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The Pigs of Strathfarrar
And so our much awaited fortnight’s holiday has come around. None last year because of Covid and this year seemed so unreal and uncertain that I wasn’t sure it would ever materialise. Because of this uncertainty over campsite availability and Allison’s ongoing shoulder issues, I’d decided that we’d better have a solid base for our vacationing this year, and booked a croft in Drumbeg for a fortnight. What it would lack in flexibility it would gain in stability, comfort and dryness. But before the holiday proper began, we had a whole weekend to use up: the holiday let wasn’t available til 5pm on the Sunday, so I felt we might as well get a full weekend in beforehand. Where to go - especially with a car packed full of holiday stuff…well Cannich Campsite was open, and on the way…so why not…
One of the strange things about this year has been the absence of targets/schedules for me. Regular readers will be well acquainted with my drive to attain a given target over the course of the year: even in 2020, amidst the spectre of Covid and Lockdowns I managed to get to 1000 Marilyns, the prime target I’d set myself at the turn of the year. But this year - perhaps as a result of appreciating how fragile getting out to the hills can be, when a Lockdown can be announced at any moment, I have not set any target, other than trying to regain some of the fitness that enforeced absence from the hills has brought. So we can do anything… preferably, in Allison’s view, with a path up it.
So what to do over these few days? She needed Sgurr an Fhuar Thuill and Sgurr nam Fearstaig in Strathfarrar - well that would be an easy day out. We headed up to Cannich on Thursday evening, traffic light, campsite quiet and our usual space in the trees available. Owls and cuckoos all evening. A touch of rain overnight, but a fine morning. We set off for The Gate a little early and had to wait for half an hour til the Lady opened up: another 8 or so cars there today. The glen was looking lovely - well it always does, a little snow on the tops / corrie rims but not much here - however looking over at the northern Mullardoch hills, there was still a fair amount sitting there. We parked near the dam and set off up the track. Fitness is gradually returning, but ascent is still the most telling part where it has yet to return. Im getting used to being overtaken, something that didn't use to happen. And I’m not bothered about it - well at least not at present. We therefore sauntered up the path to Fhuar Thuill, a couple of snow-lined sections to be crossed, but easily done on sugar-snow, then made the summit, watching the other folk press on across the ridge. We merely headed west to the top of Fearstaig, where we sat down to lunch. I was feeling a bit out of sorts, but lunch seemed to help me feel more human. I asked Allison what she wanted to do - we could head back the way we’d come or go over one or both of “the pigs”: Sgurr na Muice and Beinn na Muice.
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Another top down
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Al, on Flickr
We, needless to say, chose the latter. The going is easy over the broad ridge down to Sgurr na Muice, which is an impressive looking hill in its own right. From the summit some careful work is needed in getting to the bealach with Beinn na Muice as there are crags and slabs , but we followed a good old deer path which saw us right. Beinn na Muice looks steep to ascend from here, but the distance is no more than the requisite 150m minimum, and we chose a grassy rake that led us up without problems. Having attained the summit of this Graham, we decided to continue on westward, as we had memories of the east shoulder being steep and quite unpleasant, maybe more so in descent. There’s a faint path along the hilltop, then we descended towards teh houses by the loch end. A brisk walk along the road had us back at the car with a satisfied burn in the legs. last time we drove back along this glen we were towing a woman who’d broken down…no such excitement today.
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Back at the campsite we had a proper (ie not just Huel) meal and a pleasant, quiet evening.
The Fingers of Mam Sodhail
After yesterdays “pigs” we thought we might venture into Glen Affric, more becasue it was near by than for any other reason. Allison is slowly working through her Munro Tops for the second time, and we could collect a few from here…using the path between An Tudair and Sgurr na Lapaich. We parked in the last car park down the glen, the ticket machine fortunately out of order (although it’s only £2 which I ertainly don’t object to paying). A few camper vans and other cars, but not busy. There has been a lot of new road work done since we were last here. Off along the track towards Affric Lodge, which has some newly constructed accommodation. A pleasant mornign to be out walking, cloud on the high tops but quite sunny and warm where we were strolling. After some miles we turned up into Coire Leachavie. I don’t think I’ve ever used this path before: it’s of good rubbly quality in the initial stretch, up to some minor hydro thing, then fainter and boggier beyond. We knew that the upper reaches, where it winds up to the bealach at Mam Sodhail, might well still be snowbound, so had fixed our axes to our packs in anticipation. However, we decided to head more directly up the steep slopes of An Tudair, finding a green shoulder amidst patches of snow.
