Three from Inverie

[weaselmaster]

The "Schedule" continues...this week it was going to be Knoydart. I had thought of walking in from Kinlochhourn, but only having 2 days to play with meant timings were tight, and it seemed more sensible to get the boat in from Mallaig, something I've never done before. We drove up on Friday night, camped on Morar Sands in considerably higher winds than we were anticipating. We met an Australian couple who were about to have their first wild camp in Scotland - they mentioned it was to be High Tide tonight, so it was with some trepidation we pitched on the beach. We needn't have worried, mind as the water came nowhere near us. It was a windy night, but dry.

The first boat didn't depart til 10.30 on Saturday which was a bit of a nuisance, especially as it leaves at 8.30 weekdays. We had a relaxed breakfast, gathered our stuff up and drove to Mallaig. The crossing was quite exciting - we sat on the back of the small, fast boat and enjoyed a bit of lurching and spray - just as well the rucksacks got covered with a tarp before we left! Arrived on the quayside at Inverie before 11. We'd seen the sharp prow of Sgurr Coire Choinnichean from the boat and set off to find our way up it. I had routed us to go up past Inverie House and up Coire Na Cloiche and decided to take a "short cut" through the woods. This was not a good idea. We found ourselves in amongst felled trees then were zigzaggin back and forth through the trees for what seemed like hours, midges annoying. Eventually we burst through onto a proper road and saw the hillside ahead of us - 300m of steep bracken clad terrain. Allison wasn't very pleased It was hard going, but the views when we turned around and looked out over the bay were refreshing. We stopped for lunch on a suitable rock as the ferns petered out.

Eigg
P1090940 by Al, on Flickr

Bla Bheinn
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Sgurr Coire Choinnichean
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This is not the best way up!
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The next section was rocky and we contoured a bit to the west to find a suitable route. Ahead of us was the shapely top of our Corbett - we reached the top just as a chap - Taps Aff - with a hoodie round his waist got there too. Ahead of us was the curving horseshoe that led towards Ladhar Bheinn, off to the right the chiselled top of Luinne Bheinn. The circuit has a fair path although there's a lot of undulation and - of course- descent. Ladhar Bheinn looks very different from the sight that meets you approaching from Kinlochhourn - not as dramatic but more muscly and complex. I think this is a superb way to reach it- long and thrilling. We met a group of 4 lads as we reached Aonach Sgoilte, the only people (apart from Mr Taps Aff) we'd seen all day. Turning north at the 849m cairn we got onto Ladhar Bheinn proper and had some fun on the scrabbly bits- a bit more challenging with a full pack. Allison was particularly struggling on them as her knees were really sore meaning she couldn't easily kneel on them while clambering up - ouch! We met a man coming down off the top who was surprised to see us - given it was 6pm by this time- he'd miscalculated his times to get back to Barrisdale and asked if we were camping out- of course- flexibility on the hills is a tent in your pack.

Rhum
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Summit SCC
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The horseshoe ahead
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Luinne Bheinn
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ladhar Bheinn
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Beinn Sgritheall
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We reached the first of the three cairns along the summit ridge and dropped the packs, heading down to Stob Coire Odhar. This is a pretty ridge and well worth doing even if you are not Top bagging. The "cairn" was almost inverted like a belly button. I'd spotted a suitable place to camp just below the cairn on Ladhar Bheinn, but we decided to press on, reaching the next 2 tops along the ridge and watching the sun send golden fingers down onto the sea out by Rhum. Pity the clouds were down and the sunset was not going to be dramatic. We headed down a bit towards An Diollaid, perturbed by the amount of wind coming over the summit ridge. We found a semi-level spot at about 950m and pitched up, enjoying a well earned meal before crashing out. Rain came sporadically overnight and there was no sunrise, just clag

Descending to Stob Coire Odhar
P1090994 by Al, on Flickr

A fine ridge
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Summit "cairn"
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Summit Ladhar Bheinn
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We were a bit tight for water and couldn't have a morning coffee, so packed up and headed off about 8am. I knew that although we had 15km to do today a lot of it would be on track, so I wasn't concerned about not making the 5pm boat. I'd considered various ways off Ladhar Bheinn - the most efficient seemed to be to head north into Coire na Diollaide but in clag this wasn't sensible. Instead we followed the standard path down, traversing round to the west of the mountain once we'd descended below the crag line. I had been a little worried about crossing the Abhainn Bheag, but it was fine- as long as you went across after the gully. Onto Beinn na Caillich - little to see other than wet grass and the occasional sheep. We followed the Allt na Bruaiche up and turned left once we reached the flatter ground below the summit. We sat at the cairn to have our lunch in the drizzle.

P1100012 by Al, on Flickr

Descent into Garbh Coire
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Turning to leave the clag started to lift and we got better views as we made our return journey down the hillside. Soon we were on the track and the going was fine along the riverside, punctuated by waterfalls. Through the woods and down to Inverie. We got to the village just before 3pm and sat outside the Forge, which unhelpfully doesn't open til 4. It was quite relaxing watching life around the jetty and wondering just what you do all day if you live in Inverie. Shortly after 4 the bolt on the pub door slid open and we, and several other walkers, made it inside for a pint (RemoteNess, very nice). Off to the ferry at 5, a jolly ferryman with a sharp sense of humour. Mallaig in 20 minutes then something to eat out the Co-Op and a drive down, marred only by hitting the kerb in Ft William when trying to get out of the way of a blue-lighting Police van - a new tyre will be required

The back end of Ladhar Bheinn - not a good descent choice!
P1100031 by Al, on Flickr

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Inverie
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Our transport home
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[malky_c]

A fine-looking Saturday . This is the route I originally intended to do a couple of weeks ago (although without the extra height loss between Ladhar Bheinn and Beinn na Caillich), but in the end I just couldn't be bothered. A definite future possibility though .

Forge opening hours seem a bit erratic. I think it was open at midday on the Sunday I left

[weaselmaster]

Forge opening hours seem a bit erratic. I think it was open at midday on the Sunday I left

Aye, the ferryman was telling us that his waiting staff did a bunk and left him in the lurch last week - apparently well deserved

[basscadet]

I also intended something similar recently, but ended up doing loony bin with my Da instead

Looked like Saturday was well worth it, and a camp on the Monar sands is always worth the trip - oh so jealous..

[dooterbang]

Another astonishing trip, unbelievable stamina, energy, and motivation. Enjoy the writing as much as the photos.

Well done again for being awarded a place in report of the month

I think you have the makings of a wonderful book, if you can bothered...!