Quinag, 1980
Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 9:45 pmMy introduction to mountain walking was on an organised camping trip with Forest School Camps (odd bunch ; nice, public school-y, but decidedly odd).
I didn't really know what I'd let myself in for. After taking an overnight train from London to Lairg, and a couple of hours bus ride into Assynt (Suilven and Canisp looming out of the rain like something monsterous), the bus stopped at a layby on Loch Assynt and started unloading. We were unloading, so we weren't going any further on the road ; the loch didn't look good for walking over, so ... "we're going up there?!"
But it worked out OK, and we camped overnight below the wall of Quinag.
Next day (dates are approximate!), we did Quinag. And I started thinking, "This could be fun."
Route : from camp on mid-level plateau, straight up the side of the ridge ; north peak and out to nose over (sea loch) ; middle peak and out to nose ; most of part returned down to camp while the keen team (self included) did south peak.
First time I've tried this map-drawing thing.
The next day, we walked from the "foot" of Quinag to between Suilven and Canisp.
Did I have a camera with me? I'm sure I did
Do I have digitised photos? No, but I do have a slide scanner.
I didn't really know what I'd let myself in for. After taking an overnight train from London to Lairg, and a couple of hours bus ride into Assynt (Suilven and Canisp looming out of the rain like something monsterous), the bus stopped at a layby on Loch Assynt and started unloading. We were unloading, so we weren't going any further on the road ; the loch didn't look good for walking over, so ... "we're going up there?!"
But it worked out OK, and we camped overnight below the wall of Quinag.
Next day (dates are approximate!), we did Quinag. And I started thinking, "This could be fun."
Route : from camp on mid-level plateau, straight up the side of the ridge ; north peak and out to nose over (sea loch) ; middle peak and out to nose ; most of part returned down to camp while the keen team (self included) did south peak.
First time I've tried this map-drawing thing.
The next day, we walked from the "foot" of Quinag to between Suilven and Canisp.
Did I have a camera with me? I'm sure I did
Do I have digitised photos? No, but I do have a slide scanner.