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Al, on Flickr
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The upper reaches of the path were indeed met by cornicing, although footsteps showed that at least one intrepid soul had gone over it. We got the the ridge of An Tudair without difficulty and continued on to the summit, before returning along the ridge towards Mam Sodhail. We opted to turn SW and continue on to Creag Coire nan Each, which was an out-and-back job. Some patches of snow to cross over, but nothing difficult and often the snow eased passage over the boulders below. From the top I mused…could we continue on to An Socach or maybe Beinn Fhionnlaidh…I admit I was getting a taste of the old Weaselmaster urgency. But of course, it wold have considerably extended our day, our food resources amounted to one Trek bar between us, so no, lets just head back to Mam Sodhail and go down over Sgurr na Lapaich.
An Tudair and Sgurr na Lapaich
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Al, on Flickr
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Of course, as it happens, Allison finds out that she’s already done Sgurr an Lapaich twice once we are walking out, meaning we could have done An Socach and used the track down from there to Affric…but in this day of “no schedules” it really didn’t matter. So we headed from Sodahil onto Sgurr na Lapaich, which is a pretty hill, unless you have to walk it as an out-and-back from Mam Sodhail, which is, quite frankly “sodhail destroying” We made our way down the shoulder and prepared for the long squelchy trek back to the path along Loch Affric. Alliosn managed to keep to some sort of path the whole way, which isn’t always easy to do and we had a sense of satisfaction in getting back to the car - it had been another quite long, but good day out, with better weather than we had expected.
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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That evening the campsite was busier, and another tent with loud-voiced young people had pitched a little closer to us than we’d have liked…however they did shut up at a reasonable hour, I’ll grant them that.
The Bogs of Am Faochagach
Sunday…Since we coldn’t get into our holiday ccottage til %pm, I’d planned a long lie, followed by a trip to Tesco in Dingwall to pick up some chilled foods that I’d not been able to bring with us on Thursday and a gentle motor along towards Drumbeg, possibly stopping off for a Marilyn outside Ullapool. But we woke quite early and, it being a sunny morning, decided to get up. We could always do Am Faochagach on the way…this was a Munro that I needed for Round Three and would be easy enough to do en route. So we upped and offed, did call into Dingwall’s Tesco which has a pretty good selection of all sorts of useful things, topped up the petrol and continued up the A835. The parking spot on Dirrie Mhor was busy, maybe 8-10 cars there already, although some folk might have been Fannaich bound. We got kitted up and set off - I offered Allison the option of water shoes or gaiters for the river crossing: she chose the latter. The crossing was alright, although as she doesn’t like such things, I doubt she’d agree. Onwards and upwards on the long approch towards this hill - every time I come up here it seems to take longer and longer to reach the summit.
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Al, on Flickr
But we did, eventually. There were 3 lads sitting round the cairn having their second lunch; one said “well done” to Allison as she reached the summit. Like you’d say to an old lady who’s just about made it up her first hill of the year. I sniggered inside, Allison fought back the urge to rip his patronising head off, reflecting that they were young and we must appear like a couple of fossils to them who were lucky to be able to leave the house, let alone get up a hill. Anyway, we left them to their sandwiches and continued on to the second top of the day, the exciting Sim, Cairn Corm-Loch over to it’s NE. Now this Sim happens to be a SubMarilyn, needing only another 4m of drop to have made it a Corbett, or indeed, another 4m of height to have made it a Munro. In other words, it was a lot of extra up and down for a poxy Sim! But in actual fact, the inclines were grassy and it was quite a pleasant addition to Am Faochagach.
