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On Friday I had my
first introduction to Loch Arkaig. Andy suggested another foray down there on the Saturday of the meet….why not, as we were right there
After an unusually early night (for a Meet) I felt a bit more alive on Saturday morning and we were off relatively early for the long drive down “the road”
Several Walkhighlanders with experience of this road had warned that I was unlikely to hold onto my breakfast during the drive. However, having managed (unusually) to not boil over my porridge, I also kept it down
We stopped a couple of times for photos as the sun was rising above the hills making the loch look incredible
We passed a butterfly reserve (one for you stirlingdavo
)
And the light sun was shining through the trees as we negotiated the rollercoaster road
As we approached the end of the road we found some incredibly tame deer that I got closer to than I’d ever managed before!
We parked up and prepared ourselves for the day. At this point I learned why it’s very important to carry spare laces as one of mine snapped
Fortunately I do always carry spares so other than Andy having to wait for me to faff around with it there was no harm done
And we had this view to enjoy while I was doing it
Finally I was ready and we set off around a gate, meeting a few people coming the other way (through the gate so they must have been important
) and along the road for a short distance. Soon we came to a large signpost with lots of options.
Out came the map, only to realise that we were just off the side of it
Common sense would probably have done the trick anyway but Andy’s electronic gadget confirmed our route. Up the track it was
The track climbed steeply making for easy height gain but I couldn’t stop looking behind me
This is the back end of Streap (I think)
This looks to be An Stac
Streap & Sgurr Thuilm
The track split and we took the boggier right hand fork. We squelched our way up a section of path that we thought would probably be a bit slippery on the way back down….leaving that to worry about later we continued up until we reached an outcrop where we could see all the way back down the loch.
And a wee panorama
Leaving my outcrop, we bogtrotted our way further along the “track” which was keeping to the right.
Looking up at Fraoch Bheinn, our second summit
Eventually we needed to be on the ridge so we headed steeply uphill. We could see a snowy summit ahead and thought that it might be the summit of Sgurr Mhurlagain. Oh how wrong we were….
A sneaky look back….
We climbed higher and soon we were into the snow line. A brief snow shower happened around this point and now we were on the ridge it was windy enough to be painful
Hoods were up, buffs employed and sunglasses on. The shower blew through quickly and we continued upwards.
This hill really is a story of false summits….every time we thought we were nearly there, another summit would appear, crushing our tired spirits. Ach we were moaning about it but we were really having an absolutely fabulous time
Gulvain
Finally coming out what we thought must be the top, we then had to march along a wee spur to the right to reach the actual summit. But wow….was it worth it
The length of Loch Arkaig with the Loch Lochy hills at the other end
Gulvain
Yesterdays Corbetts (Geal Charn & Meall na h-Eilde) and the Loch Lochy hills
Spoiling the view
An Andy with a view
Braigh nan Uamhachan, Streap and the Glenfinnan munros
Ben Nevis in the background, Gulvain in the foreground
Nevis and pals
Glouraich & Spidean Mialach
Andy decided to run out here so I could get a photo
But I got bored and started taking photos of Ben Nevis
Loch Arkaig and Ben Nevis
Gulvain all the way round to Sgurr Mor
I’m not convinced this one worked
Glouraich and pals (and Martin’s car keys were probably being ejected just to the right
)
A wee video
We were getting cold so wandered back over to a lump where I thought I would get a better view towards Knoydart
Druim Coire nan Laogh
We had places to be….on our way up we had been scoping out our route up Fraoch Bheinn. We had decided that the Hutchy School of Navigation may actually be worth considering here and duly instigated Straight Line Syndrome; Smash it in the face
Lochan with a view
We safely made it down from Sgurr Mhurlagain (some slippery moments) and sloshed our way across a very boggy bealach. I’ve given up chocolate for November so Andy had great joy in enjoying a Mars Bar in front of me
Our target
After the longest ascent ever (I exaggerate a little) up Sgurr Mhurlagain we knew that this was going to be quick and painful….we decided that we would be smashing it in the face
Initially it was wet and slippery and very steep as we carefully wound our way in between crags. We both agreed that this would be a very dodgy descent and that a slip would not end well for either of us (Andy was behind me so at least I had half a chance of a soft-ish landing
)
We reached the “rest area” half way up where it levelled off very briefly. After this, we were into the snow and it got steadily more difficult. Here followed some interesting language, a few route-finding issues and a healthy debate on what constitutes scrambling. Hands on rock, apparently. But hands (plural) or is hand (singular) enough? And if it’s hand on snow does that count? As we muttered away we gradually gained height
The snow got deeper as we climbed and we were getting quite warm as we were sheltered from the wind here. Smashing this hill seemed to be taking more effort than we thought…
We could sense that we were nearly there…. We negotiated the final few obstacles and clambered out on the summit….the summit cairn itself was a few metres on but I stopped for a few photos first.
Loch Arkaig
Andy contemplating approaching the summit
Taking the final few steps to the cairn we were finally there. The views into Knoydart were unreal….I really was lost for words
Towards the biggies of Knoydart, just a wee bit cloudy
I got very excited when I could see an island (initially I thought it was Skye before realising that a) I was an idiot as we were too far South and b) that it was nowhere near pointy enough) Nope, this is Rum
“I’m going to get the big lens out” I said. Andy braced himself for a wait (sod it, serves him right for that Mars Bar
)
Streap
An Stac, Eigg & Rum
Sgurr na Ciche
Andy on the summit of Fraoch Bheinn
Me on the summit
Eventually it was time to go (it was freezing
) We headed down the ridge, falling around in the deep snow and staying just below the ridge to keep sheltered from the wind. The loch was looking stunning with a wee arc of cloud over it
Glenfinnan hills
Gulvain
We dropped below the snow line which actually made things even more difficult as we were slipping and sliding all over the place. I laughed a lot as Andy repeatedly went flying and karma must have been too busy elsewhere as I managed to stay on my feet
A final steep section of grassy mush brought us back down to the outward track, a fence that was flattened in just the spot where all the walkers will have emerged (suspicious….
) and a stag
It was a steep descent down the track and there were plenty of interesting moments but we both made it back in one piece. Aside from a short shower which never came to anything (other than hurriedly tucking the camera inside my waterproofs) it had been an almost perfect day. Arriving at the car we looked back….
We had a quick bite of some very well-travelled sandwiches (not really picnic weather on the tops
) before negotiating “the road” without incident and heading back for the quiz.
What an area though….I am so in love with Loch Arkaig and am already making plans to go back