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Corbetts: Sgurr nan Eugallt
Grahams: Meall nan Eun
Date: 19/10/2019.
Distance: 18 km.
Ascent: 1350m.
Time: 7 hours, 55 minutes.
Weather: Dappled sunshine and a cold breeze.
Laziness has definitely taken over on the hills of late - I can't remember many times over the last year when I've bothered to make an early start to do something. Having not managed to come up with a satisfactory plan to do an overnighter in Knoydart, we decided to compromise and get up early for once to get a half-decent walk in.
We were on our way before 7am (not really that early, but at least 3 hours on any other recent trip!), we were ready to start walking at Coireshubh well before 9am. I had suggested Sgurr nan Eugallt as a good Knoydart gateway hill without too much of a walk-in, and as a bonus we would most likely add on Meall nan Eun, which has even better views. I had done a similar route about 2.5 years ago, but this time I had found a shortcut back to Kinloch Hourn that would cut off some distance and ascent without missing out on too much scenery.
Above Coireshubh Shortly after leaving the car, we passed the suspected occupant of the campervan at Coireshubh, who turned out to be the elusive MGMT
. A quick chat and we carried on up the hill, using the good stalkers path as far as we could.
Buidhe Bheinn 
Gairich The surrounding views just get better and better as you get higher, but it takes quite a time for any reasonable portion of Loch Hourn to come into sight.
The Saddle and Sgurr na Sgine 
Saddle clear of clag 
Loch Quoich and Gairich 
Back down the ridge to Sgurr Dubh Just below the summit ridge we were pretty warm, but as soon as we passed the trig point and traversed west to the top, a cold breeze hit us. It wasn't that strong but it seemed to go in multiple directions and we struggled to find a sheltered spot out of it. Well worth it for the view west across Meall nan Eun to Ladhar Bheinn though
.
Ladhar Bheinn and Meall nan Eun 
Loch Quoich 
Loch Hourn from Sgurr nan Eugallt 
Beinn Sgritheall We dropped down the rough west ridge of Sgurr nan Eugallt, which I had been cautious to describe as 'easy' to Jackie. It was ok really - the most tedious bit high up where greasy boulders and scree needed to be crossed. One of the consequences of Jackie's quest for her intercostal muscle to heal up properly is walking slightly stiffly, which aggravates an old knee injury. The worst thing for this is rough, uneven ground - something I keep working into my route choices somehow
.
Ladhar Bheinn 
Glen Barrisdale 
An Caisteal and Meall nan Eun 
Saddle and Sgurr na Sgine 
Back to Sgurr nan Eugallt We took the descent slowly and it was fine; also we were much warmer by the time we reached the col. Getting up Meall nan Eun from here is easy work, although there are a couple of bumps to go over before the main summit. I insisted on going out to the western cairn as the views from here are best.
Across Loch Hourn to Kintail 
Summit of Meall nan Eun 
Loch Hourn and Skye form Meall nan Eun 
Ladhar Bheinn 
Sgurr a' Choire-beithe and Luinne Bheinn 
Ladhar Bheinn After a break we headed back towards Sgurr nan Eugallt, contouring over the northern slopes this time to pass along the shores of Lochan an Meall nan Eun. We were aiming for the 575m point which would drop us onto the ridge to the NW of Coire Sgiath Airigh. The going was definitely a bit off-piste, but no worse than what we'd come over, and certainly not rating too severely on the 'rubbish ground' scale.
Lochan an Meall nan Eun and Sgurr nan Eugallt 
Loch Hourn and Druim Fada The descent got steeper and wetter as we dropped below the lip of the corrie, but remained relatively reasonable until around 150m above the path, where the heather took over and tussocks were rife. A couple of animal tracks made this easier, but it was definitely the roughest part of the walk. Still way better than I had anticipated - my dad had told of dropping off Sgurr nan Eugallt to Loch Hourn and fighting through a jungle somewhere nearby.
Saddle and Sgurr na Sgine 
Saddle across the loch 
Druim Fada 
Sgurr na Sgine We picked up the Kinloch Hourn path on the last bump to the west of Skiary, cutting out almost all of the re-ascent on it. It did mean that we didn't walk on some of the most scenic bits, but everything round here is good, so we didn't mind. We were caught in a light rain shower as we approached the road head, but it didn't amount to much. All of the worst weather had been further east this week - we could see it over the Affric hills today and we'd driven into it returning from Kinlochewe the previous evening. As it turned out we had been very lucky with the weather. 6 days out 9 on the hills of the NW, and all without rain or clag for the most part, not to mention plenty of that lovely autumnal sunshine.
Skiary and Buidhe Bheinn 
Only idiots use these gates 
Across the loch from Skiary 
Loch Hourn 
Allt Coire Mhicrail 
Heading back to Kinloch Hourn 
End of Druim Fada 
Almost there... 
Head of the loch 
Short jungly bit 
Sgurr a' Mhaoraich behind All that remained was a rather sharp ascent on the Kinloch Hourn road to get us back to the car. This wasn't entirely welcome, but didn't take too long, and confirmed my thoughts that doing a few days in Knoydart would have killed Jackie off
Lochourn River - forgot about the last bit of ascent.... Back at the car (and a reasonable way back up the road) before dark, concluding a brilliant holiday - and we just about had the energy to cycle to the Dores Inn for lunch the next day!
