July, she was probably less fit overall now and definitely more inclined not to overdo things. A good alternative was an out-and-back from the A835 to Altandhu with a little loop around the tip of the Coigach peninsula.
Cycle map
Beinn Mhor Coigach Unsurprisingly being half term, the road was very busy as far as Stac Pollaidh and the carpark there was mobbed. We were treated to on and off sunshine along here, but it was actually nicer as the road quietened down after Stac Pollaidh.
Loch Lurgainn and Stac Pollaidh
Cul Beag
Jaxter about to do a wheelie into Loch Lurgainn
Beinn an Eoin and Sgurr an Fhidhleir We had been planning to head in the Polbain direction first, but Jackie decided she would be up for a quick ascent of Meall an Fheadain, so we decided to get the hilly side of the circuit out of the way first. A lunch stop above Altandhu had fine views to Skye and Harris.
Quinaig and Suilven
Break above Altandhu
Summer Isles We turned onto the radio mast road which was much rougher than I remembered - I suppose I've only walked up here before. Abandoning the bikes at the radar station, we were greeted by the dulcet tones of an excavator. It looked like a platform was being dug out for another mast or satellite dish. 50m of ascent on a rather moist path led us to the summit, and I was reminded how good the view is from this lowly 200m high lump.
Cul Mor, Stac Pollaidh, Cul Beag and Beinn Mhor Coigach
Altandhu from Meall an Fheadain
New mast for Meall an Fheadain
Beinn Mhor Coigach and Achiltibuie
Assynt and Cul Mor/Beag
An Teallach
Meall Dearg and Isle Ristol
Summer Isles
An Teallach and Fisherfield
Descending Meall and Fheadain Back on the road, we passed through Polbain with more photo stops. Then we joined back onto our outward route, which was easy going until after Stac Pollaidh, after which Jackie was less than impressed with the ascent back to the car. A couple of drops of rain hit but nothing proper. We realised we were now far too late for the pie shop, but it didn't matter as we were planning to camp near Achmelvich anyway, so it would be an easy stop-off tomorrow.
Beach near Polbain
Inverpollaidh hills There were more rain showers after we got the tent up, but we were able to sit out for a bit.
Our favourite camp spot near Achmelvich _______________________
The following morning was supposed to be a deluge, but there were plenty of breaks which allowed us to get the tent down. Today was forecast as quite windy so we weren't wanting to go too high. However there looked to be plenty of breaks in the weather so we decided to stay on the west coast. First though, the small matter of pies. As well as picking up half a dozen pies to replenish the last lot in my freezer, we also had a toffee apple one with custard for breakfast

.
And so round to Ullapool. We parked up near the quarry with the intention of heading up the Ullapool Hill route. If the showers weren't too annoying and Jackie was feeling OK, we would continue onto Beinn Eilideach. The paths were sloppy but the views over Ullapool good, although we could see a rather nasty shower coming in. It hit us before the summit but once we had our waterproofs on, we decided to go a bit further....
Ullapool from above Ullapool Bridge
Loch Broom and Sail Mhor
Beinn nam Ban and Ullapool
Approaching Meall Mor
Beinn nam Ban from Meall Mor
SE down Loch Broom
Loch Achall
Beinn Ghobhlach across Loch Broom
Cul Beag and Cul Mor There are the odd bits of faint path onward towards Beinn Eilideach, but not much. As we stumbled over tussocks in the rain I wondered why we were bothering really. However after 40 minutes or so of discomfort, the sun came out and it was lovely and warm. Jackie spent ages photographing some waterfalls as we carried on upwards, with false summit after false summit. This didn't surprise me as I'd been up this way before, but there was almost mutiny on a couple of occasions.
Rainbow over Coigach
Beinn Ghobhlach
Fisherfield and An Teallach
Across the loch
Nice rock strata on Beinn Eilideach After walking up a shallow corrie, we were almost there, and the trig point hove into view. We ran around taking photos while it was still clear as another shower could be seen rolling in - fortunately there was a good stone shelter round the trig point so we were able to have lunch.
An Teallach and Beinn nam Ban
More weather coming our way
Fannaichs
Strath More and the Fannaichs
Seana Bhraigh
Meall Liath Choire and Cnoc Damh
Fannaich from Beinn Eilideach
Sgurr Ban to An Teallach
Out over the Summer Isles
Beinn Mhor Coigach and Cul Beag
Summit, post hailstones The next shower included some hailstones so I was glad we went for shelter. I decided to head out towards the SW side of the summit area for better views down Loch Broom, and to my surprise picked up a path. I hadn't thought this summit popular enough to have a path, so expected it to run out lower down, but it led us all the way back to a hydro dam on the Allt Loch a Choire Dhuibh. It was pretty wet but it shaved a good hour off our descent, and the last section down a faint quad bike track was lovely in the sun.
SE down Loch Broom
Fisherfield across Loch Broom
Beinn nam Ban
Burst of light over An Teallach
Gorge on Allt Loch a Choire Dhuibh
Allt Loch a Choire Dhuibh lower down
Still hoping for that stumble....
Across Ullapool Braes
SE to the Fannaichs Then it was an easy walk down through Ullapool Braes and along into town. As usual Jackie was tiring towards the end, but this was probably one of the more strenuous walks we had done since lockdown. Compared to last year's October break hill action, this year was a little tame but still really enjoyable and not quite over yet.