Cul Mor & Wildfires near Inverkirkaig (Assynt, NW Highland)
Posted: Sun May 08, 2011 1:33 pm
Date - Mon 02/05/2011
Title - Cul Mor & Wildfires near Inverkirkaig (Assynt, NW Highland)
Route - Start from Knockan Crag, anti-clockwise circuit taking in all 3 tops
Weather - Perfect
People - Me
Time - 5.5h
Distance - 14.2km
Ascent - 975m
Max Altitude - 849m
Most of my recent outings have been inland or south of Inverness so I decided it was time to get back up to the stunning NW coast. Not looking for too hard a day, Cul Mor looked a perfect option.
It was only by chance I went online before going out and noticed the "Liathach on Fire..." trip report, and some other news articles. So although I wasn't aware of fires further North where I was heading, I wasn't as shocked as I might have been to see them.
With a forecast indicating possible inversions in the morning, my original idea was to get up really early to catch one..... didn't quite happen. It was 9am when I left Inverness- under a complete blanket of cloud. I bet someone's on the hill tops above that right now, I thought. It didn't take long to drive into blue skies, and upon starting walking pretty much all cloud was gone. It was to be another perfect day.
Not long after beginning the walk I met an earlybird walker on his way back- a brief chat confirmed my fears....I'd missed a great inversion early this morning. Not to worry- just look at the day it's turned out to be!
The route follows a good path most of the way up the broad ridge of Meallan Diomhain. It was here I caught my first glimpse of Suilven, and soon after spotted the smoke of the wild fires. From Meallan Diomhain you could take a much more direct line (but steeper) to the summit of Cul Mor, but I opted to go north to the small lochan for better views/see what was happening with the fire, and to follow the NE ridge up to the summit.
Cloudy start in Inverness
Didn't take long to reach the blue skies
Stopped at Loch Glasscarnoch for a shot of the hazy Ben Wyvis
Todays hill - Cul Mor. The last fragments of cloud remaining- gone 10 mins later.
To the left, its neighbour Cul Beag
Easy going for first 2km on great path
Lochan Fhionnlaidh
Continuing N toward Meallan Diomhain. Still no idea there's fires in the area.
Suilven peeks out
Looking back to Loch a' Phollain Riabhaich
The grassy terrain eventually turns rocky on Meallan Diomhain. There are lots of small cairns and a faint path, but it's easy enough going if you stray off the path (easy done).
Cul Mor. Summit on right. South top (Creag nan Calman) on left.
I skirted the small lochan and picked up the ridge toward the summit
Plenty of interesting rock features
Once at the bottom of the ridge I could now see across to the devastation the fires were causing....
Fionn Loch fires & Suilven
Back to the walking. Summit, and Coire Gorm.
Looking E inland
Final short but rocky approach to summit
Time to bask in the summit sunshine and take in the views
Stac Pollaidh
Suilven, Quinag & Canisp
Suilven (& Fionn Loch fire)
Over Coire Gorm to Fionn Loch fire
S from Cul Mor summit to Creag nan Calman
More cool rock formations
I sat at the summit for about half an hour having lunch and soaking in the views. I decided to extend my plan to go out to the NW top, before returning and going up the S top Creag nan Calman, then descending back to Meallan Domhain and retracing my route back to the start.
Ptarmigan & Suilven - approaching 758m top NW ridge
Ptarmigan (zoomed)-fire nowhere near as close as it looks!
Sitting at 758m top looking to Fionn Loch fire & Suilven
Creag nan Calman to Stac Pollaidh
Coire Gorm
Fantastic views across to Stac Pollaidh
Cul Beag
Made my way back to the bealach where I'd left my bag, then headed on up to Creag nan Calman
But not before first taking a quick detour to the W nobble
Creag nan Calman summit, looking to main summit (right)
Front of the fire beside Loch Sionasgaig
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_ilUWGAp1w[/youtube]
Pano - click to open LARGE
Stac Pollaidh from Creag nan Calman
Cul Beag & lochs S of Cul Mor
Sat here for some more food taking in the spectacular views, and in disbelief of the destruction caused by the relentless fire
Made my way back to the bealeach. Descended to the left of the (dry) stream
Looking back up the bone dry stream
I veered a bit too far left before descending (there are craggy bits to avoid) and ended up on steeper ground than was necessary- however got away since it was so dry and easily followed another dry stream to easier ground. Eventually rejoined Meallan Domhain and retraced my route back to the start.
Looking back to the bealach, and the steeper craggy section on the right I could have better avoided
Approaching Meallan Diomhain
One of the many small cairns descending Meallan Diomhain
Knockan Crag. Just about back at car after a great day
As I was packing my gear away I looked across to see about 50 (I did count) people coming out the moors between Cul Beag and Mor. No idea what they were doing, but I did recall meeting a walker last week who warned us that there would be hundreds of kids in the Highlands this week doing some activity course stuff... perhaps this is some of them.
A last snap of Cul Mor from the road
What a day
Fantastic views in one of my favourite areas. Just such a shame to see those fires destroying patches of it I walked this on Mon 2nd May. Over the next couple of days I believe the fire continued round closer to (but not reaching) Stac Pollaidh and also scorching the W side of Cul Mor. I was certainly in no danger from these fires during my day on the hill.
Links to BBC news stories about the fires:
Fire crews battle blazes in Sutherland
Crews continue to battle wild fires across Scotland
Full flickr set of pics
http://www.flickr.com/photos/highlandsc/sets/72157626541420475/