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8h 34m; 42.8km total (31.2km cycling; 11.6km walking)
Our week at Ullapool was drawing to a close and Friday had a not-too-bad forecast. It was a toss-up between Seana Bhraigh or the circuit of the Deargs, but the fact that we’d brought our bikes up with us settled it. Drove from Ullapool to the hotel at Oykel Bridge where we unloaded the bikes under a leaden sky. I must have forgotten to mention to Mrs Biscuit that it was possible to drive several km up the track...
Grey skies or not, we enjoyed the cycle up through the forest. We were following some route notes (possibly from MunroMagic?) that said to turn left at the junction a few km from entering the forest. We may have misinterpreted this - but we ended up on a track that runs parallel to the main drive. This gives a slightly shorter route than sticking to the main track, but seemed to climb unnecessarily and was a fair bit rougher and slower on the bikes. It eventually rejoined the main track before the bothy, and we continued on as far as the walker’s car park (I'd have gotten away with my omission it if it weren't for a. all the cars and b. the massive 'walker's car park' sign).
The track in from the, ahem, walker’s car park (despite all the cars we didn't see many other walkers that day) was even more fun – loads of streams to splash through. The stream crossings became gradually more difficult, building to a crescendo before reaching the Allt a'Choire Bhuidhe. I reckon that with a bit of resolve (or a bit less water) the crossing might be a rideable finale, but for perhaps the only time today common sense intervened, and so we left the bikes and crossed on foot (a leap - though there does appear to be a bridge a little way upstream) and then our first crossing of the Mulzie (ample stepping stones).
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- Bikes parked; ridge of doom in the distance
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- Closer view of the NE ridge
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- Crossing the Mulzie (first time)
For info, just before the Mulzie crossing there’s a track heading SSW (you can see it behind Mrs Biscuit on the left) that wasn’t on our maps that headed off to Seana Bhraigh’s N ridge, avoiding the double crossing of the Mulzie. But we didn’t know that then.
Sticking with the original plan we followed the track to the outflow of Loch a'Choire Mhor, which meant recrossing the river.
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- Seana Bhraigh finally appears - but where to cross the river?
This was a trickier crossing. We dithered for a bit, eventually crossing about 100m downstream from the outflow. I eventually opted for the boots-off approach. Mrs Biscuit kept hers on but was thwarted at the last moment by a slippery rock and got Wet Foot. We then made the mistake of trying to head straight for the corrie – the peat hags were pretty much impassable though, so we returned to the river, followed it back to the loch and then found it fairly easy going to the bottom of the corrie, stopping on the way up to have some lunch.
Now it was decision time. The NE ridge, apparently, was ‘superior’ and offered ‘an enjoyable scramble’ according to my SMC Munro book (the book of lies, as it is now known). It also, apparently, had an ‘awkward descent and re-ascent’ at the summit. I was slightly concerned by the snow – there was still a wee bit lying here and there after a midweek flurry – and I’m also a complete chicken and was fully aware of how remote we were. On the other hand, the cloud had finally lifted and we were treated to unexpected blue skies and sunshine. And Mrs Biscuit knows no fear. So we started up the NE ridge.
When we first saw the ridge it looked almost impassable. Unfortunately it wasn’t one of those ridges that just looked difficult. It was a surprisingly hard scramble – really quite far outside my comfort zone. And of course the whole way up I was thinking – if this is the enjoyable bit, what’s the awkward bit like? Anyway – the ascent. As it turned out, the snow itself wasn't much of an issue at all (we'd decided beforehand that we'd head back if it was) - just the odd pretty dollop of soft melting snow. The two hardest aspects were the lack of a clear route – we often found ourselves scratching our heads about where to head next and being elated by the merest hint of a path – and the fact that the rocks were wet and quite slippy in places (possibly due to the melting snow). More than once we had that ‘up there – really?’ feeling. Hoping against hope that we wouldn’t have to descend by the same route we crept ever upwards (on which note - I wouldn't recommend this route
http://munro-madness.com/routes/seana-bhraigh-oykel-bridge at all unless it's dry and you like a downwards scramble!). Then all of a sudden we were at the ridge’s summit in the warm sunshine! Of course – that meant that the ‘enjoyable’ bit was over...
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- So that's the enjoyable bit done...
The ‘awkward descent’, in comparison to the ridge, was a dawdle. Just one wee slightly exposed bit. One of those do-it-on-your-bum jobs. Phew! It was going to be fine. Two walkers appeared above on the nice, safe, main ridge to watch our progress – there were even others nearby! This left us at the bottom of small step. But the rock was grippy and weathered into really easy holds and ledges, so it was a cinch to clamber up, like a loft-ladder. Excellent! It really was going to be OK! Unfortunately it wasn’t over. There was a second step. This one was wet and slippy, and we couldn’t find any useful footholds. The way to the right was a sheer drop with only the same slippery rock to cling on to. The only other option we could fathom was down-climbing the steep rocky, grassy slope on the left, hoping that there was a way around. Luckily there was just enough turf to cling to as we sidled down beneath the rocky top, and then slowly upwards, eventually gaining the safety of the main ridge.
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- Mrs Biscuit shakes her fist at the ridge of doom
At this point I may have said some sweary words – luckily the other walkers were already on their way back to Seana Bhraigh. ‘Awkward’ doesn’t come close! As it had been Mrs Biscuit’s idea to include the ‘superior’ ridge, we decided to call it one-all for the day so far - we were definitely square after the car park incident. Now that we were on something flat we could even appreciate the views.
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- Seana Bhraigh's magnificent northern corrie
Adrenalin fuelled we soon reached the summit of Seana Bhraigh. The walkers we’d seen earlier were still there – “Why did you go up the steep way?” they asked, which seemed like a fairly reasonable question. The reward for our efforts though was the view – one of the best and clearest views I’ve ever seen, in every direction. It was simply stunning. We shared a dram with our more-sensible companions before they left for the long way out (and they were parked – yes – at the walker’s car park!).
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- At the summit!
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- Past Ullapool to the Summer Isles
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- Sutherland hills
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- Mrs Biscuit contemplating the view
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- An Teallach
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- Stac Pollaidh to Suilven
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- One last look back at the ridge of doom
We spent a wee while longer at the summit, soaking up the views and sunshine, and then began the trek back to the bikes. We decided that we’d try to head for the track on the S of the River Mulzie to avoid the double river crossing, so headed roughly NNE from the summit and were lucky enough to pick up the track. This worked pretty well and we were soon back at the bikes with our feet no wetter.
The cycle back, this time in sunshine, was fantastic. We flew along the track splashing through streams and puddles, it was brilliant. Had to swap Mrs Biscuit’s inner tube after a snake-bite puncture near the odd fish-and-dog/weasel sculpture – but the warm sunshine made even that pleasant.
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- Wooden sculpture by the river
On the way back we stuck to the main track rather than the morning’s detour, which was much better (it’s 200m longer but much easier on a bike). Finally made it back to the car happy and exhausted.
