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The original plan for this day was doing a round on Quinag. But, seeing that my aunt did already struggle a lot on easier routes on Mull or Stac Polly, I decided against leading her to Quinag. Lack of training was one major issue, the other one that she had the wrong glasses with her, multi-focal ones, which have an area for reading at the lower end, meaning, if you are searching for safe places to put your feet by looking down, you will see next to nothing.
As an easier alternative, I took the ladies to the Stoer Lighthouse, to tackle the "old man" round. For me that was a disappointment, since i wanted to climb Spidean Coinich for quite a long time, always bailing out for one reason or the other.
Starting point view south
The lighthouse itself.
Finding footholds with the wrong glasses
The old man in the distance
And close up in it's full majesty
The ladies obviously massively impressed by the phallic qualities of the old man( they looked just the same when I showed them the Cerne Abbas Giant, two years prior) Maybe they were just impressed by nature's sculpting qualities.
Look northward near Stoer point
After reclimbing the majestic height of Sithean Mor, we were very lucky because a beautiful hazy panorama opend up.
Close up in high contrast
All in colour
The lighthouse on the way back.
After finishing this little walk with about 8 km around noon, I took the ladies back to Lochinver, where they did a little river walk.
After finishing that, they had a comfortable sit down, to watch a game of football on the outdoor TV set at the Highland Pottery.
With myself it was another case, I decided to be still fit enought to tackle Spidean Coinich, and maybe continue to the Bealach, then returning around the Loch.
So I drove very motivated to the starting point, had a little talk with a ranger from the John Muir Trust, who ran after me, just to give me a little leaflet which contained no really usable information at all:)
Approaching the stone slabs. Back in 2001 when staying at Achmelvich Youth Hostel, I overheard a conversation between two walkers. One young man told the other: Going up there is just like ascending a staircase. Man, I don't know which country you came from, but I have never seen such a badly built, but at the same time beautiful staircase like that:)
Walking higher up, the views over to Loch Assynt opened up.
The Nemesis, closer up
View North from the ridge. Does anybody know what the structures on then right edge of the image are? I couldn't find them on a map
Spidean Coinich and it's neighbours.
Looking down the "staircase" back to my car
From the high point just before the little dip, the final ascent.
Two people just barely visible near the top.
View northward to Sail Gharbh
At this point I was having a problem. Looking on the time it seemed to get really late, a lot later than I had thought.
The wind which accompanied me all the way up the ridge had died down after climbing down to the foot of the final ascent. I was feeling like sitting in a baking oven. I had promised the ladies to be back at a given time,
to me it seemed impossible to get to the summit and down again in time.
So I sat down, comtemplating about the unfairness of the world in general, against me in special, and all that damned mountains I still have got to climb and never will, because always something tends to get in the way. I sweared to myself while enjoying the view, and thought about throwing the towel now.
I tried to raise the ladies on the phone to communicate an extension, to no avail, nobody was answering.
After that phone call I realized what really stupid thickhead I had been, I was looking at my mobile to see the time of day and (again) forgot that it is always showing two times: Local time, and time of the home net. Which is in Germany and therefore one hour later than local time. So it had not taken me all that long to get here. ( even if it was surely a lot longer than other walkers...)
Continuing I met a little lochan and fished some garbage out of it.
Higher up, now able to see nearly all of Loch Assynt.
View looking down the ridge line
View about Loch Assynt to Lochinver( getting hazy)
Two views along the ridge line, showing what would have been my way, going on.
Finally, myself on top, not looking to happy. I don't know why, I was feeling quite happy, maybe concentrating not to drop my camera.
At the same time I decided to call it a day here. The decision was good, when I returned the same way I came, at the point where the made path splits up, I met the people which had been walking in front of me. I am not sure that I would haven been very good in managing the terrain ahead. I would have done so, if I had been able to start in the morning, but it was quite late.
Black and white shots of the ridges
Farewell shot near the car, the weather was clearly turning( and the next day it was very foggy and raining:...)
I finally had done another one of the hills I lounged to climb for such a long time.
Next holiday in the area is booked for next year, I already know which hills will be "mine" then
