The Foxys Act 5 (Creag an Dubh Loch, Chuaich, Assynt)

[Foxytoon]

The Foxys: Act 5 (Creag an Dubh Loch, Storr (DNF), Chuaich, Assynt)
A ‘Foxy’ is the combined traverse of a Loch or Lake (over 1 km) and the summiting of a Mountain (over 2000ft) bearing the same name; there are 21 Foxys.


Creag Dubh Loch & Dubh Loch

I like it when a plan works, but that’s not often; this time we are stuck for four hours on the M74. Whilst inconvenient at least we are not part of the horrific accident ahead. We reach the outskirts of Stirling before we decide to call it a night and drive a short way to a secluded layby to sleep. Up early the next morning we continue our journey to the Spittal of Glenmuick.

It is a relatively straight forward route to Creag an Dubh-Loch; cycle around Loch Muick, hike up to Dubh Loch then skirt around the northern side and strike up to Creag an Dubh-Loch summit.

Not knowing the area I take the east side of the loch first, a mistake as the track runs out half way and I am forced to push my bike over a rough boulder strewn path to reach the end of the loch where a number of board walks takes you over feeder streams. The weather is holding for the hike, but the wind is picking up. A good path brings you up to Dubh Loch and the imposing face of Creag an Dubh-Loch; the path then dissolves somewhat at the end of the loch and I make best use of the rock slabs that the stream cascades over as I make my upwards. Crossing the stream, I head up towards the summit. The wind is now vicious and a take a few snaps before turning back passing by the cleft of central gulley; the path looks inviting as a fast decent route but is likely to be somewhat loose underfoot. I err on the side of caution and retrace my steps back down to the Loch.

By the time I am back down to Dubh Loch the wind has increased in strength. I am in two minds as to whether launch the packraft. Handling an inflatable in high wind is somewhat tricky and I dump my rucksack in the raft to hold it down as I inflate it. I tentatively launch out from the head of the loch, but the wind thwarts my attempts to make any sensible headway and I am almost blown back to the shore. It’s time to play safe and I pack up and stroll the length of the loch and descend back to Loch Muick. This time I cycle out on the west side of the loch, a level and easy bike ride back to the carpark. We pack up the car and set the satnav for the Isle of Skye.

The Storr.
The weather has not improved, the wind and rain continue unabated. We spend another night in the car just short of Skye Bridge. Come the morning the weather looks as if it may be clearing and we head over the Skye bridge to Portree. Most of the mountain streams are going full throttle, it is clear it has been a stormy night on Skye. After breakfast in the Red Brick Café we drive to the Storr. The clouds are level with the top of the Old Man; normally I can deal with clouds, but these ones are dark and threatening and uninviting. We walk up to the base of the Old Man, my dog, Lyra despite having a wind-proof coat is looking decidedly unimpressed with this walk, my wife Anne has a similar expression as we have to brace hard into strong gusts of wind. Looking out over Storr Lochs I can see the surface being whipped into a frenzy of white horses. This Foxy is not going to happen today. We retreat to the warmth of the car; Lyra snuggles down avoiding eye contact lest I make another suggestion of a walk and we head off to more comfortable accommodation.

Chuaich
Meall Chuaich and Loch Cuaich is a somewhat more pleasant affair. Making use of the need to drop my daughter at Inverness airport I drive the extra hour south to the lay-by near Dalwhinnie. It is an easy bike in for almost 3 miles to the base of the mountain and from there another hour and a half to the top over easy ground with relatively little bog. For once my boots remain dry. The good surface allows me to trot back down. I have a gentle paddle in the pack raft on the loch in the afternoon sun with no wind. A far cry from the DNF on the Storr a couple of days earlier.

Assynt
The weather forecast looked promising, but the reality was different. There was not the usual welcome view of Suilven as we traversed the road from Lairg to the west coast. Low cloud and rain welcomed us into the car park at the start of the walk to Ben More Assynt. I had persuaded 2 of my nieces to join me, and we decided that full waterproofs would be required from the start. This is a walk to chunk up mentally into sections; the walk in, the climb to the first bealach, the ascent to Conival and finally the ridge to Ben More Assynt. In rough timings each if these took about an hour. The weather did not let up and the wind and rain pervaded some of our less than adequately water-resistant clothing. Despite this my nieces kept smiling. We met a couple coming back up to Conival, they too had thought the weather forecast was going to be better than we were faced with and they warned us about high winds on the ridge. Its tactile going over the ridge with limited paths and jumbled rocks. As we approach the summit of Ben More Assynt the wind roars over the ridge like an express train. It is perhaps the first time I have had to crouch low and hang onto a rock on a mountain walk. There is a small sheltered area near the summit where we refuel before our return. The final descent to the walk out section is generally unpleasant ground; mixed bog, uneven rocks and slippery waterlogged moss and grass. It is a relief to get down to a more level path. We are back at the car after 7 ½ hours of walking, cold and wet.

A couple of days later and treated to sunshine and once again head over to the west coast. This time we are greeted by the ridge back of Suilven. It never fails to impress me. We head along the north side of Loch Assynt to a lay-by mid-point and unload the kayaks. We concentrate on the west end of the loch, skirting the bays on the south side, lazing on a beach in the sunshine and then making our way back up the north side and back to the start. We finish with a swim in the loch and cook a late lunch on the banks.

This trip we have managed 3 Foxys; Yet again I have travelled to places, hiked mountains, and traversed Lochs that I would not normally have gone to. The Foxy’s; an excuse for an adventure.