CW&H was on a residential week playing her cello so we dropped her off at noon on sunday the 7th and drove up to Kintail, via tea at our favourite place, the Real Food Cafe. With a bit of trepidation we got out of the car at 8pm planning to walk and camp with smidge and headnets at the ready. but there was a lovely wee breeze and so they were not necessary. What a delightful fragrance as we set off walking, with bog myrtle and meadowsweet to start with, and wild thyme as we climbed uphill. I always stuff a sprig of myrtle behind my ear as I love it so much.
We went up the usual excellent stalkers path which traverses up the hillside reaching a flat area at about 600m where we camped not far from the start of the Forcan Ridge.
- First view of Forcan Ridge from the North
- how's this for the view from your sitting room?
- - and from your kitchen while eating breakfast
- orchid
Not a midge to be seen anywhere and after a comfortable night we struck camp and stashed our stuff in an orange bag under a rock (easily visible from the ridge as it happens!)
having heard a lot about the Forcan Ridge we were a bit nervous but in fact it was all very doable particularly if you are a lover of bypass paths, and it was a dramatic climb with bits of cloud blowing in from the South side and bright sunshine on the north. We were up on the top just before ten am, unfortunately a bit of cloud blew in at this point so no view from the top but we got plenty of views the rest of the day so no fretting was necessary.
- dramatic mist
- more dramatic mist
- view to the summit
- view to the summit from the start of the "bad step" off Sgurr na Forcan. Over here, right? Er, no. we went down the gully to the north (left) and bypassed it safely.
- Rudolph on the top. although he says it hardly counts as evidence, as the tiny piece of rock you can see could be anywhere. However, I was there, so I can tell you it is true.
- me on the top.
The path then goes down and up to the second top with the trig point, then down following an old wall.
I am fascinated by these walls and why they were built, by whom. Were they built as boundary walls, famine walls, or what? If anyone has any information on these I would love to know.
- sea pinks
- one of the wee lochans at the bealach, looking over to the first three sisters.
- interesting rock
There are remnants of a wall or fence all the way from The Saddle to Sgurr na Sgine which we followed from the Bealach Coire Mhalagain to the second summit of the day, reaching the top of Sgurr na Sgine just before noon. Here we were just under the cloud base but much of the South Cluanie ridge was in the cloud.
- Rudolph on the top of Sgurr na Sgine
- and me.
Retracing our steps to the Bealach Coire Mhalagain, we came across two lads whom we assumed were Canadian (as they spoke a mixture of French and transatlantic English). They were carrying enormous packs and walking the Cape Wrath Trail. They had just walked up from Kinloch Hourn and were heading for Shiel Bridge for the night. We were a bit faster as we had only stuff for the day.
We found our way back to our campsite following the wall traversing from the bealach to the foot of the Forcan Ridge. After picking up our stuff all that remained was the walk back down the stalker's path to the car for a change of socks and tops before the next adventure!
- From the top of the stalker's path, looks a long way down, steep, but these stalkers path builders knew how to build paths at the right gradient.
- view up Glen Shiel
