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3 cracking days spent in Kintail, Glen Affric and Mullardoch. All wonderful hills in good company...these ridges are not for solo efforts me thinks!
A'Chraileag was still enclosed in cloud when we reached the summit so this one needs to be revisited, the skies cleared on the ridge to the second target of day and although the bypass track was horribly eroded it wasn't as tricky as I had been expecting, scary but not terrifying so! Unlike the drive up to my accommodation, probably lost a couple of thousand miles off my tyres trying to negotiate a steep, tight hairpin on gravel, you don't see many VW Polos on the Dakar Rally for a reason!
Having finally reached the hill top accommodation I decided the car was not capable of a rerun so just walked back down to main hostel and to my first meeting with the strange and unforgettable character that runs the place...Donald. Truth be told there are several strange characters operating service businesses in and around Cannich, with few other employment opportunities in the area sadly a large number of totally inappropriate people have turned to the hospitality sector for income, I weep for the future of tourism in the Highlands
. I shudder to think what Foreign tourists make of the appalling standard of food being offered by eateries, the rude condescending arrogance of the hosts and incomprehensible hours of business
Thankfully this area for me is within driving distance, I shall not ever have to pay for an overnight stay again. That said I love the hills here, Glen Affric never disappoints and I look forward to returning but I will take my own pieces with me!
My second visit to Mullardoch was almost a reversal of the first trip, last time started out with a lovely calm boat ride, a hot sticky ascent and then the cloud and rain engulfed the rest of the walk, this time the boat ride was far from enjoyable, rough, cold windy and with more rain on the way the day did not hold much promise, although it remained cold we did get some special views along the way which had been lacking first time around. A fine day out though and I now consider these ones ticked
