free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
A couple of weeks ago we found ourselves happy owners of 15% discount voucher for a certain outdoor shop, so my husband decided to save a few quid and buy a GPS. To be honest, I never used such device and never found it necessary, but I guess one has to "swim with the stream"
And if Kevin wanted to have a toy to play with on the hills, why not, as long as he pays for it from his own account
Kevin chose a very basic Garmin E-Trex model because all he wanted it to do would be: 1. give you the exact grid reference to where you are, so you can place yourself on the (paper) map, 2. record the trip so I can then use the GPX file in my WH reports. OK, call us Neanderthals but we both are old-school type walkers and a map and compass in the hand is worth more than a GPS in the bush
I don't want to stir it and cause another debate between traditionalists and modernists... It's all the matter of personal choice and I absolutely respect everybody's right to use whatever device they prefer - as long as they know how to use it
So let's put the discussion aside and concentrate on the main topic of this TR which is Loch Coulin.
Kevin wanted to test his new purchase and I wanted to stretch my legs - weather on Sunday was showery but we decided that a couple of hours of walking on flat ground, even in changeable conditions, won't do us any harm. So we stuffed our waterproofs, a small tea flask and a pack of cookies in one rucksack, took our cameras and the infamous GPS - and off we went, ready for adventures...
The walk around two Torridon lochs, Loch Coulin and Loch Clair, can be comfortably done in about 2 hours, even less if you walk fast but what would be the point then? This particular route offers such lovely views that pushing it too fast would be a criminal offence
The route recorded by our new device:
We left our car at the small layby on the A896 at the top of Loch Clair - the walk begins by walking down the tarmac road towards Coulin, with great views from the very first steps.
Sgurr Dubh dominates the view:
It was a bit dark-ish and cloudy for the firs 30 min or so...
...and the Torridon giants slept under a thick, white duvet:
The bridge over river A'Ghairbhe:
The river from the bridge:
Cloudy it might have been but I was busy recording the views:
We noticed a small patch of blue sky appearing on the eastern side, and because the wind was from the east, we hoped that the good weather will catch up with us...
A very moody Liathach, the Monster of Torridon, the Beast of the Northwest
The two giants still sleeping...
The track follows the eastern shore of Loch Clair:
It was a nice stroll so far and when I looked back, I saw the better weather arrive:
We passed the approach to Coulin Lodge to our right and continued along the track, which soon splits - we continued along the shore path, with some really nice views back to the giants:
Beinn Eighe, now that's a nice pose! Showing it's sunniest side...
Liathach slowly waking up:
The less attractive profile of Sgurr Dubh:
The path is generally very good, with only one boggy patch, just past a gate - this area is used as a pasture and we had a not-so-fragrant encounter with a large number of cowpats in our way...yuck! Thankfully, the cows were far away from us, so we didn't have to worry about disturbing them... Kevin said he absolutely wouldn't take any photies of the c***ppy landscape and we walked a few hundred metres further south before returning to our photographing exercise
The wet bit:
Looking south along Loch Coulin:
The WOW factor:
The good stretch of weather has finally arrived and we bathed in sunshine for a short time:
Loch Coulin and the cows:
Now, it felt more like summer!
Kevin kindly allowed me to use the camera... Now he has a new toy to play with, maybe I'll have it more often!!!
We continued on the path towards the wooden bridge, just north of the Torran Cuillinn cottage:
Two white horses:
The views still amazing...
Cloud coming in:
We reached Torran Cuillinn and spent a few minutes lurking around...
The cottage with Beinn Eighe in the background:
A small waterfall just behind the cottage:
The grand pano:
One more look at Beinn Eighe, my precious...
There is nowhere to sit but Kevin decided that we deserved a short break for cuppa-and-cookie (dairy-free of course!)...
...and soon he was munching on his snackies
...
...whereas I busied myself with taking photos of clouds:
We enjoyed our break at the bridge, sipping tea and sinking in the beauty of the landscape, but the more cloudy front was coming in now, so I hurried Kevin to pack everything back in (except from waterproofs, it looked like we were going to need them soon) and we carried on walking on the obvious track.
Past the Coulin Farmhouse and across the loch, we witnessed a small rainbow:
Close-up:
Usually rainbows appear after the rain but this time it was happening the wrong way round!
The first drops of rain fell only a few minutes later...
Beinn Eighe hiding behind the curtain:
The rest of the route we did in the heavy shower, but we kept laughing and splashing puddles, singin' in the rain I would say
Just as we reached Coulin Lodge, the shower stopped and we could unzip our waterproof jackets. I thought, this nice circular walk would be a real cracker to do in winter conditions, with snow all over, with the lochs frozen... If we are gifted with another "superfreezer" this year, we will definitely return to Loch Coulin for more views! Meow!
In the meantime, high recommendations for this circuit for anybody who would like to spend a couple of hours among Torridon giants without climbing them.
