Next morning was drizzly so we took our time over breakfast in the Caledonian. I was trying to think of places to go and could only really decide on heading south and out to the Gairloch road. Passed by the sign for Lael Forest Garden and decided on the spur of the moment to double back there. That turned out to be a good decision as this is great way to spend an hour, visiting the waterfall, looping up through the wood and then zig zagging through the forest garden with its two hundred species of tree.
Next up was a stop off at Ardessie Falls and this was another case of passing by and then doubling back. I'd been impressed by the photos on here of these and thought this would make another good short walk in the still dull weather.
Always uplifting to see a waterfall but to see half a dozen in a small space is a real treat. You have to work a little bit to get to the upper falls with a little bit of bog en route but well worth that small effort. Debated briefly about whether to carry on for the still cloud capped Sail Mhor but the anxiety in my wife's face at the suggestion together with my mildly complaining knee decided matters and then it was off to I knew not where.
I am fairly familiar with the Aultbea area though and thoughts turned to a coastal walk and unfinished business at Rubha Reidh. I'd tried to drive there in December 2002 and managed to get stuck on the private road necessitating an AA rescue but not before I'd had to jog back a kilometre in the snow to the nearest house so that I could use their phone. Mean time one of the vehicle occupants, a wheelchair user, was left shivering at the roadside and slowly turning into a snowwoman. Still speaking though!
So roll forward fifteen years and a much more benign road saw us park just beyond the turn off to the radio mast so that we'd at least get a short walk out to the lighthouse. I'd said to Jill that this would either just be a road walk or a mix of road and headland or just headland not really realising that there was a good path out to Camas Mor too.
The weather was quite summery by now and there were sparkly views across the Minch to be enjoyed along the way. At the lighthouse it became obvious that a continuation east was very much a possibility with a good path leading up over the headland.
Wasn't prepared for the wow factor of Camas Mor though. A plain heathery slope abruptly gives way to an aquamarine bay with an arched sea stack in the foreground and beach, headland, cliffs and beach stretching away in the background. Edging round the cliff top several more sea stacks are revealed at the west end of the bay and we diverted onto a spur to get a better view of these. Thereafter the path follows the curve of the bay with one more spur and a drop down to a burn crossing where it is possible to either detour down to the beach or climb up to the next headland. We went a short way up towards the latter before deciding to about turn.
DSC01572 by John Little, on FlickrSithean a' Bhealaich Chumhaing I think.
DSC01576 by John Little, on FlickrGlamaig prominent.
DSC01579 by John Little, on FlickrAt the lighthouse.
DSC01582 by John Little, on FlickrShiants.
DSC01588 by John Little, on FlickrImproving weather and a good path.
DSC01591 by John Little, on FlickrSeems quite plain here now but a very fine viewpoint.
DSC01595 by John Little, on Flickr
DSC01605 by John Little, on FlickrMore folk following.
DSC01606 by John Little, on Flickr
DSC01608 by John Little, on FlickrA way down to the beach.
DSC01609 by John Little, on FlickrHappy wife.
DSC01610 by John Little, on Flickr
DSC01611 by John Little, on Flickr
DSC01612 by John Little, on Flickr
DSC01616 by John Little, on Flickr
DSC01618 by John Little, on Flickr
DSC01620 by John Little, on Flickr
DSC01630 by John Little, on Flickr
DSC01634 by John Little, on Flickr
DSC01636 by John Little, on Flickr
DSC01637 by John Little, on Flickr
DSC01638 by John Little, on Flickr
DSC01641 by John Little, on Flickr
DSC01645 by John Little, on Flickr
DSC01647 by John Little, on Flickr
DSC01659 by John Little, on Flickr
DSC01661 by John Little, on Flickr
. I shall definitely remember to include a look over here if I ever go up the adjacent Marilyn - looks like it would be the more interesting part of the walk.
