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An Socach (Mullardoch)

An Socach (Mullardoch)


Postby djrhenderson » Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:49 pm

Munros included on this walk: An Socach (Mullardoch)

Date walked: 06/10/2008

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Canoed 8km up Loch Mullardoch into a stiff westerly, that saw the odd wave breaking over the bows, there is a very nice looking bothy, but all locked up, we pitched our tent on the foreshore and huddled round a fire, we had brought in a bag of logs, the beauty of canoe transport. The next day dawned fine, the wind had dropped, fresh snow on the tops, roaring stags and not a another person around. Negotiated the peat bog before ascending An Socach, we headed round to An Riabhachan, with views stretching to Torridon, south to Glen Affric and west towards the sea. It doesn't get much better. A brief swim on the way back down and a much easier paddle back to civilisation.
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Re: An Socach (Mullardoch)

Postby Paul Webster » Tue Oct 07, 2008 8:30 am

Sounds a great trip. I was suprised to find that An Socach (and An Riabhachan) were really great mountains when we climbed them as part of the circuit above the northern side of Mullardoch earlier this year. The walk back along the loch was really exhausting (although not as rough as I'd heard - it would have been ok if we weren't already so tired) - but canoeing sounds a great idea.

Until you did this, An Socach was the least climbed Munro on the site - it's only joint last now - see most climbed Munros list.
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Re: An Socach (Mullardoch)

Postby bigbertie » Mon Oct 13, 2008 8:02 pm

did you say "a brief swim"? - wow, in October! I'm impressed.
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Re: An Socach (Mullardoch)

Postby maddjock » Fri Oct 17, 2008 7:11 am

wow, that sounds like a great way to climb this mountain. been thinking about doing something similar after reading this and the canoe sounds a great way to get the tent, logs and some wine in :D
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Re: An Socach (Mullardoch)

Postby bigbertie » Sun Oct 19, 2008 9:27 pm

yes, canoe sounds a great way to do them....could be used for Mullach na Dheiragain as well? If you don't have a canoe there is a bloke who lives at the end of Loch Mullardoch who will ferry you up for a fee (I haven't used his service but am thinking about it). The path along the Northern shore is not in the best condition as the raising of the reservoir seems to have caused serious erosion and in a few places the path disappears completely leaving a serious potential fall - easy to avoid in daylight but I wouldn't like to do it in the dark!
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Re: An Socach (Mullardoch)

Postby IreneM » Tue Oct 21, 2008 10:31 pm

The chap who operates the little boat on Loch Mullardoch is called Karl and in 2007 his phone number was 01456 415347.
He ferried us along to the little lodge at the bottom of the ridge to An Socach and we wandered back along all the Munros and tops.
My advice - for what it's worth (not much, I know) is to stay high. The ridge is so fabulous you won't want to descend, and who wants to walk the mudbath that is the lochside path?
Perhaps not a route for his time of year unless you walk really quickly. We took ten and a half hours, but it's impossible not to stop and gawp at the views.
Have a great time.
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Re: An Socach (Mullardoch)

Postby Paul Webster » Tue Oct 21, 2008 10:35 pm

We called Karl but his boat was broken down earlier this year. I didn't find the Mullardoch path to be as bad as its reputation - if we hadn't been so tired by that point I think we'd have thought it fine. It is really only eroded in one or two very short sections. Crossing the Allt Taige would be a problem if the water is high - the bridge on OS maps doesn't seem to exist. If you did have the energy and time (lots of it :lol: ), going back along the ridge as Irene suggests would be best as it really is a fabulous ridge.
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