'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.
Pretty soon the jacket came off, sunscreen went on and I was passing the ruined cottages and heading along the track into the wilderness.
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.
It was a very good path and the views were fabulous, as I followed it around to the left and up towards the bealach.
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.....
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...
I tried to balance the phone and stand on top for a photo... but it was VERY windy!
By this time I was very hungry so I was glad to sit and eat behind the shelter.
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!)
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.
Pretty soon the jacket came off, sunscreen went on and I was passing the ruined cottages and heading along the track into the wilderness.
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.
It was a very good path and the views were fabulous, as I followed it around to the left and up towards the bealach.
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.....
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...
I tried to balance the phone and stand on top for a photo... but it was VERY windy!
By this time I was very hungry so I was glad to sit and eat behind the shelter.
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
- Location: Beauly
- Occupation: Musician, composer, music teacher
- Interests: Music, birding, mountains, gardening, knitting
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