Outwitting Welly & Bog

[Grisu]

Since I have read Roger T's report of Am Faochagach (Wet! Wet! Wet! Giving Am Faochagach Some Welly!) I never liked the prospect of this walk, although the report was very enjoyable !
But now that I have finally managed Seana Braigh successfully the day before (see if you like: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=114347) it was the only munro of the Ullapool mountains which was left and the weatherforecast was too good to miss the opportunity for this walk.
But first I checked for an alternative route. I remembered that past my date by sell have mentioned something about Strath Vaich which wouldn’t be so boggy . Thus I passed Dirrie Mòr and parked my car at Black Bridge . The gate to Strath Vaich was closed and unauthorized vehicles are not allowed to drive through. So I took my bike and cycled about 5/6 km to the Strathvaich Lodge where I left my bike at around 11:20pm.

I can't cycle with a backpack, that's why I had my stuff shared in my bicycle bags and packed my Rucksack at the Lodge while a little dog from the Lodge was inspecting my doing and a guy came over for a little chat.

I didn't go up as far as the dam like past my sell by date instead followed the ATV track behind the Lodge shown on the map which let me straight into the bog after about 200/300 meters when I suddenly heard a shout.
A young guy from the Lodge was asking me where I was going. I said: to Am Faochagach, hoping that I haven't violated any unkown rules or so. But he answered that I better should follow the path along the wall surrounding the Lodge and up the line towards the trees. This was very kind and saved me the trouble of the bog. Further up the ATV-Track joined this path from the left.
Immediately the path became very steep and I had some difficulties to find a path. Most of the time it was barely discernable and looked what I call Haggis-paths, almost none existent or overgrown. But there was the burn (on the map with no name) which comes down straight towards the Lodge and helped me keeping the direction. Finally I got on a good track and the gradient became less steep.

Looking back after an hour's walk with quite a steep section at the beginning.

Then - all of a sudden - I ended up on a broad plateau with a huge cairn directly in front of me which marked the top of Meal Coire nan Loagh.

about 20 minutes later I got straight to the cairn of Meal Coire nan Loagh.

The cairn was very impressive and the sudden views around with plenty of mountains in the distance confused me pretty much. For a moment I thought that this was already the summit of Am Faochagach I took a closer look around with a mixture of disbelieve that it hardly can be the end of the walk and some faint hope it still might be possible. Slowly I realised the higher tops surrounding the plateau and recognized the bealach in front of me and my hope faded though.

The Bealach

The bealach was a bit boggy in places but nothing one couldn't avoid. I then bypassed the top of Tom Bàn Mòr on the way in and followed the undulating path over the rolling hills, wondering which of these gigantic humpy bumpies in front of me would be Am Faochagach - I had no idea.

wondering which one is Am Faochagach

The next top was Sron Liath. It's cairn could be seen from quite a distance.
This one I went up to get a better survey of the surroundings.

cairn of Sron Liath

At the top of Sron Liath I got first views of An Teallach, The Fannichs, The Fisherfields and the Torridon mountains as well as a first view of Coire Ghranda with the Beinn Dearg Mountains.

to the left first view of Coire Ghranda and to the right more rolling hills

An Teallach

I think, here one can see as far as the torridon mountains

Gazing to the right it slowly dawned on me, that the farthest of these undistinguished bulky hills was the highest and probably Am Faochagach - uff
At the following bealach Drochaid a' Ghlass Tuill the path form Dirrie Mòr joined, marked by some cairns. At the next top at 844 meters I got a closer view of this amazing Coire Ghranda but somehow my attention was more attracted by An Teallach at this point.

Views from the top at 844 meters

An Teallach zoomed

At the Bealach between the top of 844 meter and the ridge to Am Faochagach I met a couple coming down and had a little chat. The walk was not very exciting so far but the good weather made it quite pleasant and the chat was a nice distraction.
And to make things a bit more interesting on this featureless walk I took the wrong turn at the Bealach and ended up on Meal Gorm, attracted by some funny stone formations on the summit. From here I had nice views towards my real destination

View towards the ridge towards Am Faochagach from Meal Gorm

Eventually I got back to the bealach from where a final pull led straight towards the summit.

back on the track and a great view towards Coire Ghranda

view towards Meallan Ban and some Assynt mountains

a huges white cairn which seems a bit lost on this broad ridge marks the last pull towards the summit

Finally I reached the broad summit plateau with it's two embarassing tiny cairns (compared to this huge cairn on Meall Coire nan Laogh).

summit selfie with a flattish summit cairn

However, the attention was attracted by the views especially towards Coire Ghranda, the Beinn Dearg mountains but also to all other directions especially to the bulky back of Seana Braigh anyway.

