Two and a half days in Sutherland

[gaffr]

Friday afternoon spent on Ben Stack.....saturday with finer weather out to Leoid, Meallan a' Chuail and meall an Fheur Loch and Sunday after the long marche d'approache finally to Ben Loyal.

This looks as if it should be the top of Ben stack.

The weather brewing up over Chuinneag.

HM enjoying the good conditions on Leoid.

A peep down from the top of Meallan a' Chuail.

Arkle and Foinavon from Loch Cul a'Mhill.

The flat top of Fheur Loch with the other two behind.

The very fine stalkers track that we used at the start and finish of the walk.

Sunday found me close to Ben Loyal with a longish marche d'approache to this beautiful blade of granite on which the trig point sits.

the top of Loyal looking to the North.

[malky_c]

Nice one. Hope to do your Saturday walk sometime soon - seems like you end up a good long way from the road on those? Mind you, the other two you did would also be good!

[gaffr]

Hello,
The Saturday trip out to Leoid began on a fine stalker's trail from the roadside....so well constructed that you have to look quite hard to see the zig-zags....it is well blended into the terrain. As you can see from the map of the area it ends at a high spot above the glen that you have to reach to allow access to Leoid. A loss of gained height is part of this and the ground is not very friendly in descent and even less friendly is the now bulldozed track into this glen (from Loch More) or is my map vastly out of date...it looks fairly new. However you get this disappointment behind you....the bulldozing has been halted by the steepning to the corrie rim so at least you have the old track to this area....Leoid is easily reached from here....return to the col and the other two are now 'available'. Around, I suppose, 1,200 metres of going up in this trip. The remoteness thing ...not too bad...for real remote 'outermost Gaeldom' try going South from here to the Ben More Assynt area.....one look for me was more than enough.

[monty]

Some lovely pictures there Gaffr. Love the first one. Is that just a top?

[mountain coward]

Nice one. Hope to do your Saturday walk sometime soon - seems like you end up a good long way from the road on those? Mind you, the other two you did would also be good!

Me and walking buddy Richard are there next week and will be doing at least Ben Loyal (as well as the Sutherland Munros) sometime during the week if you want - I can PM you my number if you like...

Ben Stack looks pointy - some great photies there

[gaffr]

Plenty of your fellow country folks in the area and at the camping at Scourie....they all seem to have a great amount of knowledge of the hills and lower level walks in Sutherland....many appear to have been coming up for thirty years or so....good description of the fire on the hillside above the village when the lightning struck at the same time as our boots were being well filled with the afters of the lightning strikes when doing a 'runner' from Ben Stack.
It may be Southlands for the Vikings but for us it is far Northlands! Take plenty of the Avon stuff and 'smokers' if you are camping.....the little beasts are feeding!

[maddjock]

very nice... Ben Stack is my favourite scottish hill...

[HighlandSC]

A great trip you had there gaffr.Some great weather. Ben Loyal's a fine hill.

We spent 2 and half days in Sutherland the week before you...camped at Durness site. Did a lot of coastal stuff, Sandwood, Talmine, Smoo Cave...great places

[mountain coward]

Thanks for the midgie warning Gaffr!

[malky_c]

Nice one. Hope to do your Saturday walk sometime soon - seems like you end up a good long way from the road on those? Mind you, the other two you did would also be good!

Me and walking buddy Richard are there next week and will be doing at least Ben Loyal (as well as the Sutherland Munros) sometime during the week if you want - I can PM you my number if you like...

Ben Stack looks pointy - some great photies there

Cheers for the offer MC. I doubt I'm going to be let that far of my lead again so soon after my Knoyart trip though! Especially not midweek. I know what your opinions are on having to ask permission from your partner etc, but I think I'll go for the easy life here