Knoydart - 2010

Loch Nevis

Great weather graced our first visit of the year to the remote peninsula of Knoydart on the west coast of Scotland across from Skye. The late cancellation of Jon’s London flight threatened a hasty re-plan but as the weekend weather forecast enabled Friday to be a spare day, he was able to catch the afternoon ferry and missed nothing. Meanwhile, Gayle and I made ourselves comfortable in the best bunkhouse on Knoydart: the Old Byre. We planned to take in both Luinne Bheinn and Meall Buidhe in one long day on Saturday followed by a slightly shorter day on mighty Ladhar Bheinn on Sunday. The Monday morning ferry would take us back to the mainland – or so it always seems that way on Knoydart where you have to keep reminding yourself you are already on the mainland!

Luinne Bheinn and Loch an Dubh-Lochain

Saturday started with the customary and unavoidable hike up to Mam Barrisdale (450m), a 3-hr walk on a reasonably good track for most of the way past an old fish hatchery and Loch an Dubh Lochain (black loch). A highlight today was the sight and sound of snipe darting above us with their distinctive ‘drumming’ created by their tail feathers. Sandpipers were playing along the loch shore but deer were nowhere to be seen. The track becomes a path that climbs up to the pass that heralds the start of the actual ascent of Luinne Bheinn (939m; swelling hill). The route is fairly easy, even in mist, as a line of rusting fence posts carry you around the southern flank of the hill before you strike for the summit up steep grassy slopes. The view to the north is stunning across Loch Hourn to Arnisdale and dear old Beinn Sgritheall, a favourite and memorable wee Munro.

Sgurr na Ciche From Meall Buidhe

Below you to the south the great ice-scoured corrie of Choire Odhair (dun-coloured corrie) fills the foreground and it is around the headwall of this mighty bowl that a good path leads you around to Meall Buidhe (946m; yellow hill). In clear conditions this hill always give great views to the west out over the sea and the islands of the Inner Hebrides. As it’s generally late in the day when I’m up here, these views are always enhanced by the sun sinking in the western sky and its shimmering reflection on the water. From the summit a long grassy ridge stretches south-westwards directly towards Inverie. You can descend from this ridge at the 500m level and drop down to a footbridge in Gleann Meadail. By late June however, the ferns are rampant on the lower slopes so we elected to stay with the ridge (Druim Righeanaich) all the way until it deposited us on the flat bogland opposite the Kilchoan estate bothy. A short walk across the dry bog and a convenient (but essential) bridge carried us back to our outward track and back to Inverie. It was a long day (25km; 9½ hrs), and tiring, but it breaks the back of the Knoydart Munros and leaves you with a more straightforward day to finish with for Ladhar Bheinn.

Ladhar Bheinn From the Folach Track

The horror that is wading through waist-deep ferns influenced our route selection on Sunday too! We decided to tackle Ladhar Bheinn directly from the south via the old shepherd’s cottage at Folach. Once you can fight your way out of Inverie (the track is not clearly marked and the pier has moved) you just follow the vehicle track north out of the trees and across the open pass of Mam Uidhe before dropping down to the bridge at Folach. Ladhar Bheinn is in view from the pass onwards and it’s not too long before you are climbing up easy grassy (and fern-free) slopes of An Diollaid on a sketchy path to the skyline.

Coire Dhorrcail

Again, great views open up to the north and the steep craggy cliffs of the mountain’s northern aspect contrast strongly with the more gentle grass on the southern slopes. The almost level summit ridge of this great mountain is punctuated by 3 cairns and a trig point; the actual summit is the cairn between the trig point and the eastern-most cairn – Ladhar Bheinn (1020m; hoof hill) From here spectacular views can be had in all directions. Mighty Coire Dhorrcail falls away beneath you, the mountain’s defining feature, whilst Barrisdale Bay, Loch Hourn and the other Knoydart peaks fill the eastern panorama.

Beinn Sgritheall and Arnisdale Across Loch Hourn

We returned the same way, heavy showers ensuring we didn’t get away scot-free. It didn’t matter however, we’d stood on 3 cloud-free summits and seen a lot of what Knoydart has to offer – wild country, great peaks and the unshakeable sense of being on an island. Don’t ever change!

