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Flying Without Wings

Flying Without Wings


Postby Jaxter » Thu Sep 20, 2018 7:54 pm

Route description: Cùl Mòr

Corbetts included on this walk: Cùl Mòr

Fionas included on this walk: Suilven

Date walked: 03/07/2018

Time taken: 11.25 hours

Distance: 36.95 km

Ascent: 1786m

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Part 1 - Torridon

Tuesday 3rd July 2018 – Cul Mor
13.37km
793m ascent
4 hours 45 mins

I woke up after a very relaxed nights sleep. I was in no hurry to get moving so had a chilled breakfast and sat around enjoying the sun.
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It was already an incredibly hot day 8)
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Eventually I got my stuff together and headed up the road – An Teallach was looking awesome 8)
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I stopped off in Ullapool for supplies….
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If only everything were so black and white :lol:
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….before continuing North and parking up at Knockan and looking up at my target :thumbup:
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I headed up the path towards Cul Mor. It was insanely hot and I was finding it hard work with the big pack. Although it looked like an easy walk, it was feeling anything but… :lol:
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Once on the top of Meallan Diomhain I took off towards the ridge which gave me some awesome views 8)
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The way ahead….it looks steep :shock:
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As I climbed higher I could see over to the other side of Coire Gorm
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The last steep section was hard work with the heavy pack but at last there I was – on the summit of Cul Mor. And it was awesome 8)



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I dropped just off the summit and found me the perfect camp spot 8)
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Zoomed to An Teallach
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There were some perfect rocks for sitting so I set myself up with dinner, hot chocolate, a book and most importantly, my camera :lol: 8)
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It was absolute magic sitting out there 8) It was so warm and still that I was lying out there until about 9.30 before I started needing to put clothes back on 8)
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The sun finally began its descent
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The sun disappeared leaving an amazing pink sky
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It felt really special witnessing such an amazing night in such a awesome part of Scotland 8) I finally crawled into bed when I realised it wasn’t going to get any darker :lol:
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The next morning I got up for sunrise and it didn’t disappoint 8)
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Then I went back to sleep, because it was stupidly early :lol: When I woke up several hours later, the sun was properly up and the mountain was baking in the summer heat again :crazy:
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After chilling out for a bit I was running out of water so needed to head down. I made my way towards the other summit – Creag nan Calman
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From there I carried on down the ridge, skirted around Meallan Diomhain and met up with the outward path. I met quite a lot of folk on their way up who thought I was a bit nuts :lol:
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Arriving back at Knockan it was Clegg-maggeddon so I did a lot of dancing around trying to get away from the bastards :lol: Before having a wee wash and heading around to Lochinver.


Cul Mor.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts





Wednesday 4th July 2018 – Suilven
23.58km
993m ascent
6 hours 40 mins

Malcy_c and I had been trying to meet up for a walk for a while but time off, weather and injuries always seemed to have got in the way. However he was able to sneak out on Wednesday evening so we met up at the Glencanisp Lodge parking area at 5.30 and set off down the path.

Soon Suilven came into view and it was looking awesome 8)
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Canisp
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I’d forgotten about the steep bits on the track – you see track and assume it’s going to be flat :lol: However, good progress was made along the track; we turned along the new path just before Loch na Gainimh and although this was now more uphill it was still easy going.

Final water stop
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The path goes up there apparently :shock:
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We reached where the path people had got to – some wee boggy sections before we hit the steep bit but nothing was very wet here anyway.

Starting up the steep section we were sweating a lot as it was incredibly muggy and we were fighting off the clegs as it was sheltered :shock:
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It was tough work with the heavy packs – looking back from near the bealach with Quinag in the background
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Finally on the ridge the gradient eased, phew 8)
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How to build a wall, eh Donald Trump :lol:
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It was an easy walk to the summit where the views were just awesome 8)
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The classic Suilven shot
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Summit cairn
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It was an incredible evening – despite the late start we had plenty of evening left
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We got the tents up and I brewed up some water while Malcy went for a wander to the cliffs….by the time he returned I’d managed to pour boiling water down my leg :roll:

