Dundonnell to Poolewe Fisherfield hills
Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 4:56 pm
It was after 7pm when the Westerbus dropped me at Corrie Hallie, still undecided about what to do, forecast wasn't great but I had my tent, 6 pork pies & 2 packets of jaffa cakes - all you need for a couple miserable July days walking through the Fisherfield Forest and on to Letterewe, in fact could go back to Dundonnell or on to Braemore, Kinlochewe or Poolewe it didn't matter. As I came down the track towards the Abhainn Strath na Sealga it started to rain so turned for Shenevall. In the bothy there were some young welsh lads and an older man giving them the benefit of his experience (if you ever meet me in a bothy & I'm doing this feel free to hit me over the head with something) I've no time for status-wrestling, when he says the forecast is too bad for the hills tomorrow I know the right thing to do is get to sleep and start walking over those hills in the morning.
It was - I caught the essence of scottish summer hillwalking, a long day in the wind, rain and swirling mist. Everybody knows the route my only deviation was to go straight up Beinn a'Chaidheimh and at the end turn for Carnmore rather than go back to Shenevall.
The river was only shin deep. Getting to the top of Chaidheimh the strength of the wind gave me a shock but I soon got used to it. Views came and went, not as fit as I used to be the sight of Carnmore was welcome as I squelched to the barn. Met a nice swiss couple on their first visit to Scotland, had coffee and interesting mountain chat ( they'd skied down Mont Blanc). Slept well. In the morning walked out to Poolewe, tempted by a glimpse of blue sky I took the boggy excuse for a path round Beinn Airigh Charr in the hope of going up it, enjoying the views and drying out at the top but the rain & clag came down so walked on by.
For most munro-baggers these are remote hills, worringly nowadays they don't feel that way to me,used to a long walk in and out when using public transport I felt at home (alone) looking out over Fionn Loch from the top of A' Mhaighdean as the gusts of wind hit me - need to get out less.
Not the weather for taking photos really but I did it anyway.
It was - I caught the essence of scottish summer hillwalking, a long day in the wind, rain and swirling mist. Everybody knows the route my only deviation was to go straight up Beinn a'Chaidheimh and at the end turn for Carnmore rather than go back to Shenevall.
The river was only shin deep. Getting to the top of Chaidheimh the strength of the wind gave me a shock but I soon got used to it. Views came and went, not as fit as I used to be the sight of Carnmore was welcome as I squelched to the barn. Met a nice swiss couple on their first visit to Scotland, had coffee and interesting mountain chat ( they'd skied down Mont Blanc). Slept well. In the morning walked out to Poolewe, tempted by a glimpse of blue sky I took the boggy excuse for a path round Beinn Airigh Charr in the hope of going up it, enjoying the views and drying out at the top but the rain & clag came down so walked on by.
For most munro-baggers these are remote hills, worringly nowadays they don't feel that way to me,used to a long walk in and out when using public transport I felt at home (alone) looking out over Fionn Loch from the top of A' Mhaighdean as the gusts of wind hit me - need to get out less.
Not the weather for taking photos really but I did it anyway.