Check out my future plans for similar walks on: http://www.hillways.co.uk/summer/summer.htm

Requiem For A Best Friend

On Iona in 2005

A chance meeting with a young family playing with a small bundle of fluff at the Cairngorm ski car park in August 1995 prompted a visit to the Glenmore village shop where a note was advertising golden retriever puppies. This in turn led to the introduction into our own lives of the most beautiful, loving and faithful companion anyone could wish for: Bonnie Girl. Bonnie was born on the 21st June 1995 to pedigree-stock golden retriever parentage in an outhouse at the Badaguish Outdoor Centre deep in the heart of the Glenmore Forest Park. She knew many homes and many guardians all of whom returned in equal share, her ever-constant love and affection. It was hard not to; she was just the perfect dog.

The Age of Innocence (for both of them)!

Bonnie accompanied me on 35 Munro ascents, from countless summer days on the Cairngorm plateau to a deep snowy winter’s day on the Five Sisters of Kintail when her shiny coat was matted in icy globules of snow. She visited Mull and Iona and even took a boat trip to Staffa! She accompanied me on so many walks over Scottish mountains, Worcestershire hills and the grassy fields of Wiltshire. She also knew well the cliffs and beaches of the Gower peninsula in south Wales and Sugar Loaf mountain above Abergavenny. Lochcarron was another favourite place for her and she even camped out with me one night high above the glen, straining at the leash to run after the deer. She never stopped running. Until today.

Must be Some Food About!

I will miss her terribly, as we all will; those of us who knew her sparkling eyes, shiny coat, amazing character and irrepressible canine guile and cunning. One day this summer, I will drive north to the Glenmore Forest Park and to Rothiemurchus where the two of us spent so many happy days together, each in our own true spiritual home. I will gaze up at the northern corries of that familiar skyline, flame-red in the evening sunshine, and stand amongst the aromatic native Scots Pines and juniper bushes and run my hands through the purple heather where Bonnie used to play.

Bonnie Girl: 1995 - 2010

Skye - 2010

The In Pinn Bristling With Climbers.

Another spell on Skye has just finished with some rewarding, but long and hard days on the Cuillin Ridge. The weather has been mixed, but never poor enough to curtail a day’s activity. The company has been second to none as first Mark and Peter, and then Callum, Doreen (from Peebles), Pete, Mark, Irene, Peter and Simon accompanied the good Doctor and myself up the length and breadth of the Misty Isle’s highest peaks.

Bla Bheinn on a Better day!

This mountain marathon started with a damp ascent of Bla Bheinn with Mark where all the views were virtual and the mountain quiet until four wonderful search and rescue border collies accompanied by local guide Tony Hanly arrived on the summit. Bla Bheinn offers a short day (and there aren’t many of those to be had around here) and is a good choice if the weather is not so good. But do try and climb it at least once on a good day as its isolated position away from the main ridge makes it a superlative viewpoint.

The second day gave us warm sunshine and we toiled up the Great Stone Shoot in Coire Lagan and up on to the spectacular summit cone of Skye’s highest point: Sgurr Alasdair. The visibility was not quite good enough to give us a view of St Kilda but we weren’t complaining and were just content that the rock was dry for our airy traverse of Sgurr Thearlich and Collie’s Ledge to our second Munro of the day: Sgurr Mhic Choinnich. This all went smoothly and Mark even agreed to pose at the end of a tight rope for a photo with the depths of Coire Lagan far below him (as he knew only too well)!

Mark, (Very) High Above Coire Lagan!

The third day, with Peter joining us, was a much less successful day in Coir a’Ghrunnda with low cloud, burns in spate and Mark’s troublesome knee all combining to give us a view-less and Munro-less day!

Sgurr a'Mhadaidh With Sgurr a'Ghreadaidh Behind.

Meeting up with the Doctor and our ever-growing band of budding alpinists saw an unusually long straggle of 9 ascending An Dorus (the door) for a stunning day on 2 ropes of the central peaks of Sgurr a'Mhadaidh, Sgurr a'Ghreadaidh and Sgurr na Banachdich. Pete declared he didn’t know such concentration existed as we snaked our cautious but exhilarating way along the sharpest arête in Britain around those familiar Cuillin landmarks that punctuate progress along the ridge: the black gash, the wart and the three teeth. We cuddled many a Cuillin that day!

