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Planned this for good weather, lots of light and before the dreaded midgies appear.
We got it perfect and it wasn’t as arduous on my old bones as I’d anticipated.
Parked van at Incheril. I had tent and kit on my ebike. Big D had his rucksack and gravel bike (only coz his MTB was in for repair). He’s a seasoned cyclist so managed ok but do yourselves a favour and use a MTB, the lack of suspension joogled him somewhat.
- Our route
So set off along a fabulous hydro track at 0850.
- The good track in
It forks on valley floor, with the route up the left fork. This is where the ebike was a godsend. Pretty steep in parts but I never got off.
By 0924 we were at the end of the good track and the start of a good path, for walking that is. Not so great for cycling but onwards we went.
- The end of the good track
There was a few getting off to push moments and we wished we’d left bikes at this old ruin as there isn’t much gain beyond unless you’ve got some skills on a MTB.
- Wish we’d left bikes here
We reached this ruin after about 40 mins cycling. We struggled on for another half hour then dumped bikes and packed gear into rucksacks for the big hike.
All in the cycle took about 1hr20m.
But the views really started to open up.
- Lochan Fada appears
The path was good and it wasn’t too much of a struggle to get to the beallach.
We dumped our packs here and skirted round Meall Garbh with minimum kit, reaching top of Mhic around 1240, so about 2hr40m from dumping bikes.
- Cracking day
- Top of Mhic
Plodded on to Sgurr Ban reaching summit about 50 mins later.
- The cairn of Sgurr Ban
Then it was retracing our steps back to where we’d left the backpacks.
Passed a bivi spot on the way.
- A wee bivi spot on path between Sgurr Ban and Mhic
We got to our kit about 1500 and had a breather and a bite before donning the packs and hoofing up Beinn Tarsuinn, reaching summit in under an hour.
- Looking towards tennis court
- Fisherfield in all it’s glory
- Still a stretch to go to camp
The views really are spectacular and we were at tennis court pretty quickly.
- On the tennis court
We planned to camp somewhere between BT and A’M and found a decent spot with running water nearby.
- Home for the night
- Camped here, managed to get running water
Made camp around 1800 and soon scoffing dinner of pasta and a cuppa with lots of chocolate.
Expecting an early start and a disturbed sleep it was nice to be horizontal and rested by 2000.
Glad of my 4 season sleeping bag. Big D brought a 2 season and a fleece inner. It wasn’t enough. I still wore all my clothes and my puffer jacket and was toastie enough.
Next day up at 0600, porridge n coffee and on the road by 0630 with basic kit. Got to top of A’Mhaighdean by 0730.
- Top of A’Mhaigdean at 0730
Noted how to by-pass it on way back.
Quite a steep descent from here and the next hill looked fairly impregnable.
At a cairn the scrambling route is to the right and follows the foot of the diagonal rock face. We went this way but if you had a heavy pack on then continue onwards and there is a by-pass path which is the one we took on the return journey.
- Ruadh Stac Mor looks impregnable
Reached top at 0830 then no hanging about so back down then cut across the moor a bit to rejoin path and headed back to tent which we’d left to dry a bit after over night dew.
Packed up and walked out over moor heading approximately for far end of Lochan Fada. No path but it was fairly easy going over Heather and moor. Not too boggy after such a dry spell and only a few peat hags. We used a large square rock between two wee Rocky knolls as a guide, reaching it around 1130.
- Looking back at A’Mhaighdean from square rock
After which we aimed for a wee beach not quite at the loch end, getting there around noon.
- Grass balls on wee beach
After a bit of stream negotiations we got to loch end and the path back reaching bikes for a re-pack around 1235.
I’ve never been so thankful for a bike. It was a case of point downhill, steer and try not to brake too hard. Got back to van in 25 minutes. It’s about 7.5 miles back to car park.
All in first day was 8hr40mins of bike n hike. And second day was 7hrs.
Glad to get these in the bag before old age and decrepitude takes its toll. 40 left for me now.
A brilliant, midge free two days in this last great wilderness.
