free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Link to part 1Day 4 - Friday 21st April. 41 miles on the bikeGrahams: Druim na Sgriodan.
Date: 21/04/2017.
Distance: 8.5km.
Ascent: 830m.
Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes.
Weather: Gusty and rainy turning to sunshine.
A good bothy night at Glensulaig led to a gusty morning with heavy showers. Steve was off to bag Meall a' Phubuill and Meall Onfhaidh, although not in any hurry, and Alan was taking a leisurely drive to Kinlochleven via the pub in Fort William. I set off from the bothy in the rain and quickly descended back to Fassfearn, where I pushed into the wind and rain for a short while, retracing yesterday's steps back to the head of Loch Eil.
An t-Suileag on the way back to Fassfearn:
Then it was onto the much quieter south side of Loch Eil, and a 180 degree change in direction, giving me a lovely tail wind. After a few miles, the weather began to pick up and there were short spells of sunshine.
Streap from Loch Eil. Weather is gradually clearing:
I love the south and west sides of Loch Eil and Loch Linnhe - they always seem a world away from the bustle of Corpach and Fort William just across the water.
Port at the biomass plant in Corpach:
Fort William from Camasnagaul:
By the time I got round to Loch Linnhe, the sun was out properly and it was shaping up to be a lovely day. I was glad of this - traditionally, the weather on the Friday of any meet is always the best, and most folk get the serious walking out of the way then, before the weekend of drinking
.
Weather clearing up nicely in Glen Scaddle:
I had walking plans for today - Beinn Lemhain above Glen Gour seemed like an obvious Marilyn that would have good views. But as soon as I rounded the corner from Glen Scaddle, Sgurr na h-Eanchainne just begged to be climbed. My last visit hadn't been bad, but there had been a lack of good views from the top, along with drizzly rain - definitely one to come back to.
South along the shores of Loch Linnhe:
I didn't give much thought to the route - I remembered that the most common way up was from behind a graveyard to the north of Ardgour. I hid my bike behind a wall next to the graveyard and headed straight up into the sunshine.
Above the Cille Mhaodain graveyard at Ardgour:
Sgurr Dearg across the Corran narrows:
Corran:
South down Loch Linnhe:
North up Loch Linnhe:
I made fairly quick progress up the hill, passing a couple in the upper corrie before popping out onto the summit ridge. Higher up, I could see that I had misjudged the weather, and there were more heavy showers moving in from the west. Part of the reason for my speed was to race the weather to the top, which I succeeded with to some extent. There was some minor rain at the top similar to last time, but on the whole the views were much better.
One for the plane spotters:
Rainbow from the summit ridge:
Summit of Sgurr na h-Eanchainne:
I wondered what to do next - back down the same way or onto the summit of Druim na Sgriodan? I had plenty of time, so I thought I'd carry on round the horseshoe. The summit area of Druim na Sgriodan is actually quite pleasant, in amongst rock outcrops and pools, although clearly not as impressive as Sgurr na h-Eanchainne. You can ignore the line in the SMC book that states that it isn't worth visiting.
Glen Gour and Beinn na h-Uamha:
Loch Linnhe and Glencoe:
The best views south down Loch Linnhe are from the lower ridge of Meall Breac, where I dropped steeply into Coire Dubh. Everything on this hill was saturated. Can't remember if it was like this last time, but it had been pouring down all night and morning, which had a lot to do with it.
Lismore and Loch Linnhe:
Sheep feeling threatened by a Welshman:
Coire Dubh has a great series of waterfalls running down it, and it was nice to descend alongside these, crossing the burn at a suitable place. The easiest way out to the road is via the phone mast and Ardgour House, but I wanted to get back to my bike, so followed another burn N towards Keil Farm. This had been churned up by cattle and was really muddy. I followed a path of varying muddiness along the foot of the slopes which led me directly back to my bike. Time to get the ferry!
Waterfalls in Coire Dubh:
I had a little time before the next ferry was due, so I wandered into the pub for a pint. However there was no-one at the bar, and after ringing the bell and hanging around for a few minutes, I gave up.
Corran Ferry:
Even the busiest roads on my journey so far weren't too bad, so it was a bit of a shock to pull onto the A82 with all its bustle. Luckily there is now a pavement/cycle path between the ferry and the Ballachulish bridge, although it does have some strange narrow bits and swop sides suddenly with no notice.
Bidean from North Ballachulish:
Then the final run out to Kinlochleven, along the quiet north shores. The sun was properly out now, and the Pap and Garbh Bheinn looked tempting in the early evening light. I had forgotten just how wild feeling the slopes above both sides of Kinlochleven feel - somewhere I need to visit more regularly.
Garbh Bheinn from the shores of Loch Leven:
Approaching Caolasnacon, Loch Leven:
I finally rolled into Kinlochleven just before 17:30, and enjoyed a lovely shower at the Blackwater Hostel before a chippy, some beers and the inevitable far too much whisky
.
Link to the next bit (which isn't really part 3)