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Al, on Flickr
The auld wifie about to be congratulated on getting to the top
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Al, on Flickr
Sim
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Our Sim hunger sated, we returned by the way we’d come, passing a few folk on their way up and an older couple that both of us thought were hillbaggers as they’d seemed to turn off to do a Sim on the way up - however, they appeared to be more interested in bird spotting than Sim-bagging when we met them.
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Al, on Flickr
Out of wet shoes back at the car and a nice sunny evening drive up to Drumbeg. The road in from Kylescu has been resurfaced in parts recently, and they haven't yet got around to lining the drops at the edge of teh tarmac, meaning that one slip off the road surface and it could be goodbye axel. I don’t much like this section of road, and coming at the end of a long day made it seem worse. However all was forgotten when we pulled up to the steep drive of the cottage and saw the view of Quinaig from the front of the house. This is going to be a good couple of weeks, I think.
View from the front door
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Al, on Flickr
Monday 17th May
On the whole, very happy with our little croft house. Interesting steep driveway to negotiate to reach it, but adequately provisioned and with a location to command big bucks- there are a couple of properties very nearby which charge £800-1200 per week for 4 person accommodation, we’re paying a small fraction of that. Anyway, Monday, first proper day of the holidays we decide to stay local and investigate the immediate environs. With me having hurt my ankle coming off Faochagach yesterday, a bit of rest might help too. We follow a sheep trail past the croft that leads, past another croft, all shut up but looking in reasonable nick, down to a rocky bay where we sit and watch the waves coming over the rocks. I could sit and watch the waves roll in endlessly. I ake my left shoe off and immerse my ankle in the cool waters which is also very pleasant. In the afternoon we head along to Culkein-Drumbeg, noticing the number of new holiday chalets etc - this really has become a tourist farming area (says the tourist…) After a curry, we take a walk in the other direction, through Nedd until we reach Gleann Leiraig - I’d spotted this footpath on the map, skirting underneath the buttresses of Quinaig, and thought it might be nice to walk in as far as the loch. We didn’t quite make it that far, deciding after we’d been out for an hour that we should probably head back, but it looks a pleasant plae to re-visit, also be a nice spot for a wild camp.
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Al, on Flickr
Witches Broom
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Evening walk
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Tuesday greeets us with rainy weather, heavily beating on the Velux window. It’s meant to be dry in Ullapool, so we decide to head down that way. And right enough, the roads are dry by the time we get to Inchnadamph. There’s a Marilyn to the south of Ullapool, the one I\d thought of doing the day we drove up, and it seems to fit the bill for a gentle leg stretcher quite well…my ankle it a bit easier today, although my Achilles tendon is painful. We decide against an approach from Ullapool Braes, as this appears to need some off-piste work through trees, and spot a route recently posted by chazzrboy19 that ses a path from just north of Leckmelm, thereby avoiding all trees. Seems a good un - except for the three-quarters of a kilometre that has to be walked along the side of the A835, which isn't especially pleasant. You might be able to jam a small car in at the start of the track, but probably best not. The walk itself is fine - we have views across Loch Broom to An Teallach, although the tops are mostly hidden under cloud. We follow the good track up to a deer fence gate then turn up onto the open hillside - short grass and heather posing no problem. The top gives excellent views from the Beinn Deargs/Seana Bhraigh, then round to the Assynt hills, well worth whle keeping for a good day. There’s a large stone shelter beside the trig column, but the actual summit is over to the SW, marked by a stony cairn, which I added to. Back down much the same way. Stopped in at Tesco’s for some ice cream and alcohol free beer (Ullapool Tesco has a huge range of this, including - weirdly - alcohol free Leffe…). We head back up the Lochinver road - I had intended to do something hat way, but the rain was starting to threaten and all we ended up doing was calling in at Drumbeg Stores for a bottle of their 9yr old cask strength whisky. We got a taste in the shop, while the shopkeeper lady shared her dismay at the detrimental effects of the NC500 on the area. Rounded off the day with a stroll down to the rocky bay, where Allison attempted a beach clean…
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Al, on Flickr
Holiday reading...
