Suilven camp - via a path less travelled
Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2021 10:46 amI was back at the car having just descended from a camp on Quinag and wanted to go up Suilven next; decent weather forecast for that day at least but not to so good the following day. The question was which approach route to take. Given how busy the Quinag car park was, I was a bit concerned about finding space to park for either of the approaches from the west for Suilven, ie Glencanisp Lodge or Inverkirkaig. As I was to the east anyway, I decided instead to approach from the east using the Ledmore to Lochinver path – I’d also never been on it before and reckoned it would be quiet.
Drove down to just past Ledmore junction on the A835 and left the car in the car park for Cam Loch – space for several cars. Another car parked as I was getting ready and a couple set off ahead of me on the path to Cam Loch.
The path was quite boggy and a bit indistinct on the way down towards Cam Loch but improved as it followed the east side of the loch.
Suilven looking rather far away
Cùl Beag
Some ups and down along the side of the loch and a beach section at one point. I could see the couple ahead of me and caught up with them further up the loch. They were out for a short walk and planning to go to Loch a’ Chroisg. Half way up the loch the path splits; took the right turn and started in a more northerly direction towards Loch a’ Chroisg.
The path surface was fairly rough and rocky much of the time requiring concentration on foot placement. Boggy bits here and there but nothing which couldn’t be circumvented.
Just west of Loch a’ Chroisg the path turns westwards with views towards Canisp.
Now heading towards Lochan Fada
Then the long walk along Lochan Fada
I had been a little unsure about crossing the outflow at the western end but turned out to be no trouble.
The path then goes through Gleann Dorcha higher up from the Allt a’ Ghlinne Dhorcha before emerging to the east of Loch na Gainimh.
Got to the junction with main north approach path and turned left on to it – an excellent path from here to the base of the hill.
I met another solo walker along this path and we both filed up with water for the night’s camp in the outflow from Loch a’ Choire Dubh – my pack immediately became over 2kg heavier but with only a relatively short distance to go (albeit uphill). There were people and a dog swimming in Loch na Barrack.
From further back and the lochs, the way up does look a bit daunting but there is a path which crisscrosses its way up – as is often the case, it wasn’t as bad as it looks from a distance.
View towards Quinag on the way up
Met lots of people who were on their way down. All of a sudden I got to Bealach Mòr with views to the south.
Famine wall
Had a chat with the other solo walker about camping spots. He was considerably younger and fitter than me and was planning to go to the summit first hoping to find a place to camp there. I had opted to camp a little below the summit but did consider going up with him at that point. I hadn’t realised just how ideal the summit was for camping and think I made the wrong the decision as conditions later on were excellent for a summit camp. A father and son had set up their tent just up from the bealach as the father wanted to get a night photo of the tent from near my camping spot – as it turned out, he was unfortunately unsuccessful given the fog during the night.
The father and son tent to the left
Canisp from my camping spot
The banshee
Canisp
Quinag
I cooked up dinner then set off for the summit.
Just past the summit there was a large, relatively flat area which would be ideal for camping. I did briefly consider going back down and moving the tent up to it but it was by now quite late and regrettably decided against it.
There was a family group who were bivvying for the night as well as the solo walker in his tent a little way away from them.
I watched the sun setting down towards a bank of clouds on the horizon. All suggested that there could be an inversion the following morning but was thinking that Suilven may be just too low to be above it.
With the light fading I said my goodnights to the other campers on the summit and headed back down to the tent – the mist was already starting to blow in.
In the morning the mist was very think, the tent outer was covered in condensation and I couldn’t see a thing outside the tent. Had breakfast and started to pack up. Just at that point, the bivvyers appeared on their way down – they’d had a reasonable night and told me that there were inversion conditions at the summit.
Decided to leave the tent where it was and go back up to the summit where I again met the solo walker. From what he said, the inversion was very briefly better earlier on but Suilven was a little on the low side to be able to see clearly above the clouds.
The cloud then rolled in more thickly so I went back down to the tent, packed up and set off. I met a lot of people on their way up but it looked as though there would be no views form the summit that day unfortunately. One couple I met who said there were occasional walkers actually decided to give up and go back even though there were already half way up the steep section saying they would return another day.
