free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Before everyone starts getting impressed, the title refers to the number in the group rather than the number of hills!!
The title was going to be 44 blue balloons as Evie has already been to Mullardoch before.
Moving swiftly on, this was an outing arranged between Simon and myself, I did the hard work by advertising the day out on WH, whereas Simon spoke to Angus, the boat driver/captain and booked the ferry/boat/dinghy. The advert on the ‘meets’ section did get quite a few interested bites and we ended up with 12 participants, some old faces and a few new ones.
I won’t bother listing the participants you will have to work it out from the photo’s, I also won't bother submitting the route as we followed the WH route from the end of Loch Mullardoch
The first problem with having 12 volunteers was the parking, as anyone who has been to the dam will understand. There is a rough parking area and it is random and if you are posh with a 4x4 parking is a scoosh.
Looking back at the parking area
The second problem was the ferry, the word ferry gives you the idea that it is a big vessel with a funnel and things like that – well it isn’t. A dinghy is probably a better description. Angus the owner/skipper took 7 on the first sailing and the rest of us on the next one. The loch wasn’t exactly mirror like it was a tad choppy and rather chilly, Angus being used to these conditions didn’t even need gloves.
Rushing down to the ferry
About to set sail
The sailing takes about 10 minutes and at the time of going to print was £25 cash, which we all thought was probably better then spending a couple of hours or so walking along the side of the loch (Naismith takes 2hrs 5mins, but he doesn’t ever stop).
Off they go
Power on
The second group, I was co-pilot
Simon enjoying something?
Not far now
The way ahead
Oh good, peat hags
We disembarked at the other end of the loch and were met with peat hags and then the going up started. We could see the first group quite a bit ahead of us and we would all become one big happy family on the summit of An Socach. The weather could have been a bit kinder but Lynne assured us it would brighten up by 1pm and as we set off from the dam at 9am we had a wee while to wait for that big event.
Looking back
As above
Western end
One good thing about walking in a group is you can chat to plenty of different folk, however whilst ascending the chatter does seem to dry up - why would that be
Another good thing about chatting is that before you know it you seem to have covered more terrain, which can't be a bad thing and it didn't seem to take too long before we all reached the first summit of the day.
Happy smiling faces enjoying the great views of grey
Evie trying to stop me taking a photo
Apologies for the lack of photo's between the first and second summits, the camera was put in my rucksack whilst we were waiting for 1pm to arrive
The next summit
As above
Do not disturb, Evie concentrating
First of quite a few snow features
The descent down to a fabulous and interesting ridge
Looks good?
What was Karen pointing at?
The route to the 3rd summit
Follow the path
This is how professional photographers do it
Still descending
The ascent does look rather easy, but look closely how spread out we had become
Looking back
After crossing the ridge which descends down to a bealach, the next part is the trudge up Sgurr na Lapaich, it didn't look like it would be too difficult from a distance but as we got nearer it certainly loomed large
After much huffing and puffing we all re-grouped on the summit, we had become rather spread out during the ascent for one reason or another
Now to the descent which was rather fun and interesting
3rd summit
As above
The Gilmour pose, don't copy as it is patented
Nigel and a great backdrop
The descent in part on the white stuff
Tommy getting onto terra firma
Indicates steepness
Forming a queue
The final summit
Looking back
Final summit cairn with the last descent in the background
Looking down onto the dam
After regrouping on the fourth and final summit all that remained was the descent down the broad shoulder and then onto the dam which we could see in the distance.
The initial part of the descent was easy and gentle on the legs, as we reached the end of the shoulder the steepness then increases. The good thing was we were losing height rather quickly
During the descent we again became spread out all over the hill
Looking back
Sun shining on the dam and it still looks quite a bit to descend
After a long day (Tommy recorded 40,000 steps) we arrived back at the parking area. A fantastic walk in a great area of our beautiful country, thanks to everyone who joined in the fun, I hope you enjoyed the day as much as I did
The plan after the walk was to eat in Cannich, it was a really cunning plan however the plan failed rather miserably - I will let someone else spill the beans or you will just have to ask next time you meet one of us
Suffice to say NOT Highland hospitality at it's best
Next another long day tomorrow Carn Eige was on the menu with Simon and Tommy - watch this space