Coire Ghranda, Beinn Dearg Mountains and the range of mountains in the west

Ben Wyvis

I think this is direction to Kintail, Strathfarrar etc.

Seana Braigh with the Assynt Mountains in the background

Assynt Mountains, like a row of pearls

The bulky back of Seana Braigh zoomed

On my way back I took each Top right and left of the path exploring the views to all directions - I don't know where the energy came from but may be I was just relieved that have made it! However, I enjoyed the views on my way back much more than on the way in. Somehow the landscape seemed more interesting now.

view down Allt Glas Toll Mòr with Ben Wywis in the background

looking back

Can you see the grouse?

very well camouflaged, aren't they?

when I reached the huge cairn on Meall Coire nan Laogh dark clouds were hovering over the mountains - but it never rained that day!

At the burn (with no name) I started struggling again to find the path but eventually got back on track and somehow I steered my way through Haggis-land.
Seeing the Lodge below in front of me and hearing the dogs barking from time to time helped on this looong and steep descent to pretend I would soon be there although it still was nearly an hour to go.

Looking down towards the Estate of the Lodge and Strath Vaich

Meanwhile I became quite tired but my mood lifted immediately when I finally reached the Lodge at around 7pm.

back at the Lodge

So enough time left for a detour to Ullapool to begin the fish&chips season
I repacked my stuff from my rucksack into my cycling bags without being annoyed by the little beasts for once and cycled happily back on the good tarmac road to my car. I mounted my bike and drove to Ullapool, enjoying my fish&chips at the harbour and the views to the mountains in the light of the evening sun.

While sitting at the harbour and enjoying the views of the mountains which by now have become so familiar after all my adventures I remembered how scared I was about the prospect of these walks. Beinn Dearg had been on my list already for 2019 but after my experience with An Teallach (see if you like: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=92272) I postponed it for the next summer in 2020 to be mentally more prepared. Finally, I finished my summer holidays of 2020 with the Beinn Dearg circuit (see if you like: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=113680). And now, two years later, I have compleated all the Ullapool-Munros .
Tired and knackered but very happy about my achievements I finally drove back to the cottage in Leckmelm where a beautiful sunset over Loch Broom made a perfect finish of this day.

The next day I took it easy, cycling and strolling around the Corrieshallow Gorges, relaxing and enjoying the afternoon and the evening in Ullapool before I changed place the next day for more adventures in Torridon .

P.S.: If you find mistakes whatever especially referring to the mentioning of directions and/or the names of mountains (I am not yet that good at it), please be so kind and send me an information, it would help me very much. Thank you.

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[R1ggered]

Great report, should maybe have had spot the grouse competion, .

[past my sell by date]

So glad you went up the hill this way - you reach the high ground quite quickly and have great views. By not going to the dam you missed out these wonderful old Scots pines but I guess you saw them from above

I didn't take any pictures up above - I guess it must have been misty - pics cost money for film in those days so you didn't bother unless it was clear.
Your grouse I think are what we call Ptarmigan - well camouflaged and quite tame - but I think they are called snow-grouse in most of Western Europe

[Grisu]

Hello and thanks your comments!
ref. the grouse: I thought first about ptarmigans but then I checked grouse pictures and decided for grouse because of the longer neck and they were shy, they escaped when they realized me, but I am no expert -

Cheers!

[past my sell by date]

I'm afraid we don't have Sage grouse here nly Red grouse - which are basically dark brown and live in heather. ptarmigan are mottled - white in winter and tend to live on bouldery slopes.

[Grisu]

I'm afraid we don't have Sage grouse here nly Red grouse - which are basically dark brown and live in heather. ptarmigan are mottled - white in winter and tend to live on bouldery slopes.

I didn't check this, so then it seems to be settled: no grouse competition -- thanks for clarification!