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Al, on Flickr
Wednesday
promised a bit of better weather. i couldn't be bothered driving south again, so we opted to head north and tackle Ben Dreavie, with the hope of combining it with Ben Stack. We parked before the causeway that one uses to head up Ankle - i note it has a new bridge since we were here last. As usual the broom was in bursting yellow flower everywhere, the coconut scent intoxicating. We had a 3km walk along the road to Letermore Lodge, where we were able to join a track heading to the south of Achfary forest - you could actually take a track a little before the Lettermore one as it joins up with the track higher up. As we gained height we saw a military Galaxy aircraft come very low over Loch More and bank over towards Ankle. Passed four CWTers coming down the track, breathing more easily than we were - fitness is not yet restored it seems… There’s the ruin of a sheiling at the highest point of the track, and this is where one turns off to the right onto a grassy track which leads to the summit of Ben Dreavie. I have to say this is not an impressive mountain to look at, more like a splodge of heathery hummocks. Over to the righ tis Ben Stack, which does look more impressive, to the left is an unusual view of Quinaig, where all three mountains that comprise that wonderful hill are visible. We paused for lunch in the shelter of some rocks before we got to the summit - once the cold northerly wind was removed it was quite warm sitting in the sunshine. The path towards the top is jammed with hundreds of rubious pebbles Onto the summit, where there are a number of cairns.
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Al, on Flickr
Track up to Ben Dreavie
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Summit Dreavie
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Al, on Flickr
approaching the rather featureless summit of Dreavie, Stack in background
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
From here we headed west, following the shoulder of the hill for a bit, then heading more directly down into Strath Stack. I couldn’t really remember the line we’d taken up Ben Stack…it was claggy at the time, but Allison remembered there was a boulder with a rock on it to be passed. That sounded specific… Anyhow, we folloew a stream up towards the westernmost side of the hill , passing by the aforesaid boulder with rock, and eventually found a good path up to the summit. This time we had views - and glorious they were. Out to sea was Lewis and the tiny isle of Rona, we could see the hills of the Parph peninsula and the Cape Wrath lighthouse, closer there were Foinaven and Ankle etc to enjoy. We continued down the standard route, meeting a guy who had finished work early and was dead keen to get a hill in. We ultimately took a direct line to where the car was parked. A fine day.
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Nice to get a view from the top this time
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Al, on Flickr
My sweets - Arkle and Foinaven
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Thursday was a lazy day. Finished Proust in the morning and stayed at the cottage for lac - decided to go for a walk around the coast behind the house in the afternoon. Made for the abandoned crofts of Duart first - frequented by sheep. One of the buildings suggested it had been quite a big croft house, it still had cast iron fireplace insert at one end and the remains of a cast iron range at the other fireplace. We continued around the rocky coast, doing a bit of gentle scrambling on the rocks. Made a pebble sculpture whilst Allison continued her attempts to clean up the beach of all plastic debris. Next was the excitement of summiting an unlogged TuMP- and finding the summit on the map wasn’t the highest point. Back home along the road.
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
An unlogged TuMP!
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Al, on Flickr
Oh, the joy!
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Al, on Flickr
Friday was overcast.
Decided we had to do something after our lazy day on Thursday and headed for the highest waterfall in Britain at Eas a’Chual Aluinn, which lies behind Glas Bheinn. I didn’t have much idea of what it would look like, and indeed, assumed that it was the fall coming down from the side of the Stack of Glen Coul. We paused for lunch just before the falls, meeting an old couple who had come from the falls and didn’t seem very impressed, not being able to get a clear view. We hoped that our experience would be better. I had decided that I also wanted to climb to the Stack of Glen Coul, which involved a significant amount of down then up after the falls - but would allow us to see the falls completely, from below. Well, we managed to peer round at the falls from alsong the hillside a bit, although the ground was slippy grass and I was a bit uncomfortable with it all. Then we returned to the path and headed round the edge of the cliffs and down into the valley below, which did provide a great view of the falls.
