by gld73 » Sun Jul 01, 2018 10:45 am
Date walked: 30/06/2018
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Hot, sunny weather, decided not to venture far from Inverness so I could avoid the car and just enjoy the sunshine. Cycled from home to Dalroy (distance of about 7 miles), then pushed bike up the Finglack track and left it near the cottages at Finglack to start the walk properly.
Good track all the way to Beinn Buidhe Mhor summit and good views from it's trig point. There was 1 man at the summit, but he didn't reply when I tried to make conversation (he was the only person I saw all walk). This summit would be a nice easy walk on its own as there's a track all the way, or could vary it with detours on the way along the track branches to Beinn Buidhe Beag and/or Saddle Hill (not done today).
Visibility was perfect, and after several days of dry weather, the heathery moorland peat hags were all dried out, so no need to take long detours around bogs and hags. This meant I could just walk in almost a straight line from Beinn Buidhe Mhor to Carn Dubh Mor (quite a steep "up" the latter, but not long). The big drawback of this weather was that I was just wearing t-shirt, shorts and trainers, so my legs had no protection against the dry scratchy heather.... I thought sweat was running down my shins until I looked down and saw it was blood. My socks/trainers kept filling with sharp debris too which was uncomfortable. Had a couple of fences to cross, though not barbed wire so manage to negotiate them - actually the same fence I think, but I headed in a straight line rather than walk right round the edge. Massive peat hags , some several feet deep, so glad they were dry enough just to walk though. Knee deep dry heather most of the way asides from that. More of the same most of the way to the Carn Tri-tighearnan trig point, which was further than I'd expected.
Don't think I would have navigated my way to Carn Tri-tighearnan in poor visibility, no paths to follow and moorland all looks the same. Coming up the shorter route from the other side (Drynachan) would probably be a bit easier.
Took a more direct route back to the track, skirting round the edge of Carn Dubh Mor rather than over it, but it was a long, hot uncomfortable slog. Such a relief to get back to the track, take my trainers and socks off and empty out all the debris. I passed the same guy again on the track down, he still ignored me!
About 7.5hrs total from home for the walk and cycle.
