Torridon weekend

[Benaden887]

The KMC are at the Ling Hut in Torridon this w/e. According to the huts ledger, over 10years since we were last here. Well remembered. On a better day, from the green hut thro Flowerdale forest with Kenny, for Baosbhienn. He, after climbing Beinn an Eion, returned for the car – while I, with a backdrop of Carn Eighe, Liagath`s Northern corries and Beinn Dearg, - crossed an expanse of scrub, bog land and lochans, for Bealach a Chomhla and the Ling hut. Some day !

An Ruadh-mheallan. 7 km 470m 4h 25/05/2018

An early start finds me by 11am on the single-track road to Diabaig for this graham. Park at the stunning viewpoint of Bealach na Gaoithe as the warm weather continues, 26c. Lite gear on, I climb N over a wee top. Dempster says the way up is twisted - it is. Marking a power pylon, for the return, I wind my way round lochans, bogs and rises to reach a small lochan, where the going rises sharply. Steep scree, heather and grass as I fight my way up. Insects rise in the waves of heat. I mark loch nan Trieileanan as another pointer on my return. The uphill continues, a wee lochan at 500m, then a steeper pull of 180m, climbing on Sandstone tiers to reach a large cairn@671m. Rest here and take on fluids. I`m looking at the back of Alligan and the great Corbett wilderness beyond. A superb vista over Loch Torridon, Beinn Damp and my next call Beinn h-Eaglaise. North, a chain of four tops on a NE- NW heading looks interesting, but a map check shows it adds an extra 6.2km to my day – then return, so not today in 29c. I drop down SE and contour until I can see the lochan, then back to up down and round before a reaching the car. Debunk the gear, dry off my socks and top, I’m pleased my fabric boots held up. On reaching the Torridon village shop, I buy milk then, carry on and reach the Ling c/p just as the rest of the team arrives.
Together we carry our sleeping gear, bags and food, then walk the 800m around the lochan to our w/e abode.

Beinn a` Chearcaill. 12.5km 750m 5h 26/05/2018

The A team rose at 2am this morning, the aim being to catch the sunrise from Liathach. Last nite I wished them well, never heard them leave, and woke at my usual 6am. Breakfast, porridge and fruit, a cup of tea and I’m ready to go. A832 Loch Maree, Glen Grundie, gear up but take trainers this time, to see how they pan out. Early morn, it`s cold, with a wind and clear, so I wear a top. Pass a white cottage and head for a power pylon, then old fence posts on a decent stalkers path that climbs into the glen. Great views now of Slioch and Meall a` Ghiuthais all climbed long ago. A new hydro dam below and here a cairn shows the path up Coire Briste. An easy 1.6k climbs steadily to reach a wide col between Chearcaill and Coineach Beag my intended descent route. The track is marked here with a twin cairn stack, proves harder to find on the way back. The rising ground undulates, boulder strewn with bog and lochans, each holding a fair amount of water, considering the dry weather. Crossing one such grassy green patch when suddenly I’ve got wet feet. A quick scramble to drier ground sees the trainers squelching out water. I sit on a warm sandstone block, drying socks and shoes, then shod again climb another rise, cross a basin and finally reach a stone studded flat area with small lochans and a large cairn@ 725m. Awesome views of Ruadh Stac Beag and Mor, Sail Mor`s gully wall I climbed when starting Beinn Eighe`s long ridge. Liagach`s Northern Corries and Beinn Dearg. I roam the E side of the flat top to Creag na Feol, before making a return to the bowl. A wind is still there but heat is rising the sight of the twin cairns wins as I return the way I came, meeting a woman who’d missed the cairn turn so had to back track. The walkout was as easy as the way in. A good day