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Al, on Flickr
Stack of Glen Coul
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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From here there was a 400m or so steep grassy climb up to the Stack. Allison wasn’t happy, she’d have preferred to go round the path and not have so much drop - and that got me annoyed. We followed deer tracks up the slope and onto the plateau on which the Stack rises up - from here it’s merely another 50m or so to the summit, nothing difficult at all, in contrast to the other sides of the Stack. Good views along to Glen Coul bothy. I reckoned we’d better go back the way Allison had wanted to ascend, even though this was going to be much longer - we had to head to the end of the lochs, in the process of doing this I slipped and fell into an inlet, soaking my trousers and - unbeknownst to me at that point - my camera. I wasnt in a good mood and stomped off ahead of Allison. Let’s just say it took a long time to get back to the car. When we finally got home, a new tenant of the other holiday let had moved in and had parked in the spot I’d been using. He was still unloading his car, seemed very friendly.
View from the Stack
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Al, on Flickr
Looking up towards Glencoul bothy
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Al, on Flickr
Walking round this loch an killed my camera
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Al, on Flickr
Saturday was quite sunny despite there having been hail last night and a coating of new snow on Quinaig - after a long day on Friday and a poor night's sleep I didn’t want to do much today. I proposed we go the the beach at Clashnessie, which we did in the afternoon. Warm sun (when it was out) but cold sea. After paddling along the shore for a while our ankles got used to it. Made a sand palace and moat, which was rapidly destroyed by the incoming waves. Spotted a Great Skua walking along the sand - don’t remember seeing them down here before. Worried there was something s=wrong with it. Then went for a walk along the coast to visit Port Achnacarnin. Some great spots along the shore with sea caves and split rocks. Styles in place along the fences too, which wasn’t the case when I was here as a lad. Down to Port Achnacarnin, scene of so many evening hours when I used to come here on holiday in the 70s - sometimes alone, sometimes with Kenny. The tide was pretty full in and the sea cave was full: we sat and watched it respirate for a while. I thought about continuing further round but the rocks were slippy with spray from the waves and I decided against. On our way back up we met an old couple who were here to relive old memories too - they’d stayed at the chalets 40 years ago and had tales of their kids being down at the Port. On impulse we continued up the old track towards the road, passing by Druim Ard cottage, which was bought a couple of years ago and has had a new roof put on. Continued along the road, past the old school and the village hall to Clashnessie, passing The Green, a Vegan B&B which is up for sale. The Skua had flown, to my relief, and we heded back for a late tea.
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Port Achnacarnin
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Al, on Flickr
...which looks directly over to Arkle & Foinaven
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The house we used to holiday at in the 70s
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Week 2
Sunday was a lovely sunny morning - we’ve been bad at not rising early and it wasn’t til after 8 we got up. Forecast was dry but cloudy - Allison wanted to do her remaining op on Ben More Assynt from the south, as we did last time. As much of the walk in is on track I reckoned we’d have time for that today. On our last visit, clag had covered the tops - today we had good views, although that would take its toll later… The initial walk in is on private road, fairly dull, although you can look at Breabag on your left and Conival/BMA ahead, still some snow on the ridges between them. After passing the houses the track continues to be quite good a=for another few km before becoming grassy squelch. We paused for lunch behind a low wind shelter and reflected that in the nearly 10km we’d walked in so far, we had barely gained any height. I was entertaining fanciful ideas of heading over the granny-stopper section that Allison dislikes and completing a circuit of BMA and Conival, descending via the shoulder over Garbh Coire - although that looked unpleasantl steep to descend - there were some rather vertical looking steps to negotiate higher up...Up onto the gently sloping grassy back of Sgurr na Conbhairean which seemed to go on for a long time. The wind was strong and cold. We got to the joining ridge with the MT and I decided I didn’t want to do this - there was a small scrambly section that I couldn’t even remember from last time (when we apparently found the ridge delightful and scampered across - without having visibility to see the drop below…) I felt quite panicky and shouted to Allison that I’d wait for her while she went to the top and back. I retreated to flatter ground and watched her make progress to the summit. The wind was really cold and inactivity cooled me down - despite pulling on my waterproof over my softshell I got steadily colder as I lay on the grass - really there was no shelter from the wind. After a time A returned from the top, saying the scramble that I’d baulked at had been the worst bit. I had been thinking maybe I’ll just give up on anything narrow and exposed - after all, why do I need to do it anymore. All I wanted at that point was to gt down and out of the wind, which we did and as we neared the track I was gradually starting to warm up again. A long walk back out, the rain threatening but never quite materialising. A long walk for a Sim that I’d already done was my take on the day, though I was pleased for A that she got her Top.
