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Referring to the Outdoor Access Code no information had been provided by the estate with regards to stalking and the guidance was to follow local notices. To remove any stalking issues I planned to walk Breabag on Sunday 3rd September 2023. The weather forecast was excellent but come the weekend it had deteriorated to high winds (50mph with gusts at 60mph) with rain and very poor visibility. So my Sunday was limited to visiting the Wailing Widow Waterfall. As I had spare time I also checked the stalking for the Inchnadamph Estate. There was a very helpful notice stating that hill walking would be okay even if stalking was taking place provided walkers remained near the burns in the glens and kept to the paths and ridges.
So all that I needed to walk Breabag was for some good weather. The forecast for Monday was for mist and cloud to be on the summits with winds of 40mph but conditions were to improve later on in the day. I set off expecting the summit to be in cloud but hoped that it would clear when I reached it. The weather was better than the forecast.
I followed the Walkhighlands route to the summit and then returned the same way. By taking this linear walk I hope that I would not disturb any stalking. I did not hear any gunshots during the walk and assumed that the weather forecast was not suitable for the stalkers or it could be that as I did not see any deer on the walk the stalkers were elsewhere.
Walking alongside the fast flowing Allt nan Uamh there was no wind but plenty of midges. I made my way along the path and it was not long until I arrived at the Fuaran Allt nan Uamh. A spring which on the surface appears calm but it is where the fast flowing Allt nan Uamh surfaces. No photo can do this curious place justice.
A wee bit further along I arrived at the path to the Bone Caves. I had visited them before and I decided to head to the summit of the corbett first as this was my priority. I would decide on my return whether to revisit the caves.
- The Bone Caves
I continued to follow the dry bed of the burn up through a narrow steep sided glen. I don't know why I thought of this but if Big Chief Sitting Bull with his tribe appears on the top of each side of the glen I am in deep trouble. Anyway I wasn't looking up for too long as I had to focus on where I was putting my feet. There were a couple of narrow dirt paths on the left side that climbed a few feet high above the dry bed of the burn and I carefully took my time along these as one slight misstep could lead to a serious injury.
- Looking back at one of the narrow paths.
About half way along the glen there were a number of paths that appeared to go to the top of the hill on the right hand side but they looked like they had some loose scree and dirt near the top so I decided against checking them out. In any event this would not meet the estate's request. Eventually I reached the point where I had to exit the glen as it was not possible to continue.
- The end of the dry burn.
There is a pile of stones at the base of the hillside on the right. I ascended on the grass to right side of these stones but on my descent I came down of the left side of these stones. Either way both grass routes leads to a small path with a bit of exposure. The path appears to disappear around the hillside but I did not follow it as I ascended up another dry burn. There were stones covered with vegetation and it was relatively easy to ascend in the dry conditions.
- The path leading to the ascent of the dry burn.
- The dry burn onto the moorland.
Once up out of the glen there was a bit of a peat hagg to navigate across. There was a route through the grass and heather that had been created by previous hillwalkers. The general line of direction is to the left of the ridge ahead.
- First sight of Breabag.
It was nice to be walking on softer ground although it was a bit of a slog. However as height was slowly gained there were good views of the surrounding hills.
- Munros Conival and Ben Mor Assynt
- Cloud topped graham Suilven and corbetts Canisp, the 3 of Quinag, and Garbh Bhein.
- Cul Beag, Cul Mor, Suilven and Canisp.
When I reached the first rocky summit I could see a cairn on a distant top. This is the cairn for the north top of Breabag and it is not the summit..
It was possible to exit the rocks and follow a grass line up to near the summit. However there was no escaping the final approach of rocks and stones leading to the windshelter cairn. .
- A summit selfie with Cul Beag and Cul Mor in the distance.
I had a bite to eat at the summit and re-read the walkhighlands notes and I noted the comment that the easiest return is to retrace your steps. I thought what does the circular route have that is more challenging that the descent to the glen to the dry bed of the Allt nan Uamh. That is for another day. My main focus was to retrace my steps and find the top of the dry burn. I found this and descended carefully.
- The view down to the dry Allt nan Uamh from the base of the dry burn. Not a place for a slip.
I was back at the path for the Bone Caves and decided a revisit was in order.
- At the Bone Caves
- The view back towards the dry bed of Allt nan Uamh.
It is maybe not as popular a corbett as some of the other Assynt corbetts but I enjoyed this walk and the views from the top were superb. I hope to return out of stalking season to do the circular walk.
