Trans-Knoydart trek, part 2

[al78]

I left the ferry at Inverie around 3pm and popped into The Old Forge for a glass of orange juice and to use the toilet. The plan was to walk to Kinloch Hourn over two half days with an overnight camp at Barrisdale or on the Mam Barrisdale. I was surprised by the number of cars at Inverie given it isn't connected to the national road network. Simply a case of following a landrover track along the glen again following a river. Came across a few walkers coming the other way (a lot of people around for a claimed wilderness), despite the warning of boggy bits on the path, the ground was largely dry underfoot and any squidgy bits were very localised and easily avoided. A got up to the top of the pass slowly and steadily and the view down towards glen Barrisdale was fantastic. Beinn Bhuidhe looked much higher than its 569m. I did contemplate camping here but as it was still quite early I decided to carry on to Barrisdale. Gradually made my way down towards Barrisdale admiring the view ahead of the hills, glen and the bay and soon reached Barrisdale bothy and campsite. The sleeping part of the bothy was closed but the kitchen and toilet was open, and I made use of the campsite. This was when my stove decided to malfunction. I couldn't get the gas to flow properly, and it stopped flowing completely. I eventually messed about with a long object trying to free the little plunger in case it had got stuck, and that did the job, so I was able to have an evening meal. Took four hours to get here which is about the time I seen quoted elsewhere.

Next morning I packed up and headed for Kinloch Hourn where I would be staying for two nights. The weather again was dry and sunny and it was a beautiful walk along the bay and the loch Hourn coastal path. The lumps at the Kinloch Hourn end made me perspire a bit but nothing really major. I met up with another man doing the Cape Wrath trail, who after conversing with him turned out to be a very strong walker. He was doing a TGO challenge after finishing his trek. He stopped at the place I was staying at for refreshments, kept saying early afternoon he really should get going, then stayed there until nearly 9pm. Doesn't matter in June when it doesn't get properly dark until pushing 11 pm. Took about four hours.