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Conival to BMA
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Breabag
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Ridge to BMA
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Allison at the summit (me far away
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Monday - A little tired after yesterday’s exertions we had a lazy day today - plus it was miserable and rainy for much of the day. Up quite late and a walk along to Drumbeg stores where we got a few essentials and had lentil & coconut soup for lunch. Some reading time, then I dragged Allison out to do a ciruit of TuMPs from the house. We set off up the track across from the house and were then onto heather, although we did use another track we found passing a couple of well-hidden houses. A found the terrain hard going - I quite enjoyed it. We found various small lochs, with several boats and oars pulled up by the sides - tempting to go fo a row in the rain. We didn’t. A bit of skirting Loch a’Bhraggie then up over another TuMP before we reached the Peat Road, which provided good walking on the way out, although a final summit had to be detoured to- it had a path and trig column however… Then home for a curry.
Tuesday -
Quite a sunny morning and a dry forecast. Decided to head up to do Maovally, which is quite a long way along Loch Shin, nearly at the Overscaig - or Overlook - Hotel. 48 miles from the house. Roads were quiet and we parked by the phonebox sign (which now has a wooden hut and no phone box i could see) rather than risk the ire of the crazy man who lives in the houses by the power station. It’s a long walk - nearly 10k each way - on track which is essentially metalled road, with a little bit of boggy ground toclimb the remaining 110m at the finish. On the way in we were passed by a number of cyclist, for whom this must be heavenly - no cars, excepting the odd Electricity van. The Power Station was running a number of very noisy deisel generators as we walked past, which was a bit weird. After a bit we could see Maovally ahead of us, with a transmitter mast on the side. At the loch edge, Cassley Power Station was blasting water out into the loch at a high rate. We walked and walked. As we neared the high point of the track we left the road and got onto slippy wet bioggy ground, doing its bet to make up, in horribleness, what the 9.5km of road had gifted us - dry feet! From the summit there were good views over to Ben More Assynt, the northern ridges still holding snow. Meallan a’Chill and Ben Leoid were to the west and the unexpected shape of Klibreck to the northeast. Descent by the same route, then a sunny drive home, past Ben Stack and the glowing wall of Arkle. A pretty sunset for a change - got the big camera out to shoot some pics of Quinaig.
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Maovally, very far away
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ominous skies over BMA
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Meallan a'Chuill & Beinn Leoid
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Wednesday -
Dull skies this morning, feeling cold outside. No particular plans in place - we sat inside/outside reading as the temperature permitted Made some sausage rolls and chips for lunch. More reading then a feeling that we srealy should do something - quite a contrast to how we’d have been spending our time had we been camping. Anyway, I needed petrol and we drove along to Lochinver - roads busy. Got a few things, including some vry sweet strawberries, out of the Spar. The Pie Shop seemed to be shut and had no menu visible - therefore we don’t know if it has started producing any vegan pies yet. Went for a walk along the Inver, via Glencanisp Lodge. Suilven and Canisp had their tops in the low cloud. The scent of the broom was lovely however and we found a number of dumbledore beetles, many on thier backs. Definitely a design flaw, that. Passed the butchers when back into the village - they too were advertising pies, though i suspect a vegan option unlikely there. I remembered the butchers used to be Simon McLeod’s, where - as well as the meat - we’d also get plastic bags containing a pint of milk. Never saw that anywhere else.
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Thursday - read in the morning. Sun came out in the afternoon and we got the rugs out, lay on the grass and continud to read in the beautiful surroundings. Felt a bit guilty about not “doing” anything but on the other hand it was nice to just enjoy the ambience. In evening went for a walk along the road - beautiful warm sunny evening. Would have been fine to be camped up a hill somewhere - althouth the midges have made an appearance.
