free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Decided to try this via a train journey. First time I've been to Huntly station and the first obstacle, parking for the 7.12am train to Inverness, proved to be no obstacle at all.
An hour and a half on the route to Inverness was spent pleasantly enough watching the world go by. Then there was a bit of tension at Inverness on hearing that the Kyle of Lochalsh train was delayed. This wasn't looking good for getting the 3pm train back from Achnasheen.
Arrived at Achnasheen half an hour late, leaving me four and a half hours for the walk with the 6.25pm train as a plan B.
Set off up the WH route and decided to cut off north towards the more easterly burn, having read a few folks' opinion that staying beside the first burn too long leads you to more boggy ground. Having tried the alternative on the way up I'd definitely recommend this change of course -the ground is pretty good compared to what I experienced on the way down. No great hardship either way though.
I caught up briefly with a couple ahead of me by virtue of my "shortcut" but they were soon way ahead of me again. I did try to keep pace with them for a wee while but it was clear that we had different fitness levels! It was good to have a pacemaker of sorts though what with my aim of catching the 3pm train if possible.
The couple had been here before and confirmed to me my suspicion that I could possibly contour up the side of the southward projecting spur in front of us. Whilst they opted to go over that spur, I took the more direct option of aiming on a diagonal for the low point on the main ridge. The going was pretty good I have to say though it was a little dispiriting to see how far ahead the couple had got and how far away the summit ridge seemed. I am nothing if not donkey like though in my quest for a view so went at it bit by bit taking short rests and feeling little energy in my legs.
Still, I made it fine onto the ridge and that did the usual psychological trick of producing energy from nowhere. Wow, what a spectacle the cornice adorning the northern slopes was. I took in the views and made my way slowly up to the summit where I met the couple again. The MWIS forecast of freezing level rising to 1000m was borne out by thawing ice patches all around and the fact that I hadn't had to put my hat on at any point. It felt positively summery in fact.
Quite a view point it has to be said -good and / or unusual views of Torridon, Fisherfield, Fainnachs and of less familiar land to the south.
I made good time on the descent -really good going for most of the way. It was a mistake though to try to follow the upper part of the path at the foot of the hill; quite slippy, so back on to the heather and grass.
Made it down to the station with forty minutes to spare.
looking south east
fabled bog
Achnasheen
Slioch
Torridon revealed
zoom to Torridon
long diagonal
couple at the top, seeming a long way off
ethereal Torridon or E. the real Torridon