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Having sweated the whole night in a tiny room in an Inverness B&B, I was driving up to Aultbea to meet up with friends. I decided to break my journey with a detour to Badrallach to climb Beinn Ghobhlach, which, in retrospect, given the intense heat, was maybe not such a good idea. Perhaps the day was better suited to a visit to Mellon Udrigle beach. Anyway, having parked, I walked along the Scoraig path until the fence on the left ended. From here, it was take to the open hillside, aiming just east of pt.338.
- The 'enticing' hillside from the Scoraig path
I'd like to say that I enjoyed this scramble up the steep hillside and outcrops - but I can't. it might only have been 0.6km but it felt a lot more. Eventually, I reached the crest and got my first view of the hill.
- The isthmus and the lochans
I still looked a fair distance away across the isthmus between the two lochans but things got worse when I had to
descend to walk across the rather marshy isthmus to reach to foot of the last section. By now, the heat was so intense that on several occasions I must admit I nearly gave up but somehow or other I persevered and found a stony path for the very last section of the climb.
- Nearly there - but still tough
Reaching the summit, I'm sad to say brought little elation - just total fatigue and a realisation that I had an equally hard walk out in the stifling afternoon heat.
- On the summit looking over towards An Teallach
- The walk out
Back through the lochans, past pt338 and then a descending traverse through the crags brought me back down to the Scoraig path with a mercifully short stroll back to the car, which was doing its best to replicate the conditions in a microwave. I was glad to reach Aulbea and get into a cool shower. Never again in such heat I vowed ..... until two days later!
- Beinn Ghobhlach across Little Loch Broom from Badcaul
