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I thought I’d do walk reports in reverse order from the Walkhighlands Autumn 2015 meet at Torridon. So this is a report of my third walk of the weekend on the Sunday.
Despite both MWIS and the Met Office suggesting a full on wet and windy weekend both Friday and Saturday had provided weather that far surpassed anything we could have hoped for. But all good things, just like an excellent WH meet, must come to an end and the forecast for Sunday was what I would describe as a “coffee shop” forecast………best find a coffee shop and give the hills a miss
But then again…………….there was a little chink in the impending apocalypse that was forecast to be headed our way Sunday. Just enough time for a quickie I thought. This seemed to be confirmed to us in Room 1 as Fife Flyer pulled back the curtains to reveal blue skies first thing.
My hill of choice for a pre apocalyptic quickie was the Applecross Corbett Sgurr a' Chaorachain from the high starting point of the Bealach na Ba…………………much to the amusement of Sunny Speyside who seemed to think I was cheating and not living up to my “purist” roots by starting just a few hundred meters in height from the summit
It was a pleasant drive down from Torridon to Applecross, taking in the autumnal colours.
P1240139 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
A wistful look back to a couple of Torridon giantsTurning off to tackle the Bealach na Ba and the breeze was certainly picking up and the cloud thickening. I was still hopeful though that I would been the four Horsemen and be back at the car before the worst hit. Driving the single track road alongside Coire na Ba and the view of my target on the right and Meall Gorm/Creag a’Chumhaing on the left was as awe-inspiring as ever. As for the hairpins……….worth a short diversion any day of the week
P1240145 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Soon I was parked up at the high point of the pass at the viewpoint. The rather ugly looking radio mast does perhaps spoil the view and take a little away from the sense of isolation you might be looking for, but nevertheless I find this one of the bleakest landscapes I’ve ever experienced………but in a very good way though.
P1240146 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Not the best view, what with the radio mast
P1240147 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
An early view toward Beinn BhanBooting up and I was constantly getting bumped on the head as the wind forced the hatch of my car down……….that breeze was certainly picking up. Was feeling like a proper wind by now.
Given this was a 2 to 2.30 hour walk I would be dispensing with the encumbrance of a rucksack and simply take a couple of snacks, half a litre of fluids and my hat n gloves with me (oh, and my Gortex lined windproof/water(ish) proof jacket of course).
The first stage of the walk up the landrover track up to the mast is, well, a walk up a landrover track to a mast. Not the most exciting approach to be fair, but views back toward Skye on a clear day would have been great for sure. Cloud and “weather” hampered my views somewhat, but I wasn’t feeling too disappointed.
P1240149 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
There were still views to be had across to Beinn Bhan and the Glen Carron hills as I arrived at the 773 point and started to make my way around the rim of Coire a’Chaorachain. View of the route ahead was pretty impressive too, making this feel like a proper hill despite the ridiculously high start.
P1240151 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
A panoramic shot of Beinn Bhan
P1240155 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
From the radio mast there is something of a boggy track which I assume you could follow if you wanted. I didn’t and instead decided to wander over the damp slippery rocks and boggy heathery ground in the direction of the hill. Eventually I came across a developing path just below point 730, which soon became a proper path which led me easily to the summit.
P1240157 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
A sneaky view of my target, with a few more following as the route opened up
P1240158 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1240159 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1240165 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1240166 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
A ChiochOrdinarily this would be a walk in the park. Descending off both points 730 and 720 I was caught out by the strength of the wind as it funnelled up the side of the hill. At this stage it wasn’t enough to knock me over (that would come soon enough) but I still had to be careful in places. In places on the high saddles between the high points the wind was doing its best to push me left and I tried to move forward.
P1240172 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
A quick look back after the first little nobbly climbThe descent off the west summit was a little gem in the strong winds. In descent I was dropping down an initially steep drop down face into the wind on what in retrospect looked like an abandoned rock pile. I definitely took that short section with care as the wind gave me a bit of a battering. Bizarrely though the saddle that followed was remarkably calm by comparison.
P1240173 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
The route ahead to the summit (hidden at the back)
P1240176 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
A Chioch again - a mighty impressive ridge (to look at, that is)
P1240179 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Loch Kishorn
P1240181 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1240182 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
The rock pile
P1240187 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
KishornAs was the final climb to the summit cairn. I had expected to get blown into the Atlantic on the top, but while there was a bit of a breeze it was never too strong and I was merrily wandering over the summit taking in the views across to Beinn Bhan, the dramatic A Chioch ridge, Torridon, Glen Carron and up and down the length of Loch Kishorn.
P1240196 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Summit cairn
P1240199 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1240200 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1240201 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1240203 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Ah, the summit views
I could see the four horsemen approaching though, but was still in something of an ambling mood as I turned round after 10 minutes or so on the summit and started my short trek back to my car.
P1240204 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
I think the rain might be a-comingBut it was soon apparent the wind was picking up speed quite significantly now. Those benign saddles were suddenly more windswept. The climb back up the rock pile was an amusing struggle to retain some semblance of dignity as I was getting battered and blown about. The two earlier sections where I had been battered on the way to the summit were yet more windy still. At one point as I stopped to d*** about with my GPS a gust of wind hit me hard and sent me flat on my backside against the hillside
Once passed point 730 it was then a simple walk back to the radio mast, although by this point the spots of rain had become more persistent and were persisting even my by the time I reached the mast. The wind through the radio mast was fair roaring by the time I arrived back at its hill high point. Thankfully the hillside eventually gave me respite from the wind as I dropped down the opposite side and hit the track back to the car.
P1240215 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1240218 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Close to the end of track I spied some brave souls heading up the hill………..just as the weather turned. It turned out to be Rodmeister, Gill C, Tomsie, Kaiserstein, Mountain Thyme and Joey who were the brave souls pitting themselves against the apocalypse that was now raging

Total respect for them just getting out of the car and kitting up, let alone putting themselves from just over two hours of that weather. I was quite glad to reach the safety of my car and commence the long, windswept and partially floody drive home.
P1240221 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Where did that radio mast go?
P1240223 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Looking down the Bealach na BaAnother superb WH Meet, with thanks to Gill C and Tomsie for both their superb choice of venue and skills in organising another successful event
