Cul Mor, another Assynt Adventure

[MusicalHiker]

In my backpack is Bea, the "Rescue Bee" I found in the shrubbery at Loch an Eilein….

I was in Inverness for a course recently, and as a birthday treat arranged for my other half to travel down for the weekend and we made our way all around the West Coast en route home to Orkney. We stayed at Kirkaig Lodge just outside Lochinver and had a one day window to climb Cul Mor…

Trevor had never attempted such a thing before, but I'd been dragging him up the rather uninspiring little Orkney hills to see how fit he was and, happy he was up to it, decided on Cul Mor because it looked like a simple yet longish climb with good views.

We drove to Knockan Crag around eleven, as I had a feeling the weather would improve through the day, which it did - if we had set off after lunch it would have been even better!

The initial walk in was easy, a decent path and no real trouble at all. I should mention, the metal gate spoken of in the Walkhighlands route description is no longer there… but there's a gap where it once was! It's lying in the heather nearby!

After the cairn it does get a bit stonier and steeper, with some boggy patches. There are cairns to reassure you that you are on the right track! The weather was cool, breezy and with the odd light shower which really stings in the wind. I was glad I took my gloves and both headbands….. the fleece lined one came out halfway up!

Once you have got to the base of the final summit cone, go around it to the right, and find the small loch, and up behind the loch is a steep path taking you up to the summit, through a short but potentially lethal boulder field - it's the kind of place where you wouldn't want to slip!!

Trevor was great, we did stop for regular photo and food breaks but his fitness was not in doubt at all… rather it was the vertigo that stopped him, just ten minutes from the summit, and so I left him with a rather marvellous view of Suilven and I went up alone. It was VERY windy and the rain was stinging so I didn't hang around.

We returned the same way, and I'm now looking forward to Cul Beag next time!

Setting off with a stiff breeze in our hair...

Our target in sight!

Suilven coming into view

You know it's cold when the fleece headband comes out….

Rocky ground and cairns on the way up the slopes.

Moody monochrome

Under the summit cone….

Loch at the base of the summit….

Path to the top.

Trevor "enjoying" the views

Superb vistas near the summit…..

The boulders. Really steep, needed hands too. Or, in my case one hand - had nowhere to put the poles as I'd left the rucksack with Trevor!

One of my favourite photos from this trip… Suilven, Canisp and Quinag!

From the summit

Stac Pollaidh from the top… howling a gale at this point and I didn't stick around….

My breezy summit shot (eyes watering so much I couldn't see)

Finally, three scenes from the drive back. Weather had cleared up beautifully by the evening! This is one of my nicest shots of Suilven, taken from Inverkirkaig.

Cul Mor from the road back.

Cul Beag and Stac Pollaih from the Knockan Crag car park.

[Avocetboy]

I've been up Cul Mor a couple of times, but always straight up the middle to the bealach between the two summits. Nice to see some photos from your route. Cracking views from it towards Suilven.