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I waited for a good day for Canisp to get the best view of its neighbour, the dramatic Suilven. Many a time it was on the list but dropped for somewhere else as the forecast wasn't right. On the day I was finally satisfied with the forecast I'd probably have gone to Fisherfield with Julie, except that Julie was helping with someone's flitting. So I invited three others to climb Canisp and at the last minute Julie said she wasn't needed for as long as she thought and was free after all. So four of us plus Keira the dog arranged to meet Julie at the layby just north of Loch Awe on the A837.
We were running a bit late due to Moli not picking up from the email that the start time was half an hour earlier than had been first agreed. Then we stopped at Knockan Crag to use the facilities and were treated to lovely reflections that had to be captured. When we reached the appointed layby I didn't recognise Julie's car and sailed on by thinking she must have gone further on to the parking for the caves. Of course she hadn't and by the time we got to her Julie had been waiting a good half hour - for which I duly grovelled.
Ben Mor Coigach and Cul Beag from Knockan Crag
Stac Pollaidh between Cul Beag and Cul Mor
Cul Mor reflected in Lochan an Ais
We didn't hang about at the roadside as midges were mustering for attack. Once we got moving we escaped their orbit and didn't meet them again until we reached the summit where they had amassed inside the wind shelter. This was okay as it was such a beautiful day we had no need to go in there.
Today's target hill Canisp
Canisp zoomed
Companions for the day
Keira saying hello to Julie
Walk starts on grass
With some rocky patches
East to Conival, Ben More Assynt and Braebag
Looking east brought back memories of climbing Ben More Assynt with Rob, Mary and Arash and Braebag with Liz. I always associate hills with the folk I climbed them with. Happy days!
Braebag and view SE
View south
The slabs on Canisp were a mini version of the slabs of Stob Ban which I walked up in 2020 with Julie and Ian. We had hoped to meet Donnie Campbell on his record breaking round of all the Munros, but typically he'd been and gone by the time we got there.
Slabs of Canisp
Trying to keep up with the young ones on Meall Diamhain
Ian was a dot on the skyline while we women followed at a more normal pace. But beyond the slabs I was finding it harder to keep up. Writing this in a chilly October it's easy to forget the warm summer we had in the Highlands this year. It was warm, so warm I was sweating and noticed my lower back was damper than usual. I should at that point have investigated and might have discovered I hadn't screwed on the nozzle of my platypus properly and it was very slowly leaking, drip by drip. I didn't want to hold them up so kept going and by the time we regrouped was feeling light-headed. Earlier Julie had mentioned she was doing an experiment with her vacuum flask. She had filled it with ice lollies, four side by side and one cut in half to fit in the space at the top. Seeing the state of me she decided this was the moment to crack open the flask and we had the choice of an orange or strawberry ice lolly.
The experiment was voted a success for non meltage of ice lollies and I'm convinced saved me from dehydration later when my platypus had run completely dry. Thanks Julie for an inspirational move to bring them.
Ice lolly experiment
Revived by ice lollies we knew we were about to get a wow moment with our first sighting of Suilven. You would think expecting it would detract from the wow... but it didn't. After a fairly routine sort of ascent there is something exhilerating about the sudden appearance of an outrageously steep upthrust of rock. It's not a surprise, because you're expecting it, but it still manages to stop you in your tracks to take it in. Or maybe that's just me taking any excuse to stop moving on a day I'm feeling sluggish. But stop we did and the phones and cameras were out. If hills had feelings Canisp should have a deep chip on shoulder from its neighbour being photographed so much... and it hardly ever. I kind of hope it never reads Julie's haiku which says in a few words what I've tried to convey more long-windedly.
Canisp
Strange. Its best bit was
The brooding hulk of Suilven
Suddenly revealed.
First sighting of Suilven
Suilven zoomed
Star of the show with the three girls
Moli's one from further up
Ice lolly lady
The last part of ascent is rocky and steep and before we knew it we were at the summit, where Ian had been for about half an hour already. We had the place to ourselves so sat down beside the shelter for lunch. We didn't venture into it for reasons mentioned earlier and it was far too nice a day to go in there. I had brought Keira her own water which I poured into a plastic tub and she had a good long drink. I noticed the bottom of my rucksack was wet, but still didn't investigate what was causing it. The heat must have short circuited my brain.
After a bit a couple appeared and went into the shelter but were instantly chased out by a black cloud of midges intent on ambush. So at that point we evacuated our space fairly quickly to give them peace to enjoy it. In any case we had photos to take.
Canisp summit
Summit selfie
Suilven and Loch na Gainimh from summit
South to Cul Mor and Stac Pollaidh
As we left the summit Moli and I got chatting and that conversation lasted until we were back at the car. We seemed to take a more direct line towards Meall Diamhain and got a view of the Allt Mhic Mhurchaidhe Gheir gorge, which we hadn't seen on the way up. It was on the descent my platypus ran dry, and maybe it was all the talking but I did feel thirsty and for the first time ever could do nothing about it. Even the dog's bottle was empty. Without the earlier ice lolly I'd have been seriously parched.
White topped Braebag and rocky gorge from the descent
Back at the road we were subjected to a midge attack so relentless that despite the heat in the car we closed all the doors and windows to change out of our boots. But despite our best efforts they got into the car in droves. I told the others what I remember my dad saying on holidays when I was a kid, that they don't survive long in the car. I put the fan on to annihilate them but Assynt midges must be a resilient bunch because almost as far as Ullapool I was being bitten on ankles and calves as I drove and the itchy lumps lasted a week. But even that and losing half my water down my back didn't detract from what had been a fabulous day.
To avoid any sensitivities on the part of Canisp in comparison with her more celebrated neighbour here's a photo I took of her from Braebag... and in some ways her graceful contours can only be appreciated from afar.
Here's to Canisp!
Suilven and Canisp zoomed from Braebag (Sept 2018)
