Pain and Glory on Slioch

[roscoT]

slioch.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

Final day in Torridon, and after 3000m of ascent the legs were not feeling great. This day had been pencilled in as a 'driving home' day, however failure due to weather to do any munros on the Saturday had forced our hand - 3 out of 4 good hillwalking days in this part of the world is a rarity. Forecast being good, that gave us 2 options - Liathach or Slioch. Given that both were going to hurt, we opted for the latter as we only had one car, Slioch was practically on our way home and we wanted to have Liathach as an excuse to come back

So we checked out at the hostel and gave our roommate a lift up Glen Torridon to Kinlochewe, then parked along the road at Incheril to start what would likely be a tough day softened, we hoped, with glorious views.

letterewe estate info by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

I had noticed from the description that the walk-in to the bottom of the hill, at the southeast corner of Loch Marre is a relatively long one at about 4K. This was a quite enjoyable wee walk through ferns, over several streams, some larger, alongside the Kinlochewe River and the Loch to the bridge over the Abhainn an Fhasaigh. Quite a lot of docile sheep and lambs down here too! About half way along, Slioch comes into views and looks bloody miles away! I honestly didn't think we'd be getting to the summit at this point

beiin eighe eastern summits by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

P1000772 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

P1000774 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

first view of Slioch by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

loch maree by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

P1000786 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

Once the bridge is reached (took us about an hour), the path (easily missed) goes off shortly to the right. The next 45 minutes was pretty torturous over bog city - the rocky mouth of the corrie and saviour seemed a long long way in the distance. Even with 3 season boots and in warm dry weather, I still got wet feet! It was baking hot too and my knee was giving me jip: I had hit a wee wall! Scotty, too, was considering turning back. But it could have been much worse, and we were in Torridon dammit - so we plodded on.

P1000790 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

through the bog by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

But reach the rocks we did. And after a long break and taking in the views back over Loch Maree and Beinn Eighe, the painkillers I had taken kicked in and we hit a second wind. So into the vast grassy bowl on Coire na Sleaghaich, we we overtook the first person we had seen on the day - an older gent who would catch up with us later, higher up. Slioch soon comes into view on the left, and even in good weather (for us amateurs anyway) some navigation is required to get to the path up the wall to the lochan, which does not become visible until you are practically underneath it. If there was a faint path, we didn't see it, so very much an "ahhh, there it is!" moment.

P1000795 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

not alone by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

into the bowl by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

path up the wall by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

The beautiful little lochans are eventually reached, where we stopped for a good while to have lunch before the steep climb ahead to the summit plateau. We could see another group higher up from here, who seemed tiny! With a nice breeze and some clouds, the temperature was much more bearable here, and I realised we were probably, barring a disaster, going to make it to the top

lochan below siloch by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

walkers further up by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

P1000813 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

Weirdly, because I knew we were going to make it now, I actually really enjoyed this steep climb up the rocky and at times loose path - the last big effort of the trip! As we got close to the first plateau, Scotty shouted me over to the look at the silhouette of what looked like a wild goat up on the cliffs to our left. As we came over the precipice, there was actually a whole family ( Tribe, Trip, Drove, Herd, Flock?) of about 20 of them! We were careful not to get too close, but they were quite photogenic. Not sure if anyone else has seen these guys up here - are the native to Slioch only?!

towwards the Fannichs by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

P1000818 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

Eighe by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

towards false summit by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

is that a goat by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

its loads of goats by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

goats on the edge by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

P1000835 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

P1000837 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

Another short little climb and the trig point is reached. Couldn't see much here as a big cloud came in and enveloped us, so onward to the true summit (only a metre higher) and the glorious climax of the trip The clouds cleared to give us some great views over loch maree and islands, over Beinn Eighe and to the corbett sgurr dubh and the letterewe forest. It was a bit cloudy over the fisherfield 6 and the fannichs, but nothing could spoil this - great buzz!

trig point and loch maree islands by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

P1000841 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

P1000845 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

P1000846 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

P1000849 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

P1000850 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

fifth munro by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

P1000855 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

P1000867 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

We sat for a good half hour here and looked about. The guy from lower down caught up with us and we had a wee chat with him, before heading over the well-defined ridge to the delightful top of Sgurr an Tuill Bhain. This walk is ample reward (as if the views weren't enough) for the day's climbing efforts - a narrow little ridge that twists and turns all the way to the top.

towards sgurr an tuill bhain by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

P1000878 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

P1000881 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

back to Slioch by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

sgurr an tuill bhain by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

P1000891 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

From the top, it's a really really steep descent back down in the the corrie, and I was surprised neither of us came a cropper. Knees, feet and ankles were all burning by the point, every step a big effort.

My camera battery called it a day at the bottom of the corrie (mercifully for Scotty), but the walk back in was a never-ending slog back over the bog and the 4K back to the car. But what a day, and what a trip - my first proper hillwalking trip and will certainly not be the last. Got the classic leaving picture from Glen Docherty on the way home...and I still have the mighty Liathach to come back for! Cheers Torridon

P1000901 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

19484220432_466890f696_o by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

[Mal Grey]

Great stuff, and a fantastic mountain. From Loch Maree you just think of it as this amazing big tower of sandstone, but the corrie and ridge round the back make it into something even more interesting.

[teaandpies]

Another cracker Rosco.

Some nice images there. What a great trip overall. Where are you going next?

I think goats were/are fairly common around the country. I used to see them often in my youth when ma old man would drive us to Inverness. You'd see them around the Slochd but I've not seen them for years and years now. I heard they were all shot which is a shame.

[roscoT]

Great stuff, and a fantastic mountain. From Loch Maree you just think of it as this amazing big tower of sandstone, but the corrie and ridge round the back make it into something even more interesting.

Thanks Mal. It really is a great day! The only bit I didn't really enjoy was the bog between Loch Maree and the bottom of the corrie. Just an outstanding mountain though, more interesting than it looks as you say!

Another cracker Rosco.

Some nice images there. What a great trip overall. Where are you going next?

I think goats were/are fairly common around the country. I used to see them often in my youth when ma old man would drive us to Inverness. You'd see them around the Slochd but I've not seen them for years and years now. I heard they were all shot which is a shame.

Cheers mate - glad to have all the reports out the way - can be arduous at times! Next trip is between a weekend in Glencoe, Aviemore or Kintail - probably late August/early September.

Re the wild goats, I have seen them before in the woods below Ben Venue, just not in these sort of numbers. Wondered if this particular flock could always be found around Slioch, or if they were more nomadic. I know for instance there is a flock at White Coomb in the borders that are pretty much always guaranteed to be there. Striking animals, although you could be right that farmers are seeing them as pests and taking them out - or maybe they were some of the many victims of the A9?

[mountain-ju-drop]

We are the tiny people in your photo!!! (Small or far away....a Father Ted episode springs to mind!)

We walked up and down the same way - going down the steep section above the lochan seemed harder work than going up!

The breeze must have got up between our photos and yours......

Loch Maree

Lochan

We were surprised at the size of Coire na Sleaghaich - apparently the echoes around it are amazing but we didn't want to worry other walkers who might think we were shouting for help!

A fab day out.

[roscoT]

Nice one! Yeah you came back down just to the right of us as we were coming up! What a great day, Did you see the goats too?

Either you are a much better photographer than me (very likely) or as you say the wind changed! That one of loch maree is amazing - like a mirror!