walkhighlands

'Bac to the Hills' with MusicalHiker

Route: Bac an Eich, Strathconon

Corbetts: Bac an Eich

Date walked: 18/04/2023

Time taken: 7 hours

Distance: 20.5km

Well, I had better explain the double joke... ok there's the obvious one, then there's the musical joke that some fiddle players may get... there's a very well known fiddle tune by 1800s Aberdeenshire fiddler James Scott Skinner, called 'Back to the Hills'..... I may add video of me playing it sometime!

Anyway, moving on....

A glorious sunny day, and a day off, and so I thought I'd tick off the remaining Corbett in nearby Strathconon and bag Bac an Eich.

I hadn't been sure of my plans the night before, and wasn't in a rush, so by the time I played avoid-the-pothole all down the glen, and reached the car park, it was 11am, and I set off complete with a pecan and maple muffin from Bad Girls Bakery.

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Beginning the walk


Pretty soon the jacket came off, sunscreen went on and I was passing the ruined cottages and heading along the track into the wilderness.

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Ruined cottages at Corriefeol


I'd been this far before... if you wonder where the path is, you can pick it up just near the corner of this old stone wall.

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Crossing the burn

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Finding the path


It was a very good path and the views were fabulous, as I followed it around to the left and up towards the bealach.

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Further into the wilderness....

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Panorama


I carried on up the track to the point where it was flat, and there was a small cairn, and from there I set off left up the slopes. At this stage you still can't see the top so I was just guessing. The breeze got up, which was good, and the jacket went back on.....

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Turn Left Here!

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Amazing views of Strathfarrar....

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Strathfarrar Munros looking very tempting...

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Panoramic


I had Beethoven's 6th stuck in my head ALL DAY, because I had played it last Sunday with an orchestra... it was driving me a bit mad, then occasionally 'Somewhere over the Rainbow' would break through and I'd have that stuck instead - even found myself singing out loud, thank goodness there was nobody to hear me!

I saw a few pairs of meadow pipits and a pair of hooded crows, plus a lizard, but little else in the way of wildlife. I did not see another human at all and with no signal and no companion it felt very nice and remote, though I was careful not to do anything risky, like running, or it would have been a long time until anyone noticed I wasn't back!

Eventually what I thought was the top came into view...

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Is it the top?

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Super views towards Torridon

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Hooray!


I tried to balance the phone and stand on top for a photo... but it was VERY windy!

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Attempt one....
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Two....
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Three?
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I give up!


By this time I was very hungry so I was glad to sit and eat behind the shelter.

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The only calm spot was behind the shelter, not inside it!


Starter: four slices of Gouda cheese, melted into a block by the heat, with six cherry tomatoes.

Main: Red pepper, tuna and pasta salad (recipe at the bottom).

Dessert: pecans, sultanas, pumpkin seeds, cashews and 80% dark chocolate.

Today I also tried out my Osprey hydration thing for the first time. When I bought by new enormous backpack, they included it for free. I took 1.5L in that, plus two bottles which I used to fill it once I'd drunk it all. I think it's good, apart from the rubbery taste, but I hope that will fade. I definitely drank more, as I didn't have to stop and take the pack off to get a drink.

After 45 minutes at the summit, where I repeatedly failed to stand up on the trig point before the timer went off, I ventured south to find the return path. This was easy enough although tough on the ankles by now as I hadn't done many hills since last Autumn. At one point I walked into my walking pole and fell over, very gently, into a wet bog, where my knees became damp and I sat laughing.

Eventually I emerged at the bottom, picked up the stalkers' path and wandered along the glen in the direction of the tree plantations. This became a game of jumping from stone to stone through the water, as there are many crossings. I stopped at a pretty waterfall and stuck my feet and ankles in the water, as I always do.... heaven!

At the final crossing, I severely underestimated the depth of the water and the water went over the top of my boot, just a little....

At Inverchoran I realised I had a bit of tarmac to walk, and by this time my ankles and hips were shouting at me a little bit, so I took it slow and emerged back at the car by exactly six.

Next day nothing hurt at all - quite pleased really as that was a long walk. I think I have another Graham to do in there still.... it's lovely but that road is so slow I could have gone to Kinlochewe in the same time!

Pasta Recipe:

Two handfuls of wholewheat pasta, cooked
Half a red pepper, diced
One tin of decent tuna in spring water

Dressing:

Three tablespoons virgin olive oil
One teaspoon wholegrain mustard
One teaspoon cider vinegar or similar
Salt and pepper
Squeeze of lemon juice
A squirt of salad cream
Crushed raw garlic if you are worried about vampires/love garlic/aren't seeing anyone for 2 days

Mix the dressing, mix everything together, cool and put in a tub for later (don't forget a fork!)

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MusicalHiker


User avatar
Location: Beauly
Occupation: Musician, composer, music teacher
Interests: Music, birding, mountains, gardening, knitting
Activity: Mountain Walker
Pub: My flask, and a view
Mountain: Suilven
Place: Impossible question
Gear: I love my Paramo
Member: None yet
Camera: Nikon D40 SLR
Ideal day out: A hike up a characterful hill with good views and a ridge, no midges, not too hot, and a good dinner at the end of it...
Ambition: To walk Lairig Ghru, solo

Munros: 17
Corbetts: 21
Fionas: 7
Wainwrights: 22
Hewitts: 16
Sub 2000: 10
Islands: 22



Filter reports


Statistics

2023

Trips: 1
Distance: 20.5 km
Corbetts: 1

2022

Trips: 2
Distance: 13 km
Corbetts: 2
Hewitts: 2
Wainwrights 2

2021

Trips: 9
Distance: 108 km
Munros: 2
Corbetts: 6

2020

Trips: 1
Distance: 9 km
Corbetts: 1

2019

Trips: 4
Distance: 50.5 km
Munros: 2
Fionas: 1

2018

Trips: 2
Hewitts: 2
Wainwrights 3

2016

Trips: 2
Distance: 45 km
Munros: 1

2015

Trips: 2
Distance: 13.5 km
Corbetts: 1

2014

Trips: 2
Distance: 24 km
Munros: 1

2013

Trips: 3
Distance: 30 km
Ascent: 600m
Munros: 2

2012

Trips: 5
Distance: 61.5 km
Ascent: 834m
Munros: 1
Corbetts: 2
Fionas: 2

2011

Trips: 2
Distance: 23.25 km
Munros: 1
Sub2000s: 1

2010

Trips: 1
Distance: 4.5 km
Fionas: 1

2009

Trips: 1
Distance: 17 km
Munros: 1


Joined: Dec 26, 2011
Last visited: Jan 21, 2024
Total posts: 130 | Search posts