Stac Pollaidh
Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 10:59 pmThe times, distance and ascent are just guesses. I didn't even bother summiting it. The day after doing Conival with Mountain Coward and Richard, should've been Ben More too but my cramp afflicted legs were siezing up and i regrettably elected to give the final stretch to the summit a miss.
So Stac Pollaidh was a gentle leg stretcher to try and loosen up my legs.
It was a relatively clear, calm day. Great i thought, until i stepped out of my car in the car park and the midgies welcomed me. I have to say i was quiite taken aback when i first saw it, it's a cracking looking hill.
I was surprised how good the path was, a bit overgrown which got me worried about ticks. Surprise surpise i had to remove one from my leg the following morning.
I took the right fork where the path splits, the midgie path apparently. It was fairly busy, i could see a guy heady for the rocky east face, and hoped that wasn't the path! Thankfully it wasn't.
There was no let up from the midgies as i climbed higher. I spotted a herd of deer down below so tried to stop and get some pics, but they bloodsuckers swarmed on me. This was the one (and only) pic i managed to get before i started inhaling midgies and ran away.
I continued up to the ridge, where i happily sat down, sipped coffee and took in the views. For a while at least, the midgies stayed away so i managed to grab a few snaps of the landscape.
I couldn't sit there all day, had the Old Man of Stoer to visit too, so after neglecting to climb to the easily accessible summit, i headed down round the west side. Bit breezier round this way so at least the midgies left me alone.
So aside from the aching legs, midgies and the fact i can't tick this Graham off my list(boo hoo, i'm so annoyed i'll have to revisit it.....) it was a good day.
So Stac Pollaidh was a gentle leg stretcher to try and loosen up my legs.
It was a relatively clear, calm day. Great i thought, until i stepped out of my car in the car park and the midgies welcomed me. I have to say i was quiite taken aback when i first saw it, it's a cracking looking hill.
- Stac Pollaidh from south east
I was surprised how good the path was, a bit overgrown which got me worried about ticks. Surprise surpise i had to remove one from my leg the following morning.
I took the right fork where the path splits, the midgie path apparently. It was fairly busy, i could see a guy heady for the rocky east face, and hoped that wasn't the path! Thankfully it wasn't.
- Stac Pollaidh east face
There was no let up from the midgies as i climbed higher. I spotted a herd of deer down below so tried to stop and get some pics, but they bloodsuckers swarmed on me. This was the one (and only) pic i managed to get before i started inhaling midgies and ran away.
I continued up to the ridge, where i happily sat down, sipped coffee and took in the views. For a while at least, the midgies stayed away so i managed to grab a few snaps of the landscape.
- South of Stac Pollaidh
I couldn't sit there all day, had the Old Man of Stoer to visit too, so after neglecting to climb to the easily accessible summit, i headed down round the west side. Bit breezier round this way so at least the midgies left me alone.
So aside from the aching legs, midgies and the fact i can't tick this Graham off my list(boo hoo, i'm so annoyed i'll have to revisit it.....) it was a good day.