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Dinner done we explored the summit a bit more – fortunately it was a bit more windy up top which kept the beasties away :thumbup:
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It was another amazing evening and we sat out enjoying it until this happened and put an end to the lightshow :roll:
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It got a wee bit windy overnight so didn’t have the best sleep (trying to sleep on a slope didn’t help either :lol: ) and sunrise wasn’t good, but by the time I got up it had cleared and had turned into a lovely morning :thumbup: 8)
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It was lovely but a bit chilly so I invented the sleeping-bag-cloak and we spent hours just taking in the views and chatting away about….whatever :lol:
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Lochinver
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It was after midday by the time we actually got going, and we spotted a few good camp spots on the ridge on the way down – good incase of windier conditions :thumbup:
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It’s an awesome hill 8)
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We met people coming up the steep section as we slipped and slid our way down it….we were glad to be down it :lol:
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Back on good paths we were able to put down some miles again….
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We stopped off in Suileag bothy so Malcy could bag it (I’d been there before ;-) ) before finally making our way back towards Glencanisp
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Malcy didn’t need much persuading to go for pie in the Lochinver Larder, and then to find a cracking campspot above Achmelvich where we enjoyed a very chilled out evening looking at about a million different possible routes and daft plans :lol:
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Suilven.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts



Part 3 - Walking on Sunshine
Last edited by Jaxter on Wed Sep 26, 2018 9:22 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Flying Without Wings

Postby Graeme D » Thu Sep 20, 2018 9:01 pm

That's rather nice indeed! :D
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Re: Flying Without Wings

Postby kevsbald » Thu Sep 20, 2018 9:20 pm

Mmmmmmmmmm.......... 8)
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Re: Flying Without Wings

Postby Mal Grey » Thu Sep 20, 2018 9:25 pm

Lucky people!

Whilst I've had some wonderful wild camps in that area, they've all been down at loch level.

I assume that was Gruinard at the beginning?
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Re: Flying Without Wings

Postby malky_c » Thu Sep 20, 2018 9:53 pm

I knew it would be a long wait...but 2 1/2 months?? :lol:

Glad this is up - your photos are much better than mine 8) . A great trip (and I wasn't even there for the best weather!)
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Re: Flying Without Wings

Postby martin.h » Thu Sep 20, 2018 11:46 pm

I needed cheering up..........., this worked a treat :D
Crackin' photo's Jackie, I can feel the ambience :D :D
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Re: Flying Without Wings

Postby apollo0815 » Mon Sep 24, 2018 9:08 pm

Amazing pics, I would want to do that, too:)

Just one remark: Your Suilven track looks very Culmorish :)
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Re: Flying Without Wings

Postby rockhopper » Tue Sep 25, 2018 12:14 pm

superb :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: - cheers :)
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Re: Flying Without Wings

Postby Alteknacker » Tue Sep 25, 2018 7:44 pm

rockhopper wrote:superb :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: - cheers :)


Exactly!

Just reminds me what an incredible early summer we had.
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Re: Flying Without Wings

Postby Andymac75 » Wed Sep 26, 2018 8:58 pm

Nice 8)
Dem photos remind me of the now departed summer.
Beautiful work
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Re: Flying Without Wings

Postby Jaxter » Wed Sep 26, 2018 9:16 pm

Graeme D wrote:That's rather nice indeed! :D

Thankyou 8) 8) 8)


kevsbald wrote:Mmmmmmmmmm.......... 8)

8) 8) 8)


Mal Grey wrote:Lucky people!

Whilst I've had some wonderful wild camps in that area, they've all been down at loch level.

I assume that was Gruinard at the beginning?

It was rather good :D
You're correct, Gruinard. One of my wee faves 8)


malky_c wrote:I knew it would be a long wait...but 2 1/2 months?? :lol:

Glad this is up - your photos are much better than mine 8) . A great trip (and I wasn't even there for the best weather!)

Worth the wait :wink: 8)



martin.h wrote:I needed cheering up..........., this worked a treat :D
Crackin' photo's Jackie, I can feel the ambience :D :D

Aww thanks Martin 8) 8)



apollo0815 wrote:Amazing pics, I would want to do that, too:)

Just one remark: Your Suilven track looks very Culmorish :)

Cheers! Whoops...I've fixed that :lol:


rockhopper wrote:superb :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: - cheers :)

Cheers rockhopper 8) 8)



Alteknacker wrote:
rockhopper wrote:superb :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: - cheers :)


Exactly!

Just reminds me what an incredible early summer we had.

It was awesome wasn't it!! 8)



Andymac75 wrote:Nice 8)
Dem photos remind me of the now departed summer.
Beautiful work

Thanks very much - summer was awesome this year eh 8)
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