Not Now Keith; I'm Concentrating!

From the final summit a long and tortuous descent down the scree and shale of Coire an Eich led us back to the Glen Brittle Youth Hostel and the sight of a large golden eagle (possibly a sea eagle) soaring above us in search of an evening meal. Thankfully, there was still sufficient life in our party (just) to suggest we had nothing to offer!

Poser on the Ridge - You Get a Lot of These!

Tuesday saw a return to Coire Lagan but not, thankfully, the Great Stone Shoot (an horrendous ascent route now). A reasonable climb up the edge of the An Stac screes placed us on the ridge for a there-and-back ascent of Sgurr Mhic Choinnich and then, in gathering gloom and a bitter crosswind, a quick shin up the Inaccessible Pinnacle.

Cold? It's Just a State of Mind!

Everyone did really well and seemed to take this precariously perched flake of rock in their stride (and occasionally, straddle). Even the abseils went smoothly so well done everyone – firstly for climbing the Pinn and secondly for not catching hypothermia! A slow and complicated descent down Coire na Banachdich ensured another 10-hour day – you don’t get much time to write postcards or watch the footie when you’re climbing the Cuillin!

Doreen (from Peebles) Struts Her Stuff on the In Pinn!

And now for something different…. Oh no I forgot, and now for another 10-hour day in the cloud! This time it was the long, long trudge from the Glen Brittle campsite (the toilets are no longer public by the way!) and around into Coir a’Ghrunnda. The views were as non-existent as before but at least the water levels in the burns had receded and posed no problems. Shaley paths and seaside scrambling in the murk gave us Sgurr nan Eag and Sgurr Dubh Mor and a chance encounter with a lone walker who required rescuing that night by the Skye Mountain Rescue Team! Navigation in poor visibility remains the Cuillin’s greatest challenge (other than falling off them of course) and should not be underestimated. For such a sharp, well-defined ridge, finding your way about in thick cloud is surprisingly difficult. The last part of the day was spent traversing beneath the Thearlich-Dubh (T-D) Gap and up onto a very tricky and greasy Sgurr Alasdair. Skilful cricket skills enabled Peter to catch Irene at second slip at a delicate moment of the climb in a particularly greasy gulley and it was a relief all round to reach the summit! No view at all this time, let alone of St Kilda. It was not a place to linger today so it was down the Great Stone Shoot (in 30 mins; well done team!) and back down Coire Lagan in another 10-hr plus Cuillin Fest! No postcards; no footie – again!

Another Misty Summit!

We finished the week with ascents of the 3 northern peaks seen to such advantage from the Sligachan Hotel: Sgurr nan Gillean, Am Basteir and Bruach na Frithe (yes I know you can’t actually see the last one from Sligachan but you can use your imagination)! The ascent into Coire a’ Bhasteir provided a welcome change from Glen Brittle but the tops were mostly enshrouded in cloud as we hauled our weary selves below Am Basteir and it’s sinister Tooth up onto Bruach na Frithe. Regrettably, Irene’s knee was causing just too much pain to continue so I gallantly forsook an ascent of the last 2 peaks and accompanied her off the mountain whilst the remainder of the group followed the Doctor up and down Am Basteir’s east ridge and up and down Sgurr nan Gillean’s west ridge. This day proved to be the longest yet – 11 hrs!

The Doctor Leading From the Rear(s)!

Throughout the week the team’s spirits remained high despite many new experiences and unusual positions that many were probably not expecting. The humour flowed in line with the adrenalin and Doreen (from Peebles) was good enough to let me know what she thought of the life-cycle of the Common Lousewort…… Callum has very few Munros left to do, Pete has discovered new depths of concentration and I will be forever indebted to Simon for his invaluable insight into the formation of baked and chilled margins, isostatic rebound and sliken lines!

And now to Knoydart...

All Scrubbed Up at the Slig!

Check out my future plans for similar walks on: http://www.hillways.co.uk/summer/summer.htm