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Friday - the first really warm sunny day.
Having looked at Quinaig for the last fortnight, decided it would be fitting to climb it. Set off relatively early (for this holiday anyway) and did the standard route from the car park. First time I was up here with a monumental hangover and found the day rather a slog. Second time we got caught in a downpour on the way up, bivvied at the top of Sail Gorm to watch the sunset - only for the clag to come down and the midges to come out. Third time lucky then…Watched a pair of ravens sit at the top of the first cairn on Spidean Coinich, then fly up to the summit cairn as we approached. Guess they must be well used to people - we didn’t have anything to offer them food wise. Some erosion on the section down to the bealach with Sail Gorm - sat and had lunch there. Quite an enjpoyable walk over to Sail Gorm - met a mountainbiker at the summit. He managed to damage his bike on the way down, so had a lot of carrying to do… Up to the final top of Sail Gairbh - pursued by a big English group. Then down the flank, looking for the path and the walk out. Great to have a summery day for a change - downside was that I got the calves of my legs sunburned which made for a poor night’s sleep.
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Saturday - our final day.
I almost always get a bit maudlin when the holiday comes to an end, especially when it’s the main holiday of the year. I had lain awake since dawn mulling over things that we should have done, or that we should have taken our “usual” fortnight, which would have been this and next week (with perfect weather forecast). And thinking we should have done more hills - especially Corbetts - why not do a third round? And up here is the place to get them. So when Allison asked what I wanted to do today I said “Arkle”…although I suppose what i really wanted to do was Arkle and Foinaven, but that wasn’t really a possibility as it would be a much bigger day than we had planned for. Anyway, we drove up to Loch Stack, stopping off with our empty bottles to recycle at Scourie. The walk in to Lone, sunny and bright, but clouds gathering. Bit of a slog up the flank of Arkle, very hot but becoming a bit overcast. Hope in the distance. Foinaven glittering nearby, but clouds starting to come down on the tops, impairing the view. Dammit. On to the summit of Arkle. I look longingly at Foinaven, wondering just how difficult it would be to drop down to Loch an Easain Uaine and head up Foinaven…about an extra 20km matey. Would we do Meall Horn? Both times previously we have, though it’s a bit of a rough slog over the boulders around Lochan na Foilaige. I knew I wouldn't really feel much better if we did drag ourselves over there and it wouldn't be great for Allison's knees…so we just went back by our outward route. I was in a pretty glum mood on the walk back out, holiday ending and all that. In the evening we headd down to the wee bay behind the house and sat listening to the waves washing in over the rocks, very soothing. Packed the car and had a last dram of the Drumbeg Scotch.
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Sunday - Sun Day indeed.
Up early to get off - an absolute belter of a day - over 20 degrees at 8 in the morning. We were going to do something on the way down the road, but with Allison having work tomorrow, she didn’t want to be late home. I drove the hideous stretch of road from the house to Unapool for the last time, thankfully, meeting little, although there were quite a few folk camped in lay-bys. We hadn't decided what to do - i joked, as we got to the junction with the main road, that we could head north and do Beinn Spionnaidh and Cranstackie…if only. Instaed we motored down to Ullapool and do Meall Glac Tigh-Fail, which was short but was also a good viewpoint. Parked by the side of a field and walked along the signed Coffin Road, without too much idea where we were really going…I had a route on the GPS I’d drawn up ages ago and we managed not to follow it properly, meaning a small detour. Not that it really mattered. When we gained a bit of height and looked over to An Teallach and the Fisherfields, that was pleasure enough. The actual hill we were climbing was very much second place to the views it commanded. Sat at the summit, having "second breakfast” and relaxing before the drive to come. It was a very hot journey - temp outside was 25 degrees and at times there was a thundery feel to the air. Went down the A9 for quickness, which was alright - did see a mobile home get its wingmirror trashed by a wide-load lorry coming the othr way.
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Meall Glac Tigh-fail
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So our holiday is over for another year. A strange one this time round, without a schedule and with far fewer hills than we’d normally get through.
