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A Stac of fun had - Quickie up Polly, and more?!

A Stac of fun had - Quickie up Polly, and more?!


Postby dooterbang » Mon Apr 29, 2013 6:07 pm

Route description: Stac Pollaidh ridge and circuit

Fionas included on this walk: Stac Pollaidh

Date walked: 13/04/2013

Time taken: 8 hours

Distance: 12 km

Ascent: 600m

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On approaching the weekend of the 12th of April I was doing my usual checks of numerous websites to check the weather forecasts and it transpired the area around Stac Pollaidh would be clear, sunny and windless till noon.

Most other areas forecast howling strong winds and with the fresh snowfall the sensible approach was to go down low...It was time to sample some Pie, Lochinver style :wink: :D

Friday afternoon Kerri and I booked a room for the night in the Highland Hotel Strathpeffer at a bargain £30.
We both finished work at 5pm but managed to be Highland bound at 6pm and arrived just after 9pm at the Hotel.

Early rise and drove the 90 minutes to the foot of Stac Polly - my favourite moontin :D - and walking just after 8am...I was very excited at this point :)

We spent a fantastic 4 hours scrambling and milking the views in good conditions, not much wind and the rock was bone dry...Suilven & Co looking majestic. We also managed to navigate the scramble to do both summits. Some rufty tufty young men from Dingwall didn't even attempt the 2nd summit...big jessies :lol:

Excuse the amount of photos...
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Just a great way to spend a Saturday morning, and we got down just as the wind picked up. If we just went home now the 600 round trip would have been worth it...but there was more to come!

It was only noon so we decided to visit a few other attractions in the area :)

Achmelvic Beach - Stunning!
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Local Wildlife
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Next stop was Clachtoll Beach & The Salmon Bothy
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It was now 4pm and time to sample some Pie from the wonderful Lochinver Pie Shop. We sat at the harbour and filled our bellies with some fine veggie food - spiced butternut squash, sweet potato, goats cheese & chili...doesn't get much better :lol:

So back in the car...Ardvreck Castle on the shores of Loch Assynt.
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We just had time to sneak up to the Bone Caves...a lovely 4km walk.
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The weather had now taken a turn for the worse but we were back at the car and just had the 6 hour drive home :shock:

Not a pleasant drive with the rain lashing down and severe gales, much concentration was required. Kerri not being used to all this clean mountain air slept most of the journey home!

Arrived back in Glasgow just after 11pm.

After a nice hot shower we had a bottle of Arran Dark each which had much the same effect as if we had drank 8 bottles, without the clean air and exercise off course...this is merely a theory :)

Another great day up the NW Coast of Scotland - such a beautiful place and one I shall visit again & again.

Next couple of weekends would see us chasing the weather again with a trip to Englands highest moontin - Scafell Pike (20th April) http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=31112
and a cycle around Arran (27th April) which meant Kerri getting back in the saddle after a 20 year hiatus!!
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Last edited by dooterbang on Mon Apr 29, 2013 6:35 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: A Stac of fun had - Quickie up Polly, and more?!

Postby BlackPanther » Mon Apr 29, 2013 6:13 pm

Don't apoologize for the photos - they are superb :D :D
You explored all my favourite places in Assynt. :wink:
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Re: A Stac of fun had - Quickie up Polly, and more?!

Postby SAVAGEALICE » Mon Apr 29, 2013 6:41 pm

stunning :clap: :) love this area :D
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Re: A Stac of fun had - Quickie up Polly, and more?!

Postby hills » Mon Apr 29, 2013 6:47 pm

Brilliant!!! How did you know these were such favourites of mine. :lol: Joking part, what a good trip. SP is a pure peach.... 8)
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Re: A Stac of fun had - Quickie up Polly, and more?!

Postby weaselmaster » Mon Apr 29, 2013 6:56 pm

You certainly got great weather for it, Dooterbang - we're heading up to that part of the world in early June so drooling a bit at the thought. Don't think I'll be being quite as fear-defying as some of your perches on Stac polly though!
The pics of Achmelvich beach bring back memories of many summers spent there as a small weasel in the mid 70s :)
Thanks for posting
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Re: A Stac of fun had - Quickie up Polly, and more?!

Postby dogplodder » Mon Apr 29, 2013 7:06 pm

Loved that - with fabulous photos like those you can put up as many as you like! :lol:
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Re: A Stac of fun had - Quickie up Polly, and more?!

Postby pigeon » Mon Apr 29, 2013 7:09 pm

Brilliant again dooter,got my first look at Polly at Easter there,can't wait to get back up,so much to do up there and no enough time :lol:
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Re: A Stac of fun had - Quickie up Polly, and more?!

Postby Bod » Mon Apr 29, 2013 8:07 pm

Oh Yes, Yes, Yes ..... :wink: :D :D :D :clap:
Once had a wee mini fun olympics on the beach there with a wee group of my mates over a long weekend. Camped with plenty beer, but drunk very little as it was so hot and beautiful we just ran around went snorkelling and chilled. Arrived home and went to the local pub on the Sunday evening, everyone thought we had been to Spain :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: A Stac of fun had - Quickie up Polly, and more?!

Postby lomondwalkers » Mon Apr 29, 2013 8:29 pm

Stonkerooni!!! That's what it's all about!! Cannot wait to do Stac Polly. One of the finest in the country. Cheers
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Re: A Stac of fun had - Quickie up Polly, and more?!

Postby old danensian » Mon Apr 29, 2013 8:39 pm

A great mixed trip with lots squeezed in - just got hazy recollections of Stac Poll from a long, long time ago, but your photos push it up my list of must dos.

Enjoy The Lakes - but mind the crowds on Scafell Pike - and I'd be careful with that hiatus too.

OD
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Re: A Stac of fun had - Quickie up Polly, and more?!

Postby gordon l » Mon Apr 29, 2013 8:39 pm

Enjoyed the report old chap, looks like a lot of fun in a brilliant area. We camped between the ruins of the old house and the castle and watched 3 mad fellows scaling the walls as the sun set. Good times :D
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Re: A Stac of fun had - Quickie up Polly, and more?!

Postby PeteR » Mon Apr 29, 2013 10:01 pm

Great report, as always, dooterbang :D SP is a great little hill :D Just looks like a superb day you both had there :D And all topped off with a beer :D
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Re: A Stac of fun had - Quickie up Polly, and more?!

Postby The Rodmiester » Mon Apr 29, 2013 10:09 pm

Fantastic photographs of a magical area of Scotland, wonderful! :D
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Re: A Stac of fun had - Quickie up Polly, and more?!

Postby tomyboy73 » Mon Apr 29, 2013 10:37 pm

stunning again, do you come with weather guaranteed ?
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Re: A Stac of fun had - Quickie up Polly, and more?!

Postby trekpete » Tue Apr 30, 2013 9:18 pm

Great weather on a cracking wee hill. You could spend hours on Stac Pollaidh on a day like that and as you say Achmelvic Beach is stunning.
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