An Arkaig hill, a cafe & a brewery shop with Kilted Biggles

[Graeme D]

It was the Saturday of the Summer 2024 WH meet at Aite Cruinnichidh hostel near Roybridge. The weather looked questionable. Saying it looked like a mixed bag would be putting a positive spin on matters. Most folk seemed to be heading for the Grey Corries or the Innses, one or two further afield into the Monadhliath and some staying very local on the Grahams on the doorstep. Allan and myself were heading up to the Commando Memorial then down to cross the Caledonian Canal at Gairlochy before skirting around the southern end of Loch Lochy and along the Mile Dorcha to the eastern, "civilised" end of Loch Arkaig. We had the twin Grahams of Glas Bheinn and Sgurr na Choinnich in our sights. It was going to be a case of Glas Bheinn first then back to the car for the short drive further west and then repeat for Choinnich. We knew therefore, especially with the weather as it was, that there were reasonably short odds on us canning the idea of the second hill and retreating to patronise some of the local businesses of the Spean Bridge and Roybridge area instead.

We drove past the Eas Chia Eag waterfall and over the cattle grid and through the gate at the road over the bridge at the Loch Arkaig outflow. The last time I had come this way, in October of last year immediately after the storm ravaged Ratagan meet, I had parked at the parking area by the falls and had to wade through knee deep water at this point to access the bridge and reach the track in to Invermallie bothy and the Graham of Mullach Coire nan Geur-Oirean.

We parked up in the huge, newly constructed looking parking/turning area in the trees just before Achnasaul and got ready for the off, heading the short distance west along the tarmac to where the hill access track heads north at a modern looking hut.

Achnasaul rennovation project

Across Loch Arkaig and between Bheinn Bhan and Mullach Coire nan Geur-Oirean towards Meall a'Phubuill and Gulvain

Our target beneath blue skies ahead

It was hot work despite an intermittent breeze taking the edge off things. Patches of blue sky were evident up ahead but an ominous bank of dark rain clouds were massing at the western end of Loch Arkaig and seemed intent on heading our way.

Not looking too clever down Dessarry way

Mr McConnachie regretting the choice of long trousers

That stuff definitely looks like it's heading for us!

We're gonna have to leave the relative comfort of this track soon and something tells me there ain't no path on that hill

A cloud shroud over Beinn Bhan

My razor sharp hill sense had been correct. There was indeed no path! We slogged up the rough. grassy slopes while the clouds continued to threaten mayhem behind us up Loch Arkaig.

Not looking any better to the west

Invermallie memories

It was with some relief that we eventually topped out having not been rained on. There were views too! Over to the back of the Loch Lochy Munros and the Corbetts of the Wounded Knee Incident of 2018. And still the clouds massed up Loch Arkaig and threatened to give us a doing.

Mr McConnachie at the summit - updating his hills or checking the opening hours of the Glen Spean Brewery?

West - what else would it look like!!??

We spent a wee while at the summit, despite the chill, heads in our day packs and looking at our phones for some of the time. We must have been so distracted by these activities that we never noticed the clag completely closing in, so much so that when we looked up and got ready to head off, there was nothing to see. A quick bearing was taken and we headed back off down the hill to pick the track up.

We hadn't gone too far when the rain hit. I resisted for a few minutes but eventually accepted that the waterproofs were going to have to go on.

The shiny ribbon of Loch Arkaig through the swirl of the clouds

Spot Mr McConnachie!

The rain was an intermittent accompaniment for the remaainder of the walk and it was unanimously decided that Sgurr na Choinnich could wait for another day. A far better use of our time would be to drive back to Roybridge, have lunch at the little cafe by the parking area at the start of the road up Glen Roy and then head to check out the Glen Spean Brewery shop. Which is exactly what we did.

I can thoroughly recommend both establishments and look forward to return visits to both on some of my frequent drive pasts. As for the cafe, I can thoroughly recommend their link sausage and fried egg roll. As for the brewery, their Vanilla and Blackcurrant Porter is exquisite!