Then I had the long walk back to the car; the weather as forecast had deteriorated with a lot of low cloud in the north west although it did improve significantly on the drive back down to Glasgow.
Drove down to just past Ledmore junction on the A835 and left the car in the car park for Cam Loch – space for several cars. Another car parked as I was getting ready and a couple set off ahead of me on the path to Cam Loch.
The path was quite boggy and a bit indistinct on the way down towards Cam Loch but improved as it followed the east side of the loch.
Suilven looking rather far away
Cùl Beag
Some ups and down along the side of the loch and a beach section at one point. I could see the couple ahead of me and caught up with them further up the loch. They were out for a short walk and planning to go to Loch a’ Chroisg. Half way up the loch the path splits; took the right turn and started in a more northerly direction towards Loch a’ Chroisg.
The path surface was fairly rough and rocky much of the time requiring concentration on foot placement. Boggy bits here and there but nothing which couldn’t be circumvented.
Just west of Loch a’ Chroisg the path turns westwards with views towards Canisp.
Now heading towards Lochan Fada
Then the long walk along Lochan Fada
I had been a little unsure about crossing the outflow at the western end but turned out to be no trouble.
The path then goes through Gleann Dorcha higher up from the Allt a’ Ghlinne Dhorcha before emerging to the east of Loch na Gainimh.
Got to the junction with main north approach path and turned left on to it – an excellent path from here to the base of the hill.
I met another solo walker along this path and we both filed up with water for the night’s camp in the outflow from Loch a’ Choire Dubh – my pack immediately became over 2kg heavier but with only a relatively short distance to go (albeit uphill). There were people and a dog swimming in Loch na Barrack.
From further back and the lochs, the way up does look a bit daunting but there is a path which crisscrosses its way up – as is often the case, it wasn’t as bad as it looks from a distance.
View towards Quinag on the way up
Met lots of people who were on their way down. All of a sudden I got to Bealach Mòr with views to the south.
Famine wall
Had a chat with the other solo walker about camping spots. He was considerably younger and fitter than me and was planning to go to the summit first hoping to find a place to camp there. I had opted to camp a little below the summit but did consider going up with him at that point. I hadn’t realised just how ideal the summit was for camping and think I made the wrong the decision as conditions later on were excellent for a summit camp. A father and son had set up their tent just up from the bealach as the father wanted to get a night photo of the tent from near my camping spot – as it turned out, he was unfortunately unsuccessful given the fog during the night.
The father and son tent to the left
Canisp from my camping spot
The banshee
Canisp
Quinag
I cooked up dinner then set off for the summit.
Just past the summit there was a large, relatively flat area which would be ideal for camping. I did briefly consider going back down and moving the tent up to it but it was by now quite late and regrettably decided against it.
There was a family group who were bivvying for the night as well as the solo walker in his tent a little way away from them.
I watched the sun setting down towards a bank of clouds on the horizon. All suggested that there could be an inversion the following morning but was thinking that Suilven may be just too low to be above it.
With the light fading I said my goodnights to the other campers on the summit and headed back down to the tent – the mist was already starting to blow in.
In the morning the mist was very think, the tent outer was covered in condensation and I couldn’t see a thing outside the tent. Had breakfast and started to pack up. Just at that point, the bivvyers appeared on their way down – they’d had a reasonable night and told me that there were inversion conditions at the summit.
Decided to leave the tent where it was and go back up to the summit where I again met the solo walker. From what he said, the inversion was very briefly better earlier on but Suilven was a little on the low side to be able to see clearly above the clouds.
The cloud then rolled in more thickly so I went back down to the tent, packed up and set off. I met a lot of people on their way up but it looked as though there would be no views form the summit that day unfortunately. One couple I met who said there were occasional walkers actually decided to give up and go back even though there were already half way up the steep section saying they would return another day.
Then I had the long walk back to the car; the weather as forecast had deteriorated with a lot of low cloud in the north west although it did improve significantly on the drive back down to Glasgow.
and are most frequent at dawn I think. Same in the Alps
Am hoping to go back some time but next time camp on the summit - cheers 
