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After some rest days and a great ride around Applecross, which is never flat
, the weather forecast promised very good visibility for Slioch, although not a cloudless day but without rain. Two years ago I have seen this Mountain for the first time from the opposite shores of Loch Maree. It looked impressive and rather inaccessible and made me feel despondent and uncertain. I had this mountain on my list for that summer but didn’t have the nerves, deterred by the long walk and generally dispirited by the whole situation I decided to postpone it. But now I was pretty much determined and felt much more self-assured and confident again.
The start of the walk is easy enough to find and only a few cars parked at the parking in Inverie. I switched my garmin on at 10:48.
- No trouble with the start this time.
The first part was quite enjoyable with nice views over a pastoral scenery and Beinn Eighe in the background attracting all attention.
- classic
But suddenly the path became pretty nasty. It was overgrown by head-high farn
- dschungle ahead
Only the section through the native woodland where the path narrows the river Kinlochewe offered some relief and later along the shores of Loch Maree until the bridge over Abhainn an Fhasaigh the path became tolerable again.
- At the banks of River Kinlochewe
- Outlook zoomed
- A little clearing, then back into the dschungle
- Waterfall of Allt na Chnàimhean
At the bridge a couple suddenly passed me. A short Hello and they were around the corner.
- End of the prologue of the walk
Fortunately there is a good visible path most of the time so the ascent is not very difficult, althoug steep. From time to time I could see the couple and before I have reached the bealach between Sgùrr Dubh and Meall Each a party with a nice dog came down. In unknown territory it sometimes make me feel a bit relieved when I meet people I could chat with a little moment or ask about the route just to get some confirmation. A little bit later I met another two walkers when I was just below the slopes of Sgùrr Dubh.
- Slopes of Sgùrr Dubh
- Looking back over Loch Maree to Beinn Eighe
- Coire na Sleaghaich ahead
When I reached Coire na Sleaghaich I was pretty much alone. But after a while I suddenly discovered the couple verging the little Lochans, and a little bit later I saw someone else ascending the ridge of the west wall.
The Coire was pretty boggy in places and it took some zigzags to avoid the most nasty peat hags and boggiest places but I managed to get across without getting wet feet
At the Lochans it was pretty windy suddenly and the second part of the ascent was quite a long slog but rewarded by nice views back to the Torridon mountains and down to Loch Maree.
- looking back from the ridge of the west wall
- View over windy Lochan
- The Slog
- great reward
- getting closer
The closer I came to the summit the more patches of mist were floating in. At the first cairn I couldn’t see where to go to get to the real summit at first. The mist was quite densed for some moments and confusing me but suddenly the visibility became clearer again so that I could start the crossing over the dip and up the summit at the far side.
- first cairn
- on my way to the summit
- drama
About four hours later since the start I reached the summit cairn.
- happy summit-selfie
Fortunately the mist was not too bad at the summit so I could catch some nice pictures:
- Loch Garbhaig
- the classic a bit spoiled but still good enough to get the impression
- Looking back to point 933m
At the summit I met the couple, the other walker had just left towards the ridge. We had a little chat. It was their fourth time (if I remember right) that they have conquered this Fortress
What a luxury, I thought, to live so close to the mountains and to be able to do this walk several times just like a sunday afternoon stroll (I know the comparison doesn't really fit but it feels like).
During my crossing the Coire I had a close look at the ridge towards the Top of Sgùrr an Tuill Bhain. I was undecisive whether I would go back over the ridge and still I was a bit apprehensive because of the mist, the remoteness and the unkown territory but I didn’t like the prospect of going back the same way even less, and seeing the ridge ahead: it just looked so tempting and irresistible that I finally threw all doubts down the cliffs and started walking. From time to time I caught up with the couple times when they stopped for a moment enjoying the views.
- I hardly can resist ridge walks
- Lochan Fada and the Top of Sgùrr an Tuill Bhàin ahead
At the start of the descent we said goodbye, it was obvious that I wouldn't be able to keep up pace with them.
- descending the slopes from Sgùrr an Tuill Bhàin
I would have loved to try the other route down towards Lochan Fada and back along Abhainn an Fasaigh. But I don’t feel very comfortable to only rely on a map in such unknown and remote territory when there are pathless sections. Two days later on my walk along Glenn na Muice, which I did to explore the approach from Inverie for the Fisherfields, I found out about the connection between Sgùrr an Tuill Bhàin and Lochan Fada, which was astonishinly quite close.
- View towards Gleann Bianasdail
- looking back to the slog
- nice view to the Lochan
- Sgùrr Dubh framed by Beinn Eighe
The descent was very steep and I made slow progress but the visibilty was clear again so my greatest concern had become obsolet and time didn't matter. Sometimes I could see the couple reappearing after a steep slope time and again but finally they were out of sight. The other walker was the only one I could see for most of my descent in this isolated area traversing Coire na Sleaghaich.
- impression of the scenery
Sights like this, a lonely walker in a remote, isolated landscapes, always make me feel thrown back into old ages when life was much harder. And often I wonder how the people in ancient times have managed their walks through the wilderness of this country without the equipement we have today - and they haven’t done their walks for leisure pursuit! Very often they didn’t know what would come around the next corner or where the day would finish.
These moments feel eternal and the impression always is so deep and profound that I feel very rooted and very calm: nothing to worry about at all, nothing really matters, just take care right now and keep breathing and going!
- back at the ,,gras bowl"
Reaching the ,,gras bowl" of the Coire I failed to cross the Allt Coire na Sleaghaich further up because I was trying to avoid the muddy heatpags what lead me too far down. So it took me some time to find a suitable crossing.
- looking for a suitable crossing
- managed without slipping
Finally I have managed the crossing and soon left the Coire behind.
Reaching the slopes of Sgùrr Dubh I had a little break and enjoyed the views towards Beinn Eighe while nibbling at my apple pieces. The struggle with the burn had rubbed my nerves a bit.
- having a little break
Then it was all the way down accompanied by the loud rush of the water of Abhainn an Fhasaigh which was echoed by the steep and impressive slopes of Gleann Bianasdial.
- Abhainn an Fhasaigh
Finally back on even ground the prospect of the overgrown farn-path couldn't spoil my joy over my achievment of today: SLIOCH bagged!
Apart from a campervan the car park was empty meanwhile. I changed my clothes and still had enough time to try and see if I could get some supper at The Stag, at least one or two small Lager.
Two years ago I had a nice supper at The Stag after my 100k-ride through Glen Torridon and back over Shieldag, Lochcarron, Achnachellach, Achnasheen with a great final down to Kinlochewe with the dramatic views over Loch Maree. But then it was 2020 and not many tourists around.
This year was different, thankfully, and I was lucky
. Obviously some guests haven’t shown up and after a small Lager, a tiny bag of crisps and a request at the kitchen the friendly stuff offered a table and I had a lovely three-course dinner which was very tasty
.
That was a very nice ending of another unforgettable day in the scottish mountains and happily I drove back to my little cottage in Anat.
