free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
The walk in from Kinloch Hourn to Barisdale gives fantastic views but, laden with a14kg pack, by the time the third hill appeared I was ready to leave half my food and water. Walking in I slipped on an awkward rock and twisted my knee. I then couldn't bend that knee more than 30 degrees without pain. So the walk in slowed a little. Not a good start given our planned big hike the next day. We finally got to Barisdale and pitched the tent. There was a ton of space in the bothy but, as I'm always paranoid of bunking near someone who snores like they are dragging a hacksaw through granite, we pitched the tent outside for some peace. I then found a lovely cool pool of water in the River Barisdale and had a dip hoping that the cold would help my knee.
The next morning we set off at 8 with the plan of bagging Ladhar Bheinn but taking out time and enjoying the views. Despite the glorious forecast we'd reviewed the day before, a blanket of clag hung over the hill. It was the kind of fog that clings to you, hair beaded with water, draining down your clothes and into your boots. It was then I cursed having chosen to wear boots. Still, we were convinced the clag would lift. As we ascended, it only got thicker. My knee was howling from being twisted the day before. Reaching the top, and with a phone signal, we checked the forecast. Fog until 4pm then mist until 5pm. It was only 12pm. We were both annoyed, cursing the Met Office - whose accuracy has been beyond awful this season - as if using a random weather generator and then just editing it on the morning - oopsie! We should have checked MWIS, who had a much more accurate forecast. It was a real shame, as having pored over these maps for years I was thoroughly looking forward to the views.
After having a sandwich at the top, we decided that if we were down at the bealach for 4pm we'd go for Luinne Bheinn as we agreed we couldn't rely on the Met Offices forecast of a dry day on Monday. The SE descent from Ladhar Bheinn took considerably longer than we'd thought, with a lot more up and down, and some fun little scrambles. We passed a group of 4 gents who warned us of some slippy downclimbs. It would be a lovely route in the sun, but the black lichen clad rocks of Ladhar Bheinn are like butter when wet. I dubbed the hill 'Lurpak Bheinn' after my third slip in an hour, though during that third slip I heard a 'click' - and instantly my knee felt brand new.
After 7 hours in the clag, sodden to the core and with saturated feet, we got down to the Bealach (Mam Barrisdale) just after 3pm. My feet were feeling like swollen prunes packed tightly into a cheese grater from the descent - and I think this hike reaffirmed that I will always wear trail shoes in summer - regardless of the bog factor. If you get wet feet in trailies, they dry out. If you get wet feet in boots you get trenchfoot no matter how warm it is.
Down at Mam Barisdale we discussed how we'd tackle Luinne Bheinn and Meall Buidhe. We knew we had at least 7 hours of good light, it was warm, and the clag was finally lifting. I'd read a couple of routes that descended North from Meall Bhuidhe before contouring East through the corries. From Mam Barrisdale those corries looked complex, with massive slate grey boulders and craggy features. This was the only part of the route I was unsure about, so we agreed if we got to Luinne Bheinn by 5:15 we'd go for the full circuit.
From Mam Barrisdale, we followed the rusty old fence posts SW to just under the 700 meter contour. I'm always amazed at these rusty old fences - which often take ludicrous routes and seem to be more of a vanity project 'this is my land' rather than a practical endeavour. Who built them and why? From here we headed straight West up Luinne Bheinn tagging the top just after 5pm. It was sealed, we'd do the full circuit. As we sat in the clag, it began to descend and for a moment the peak of Sgurr na Ciche was an island in the clouds. Within 15 minutes the fog started dispersing and we could see a clear route through the corries.
After a final sandwich and after making sure to tag the 936 top, we followed a clear path down to Bealach a Choire Odhair. With the traverse of the corries in mind, I put my head down and powered up Meall Coire na Gaoithe'n Ear. The walk from here to Meall Bhuidhe was spectacular, with the clouds appearing and disappearing and multiple Brocken Spectres. The clag had begun to drop and I grabbed some action shots of my friend on the ridge above the clouds.
The final ascent up Meall Buidhe was surprisingly steep but once at the top my concerns were allayed - the view down into the corries showed a clear line through the crags.
After taking in the views and sunshine we were keen to get moving, it was 8pm and we had two good hours of light left.
Descending North from Meall Buidhe, we picked up traces of a path. The sun was now right behind us, with some fog clouds below us and Brocken Spectres followed us down the broad ridge.
Once down at about 800m we struck East following grassy lines through the crags. Despite how rugged and rocky it looked from Luinne Bheinn, it was surprisingly straightforward to pick a gentle grassy route despite the amount of detail on the map. There were grassy options left or right of most rocky outcrops and only a few small streams to cross. I'd only hesitate to take this route were it shrouded in fog, as accidentally descending too low would introduce one to more complex terrain. Thankfully, we had great visibility and followed the curvature of the corries, keeping the lochans in sight and retaining as much height as possible, though there are a few ups and downs on the way.
At the lochans we stopped to soak in the views. This is a really beautiful place, the lochans still and mirror like, reflecting the grey rocks impeccably. Above us, on the corrie rim, four deer trotted confidently above steep crags.
This really would be a lovely place for a camp, plenty of fast moving streams and decent shelter from the wind. From the lochans we crossed the Allt a' Choire Odhair and followed a steep grassy gully NNW, keeping left of the stream, where we picked up traces of a faint path.
Back up at the 700m where we'd strategised our ascent of Luinne Bheinn and Meall Buidhe, we retraced the line of fence posts back to Mam Barrisdale, pausing to take in some beautiful golden hour views out to sea.
By this point, my feet were howling from the descent, so with the sun going down and a 4km walk back to the campsite I swore that my boots - which at this point felt like 40 grit extra course sandpaper strapped to my soles - will never go on in summer again.
All in all, Strava had the route at 28km with 2650m of ascent and we'd been walking for 14 hours, albeit with a few hours of sandwich breaks and strategising. This felt like a big day - despite often doing 35 - 40km days.
With the Knoydart three ticked off I'm now down to 18 Munros and 20 sub tops left to go...
