This was the second time that we opted for travel to Edinburgh followed by a stop for refreshment at the RSPB’s Loch Leven reserve. We used BA via London. There’s not much to say about the journey other than a delay to our bags between LHR and EDI resulted in us waiting for a follow on flight for their arrival. Heathrow had been very busy.
Gordon managed to stay awake for the drive from Loch Leven to Pitlochry. We were staying at the same place as the previous year – Ellangowan Guest House. We also had more Munro-bagging ambitions for the hills near the A9 on the way from Pitlochry to Inverness.
We set our eyes on Geal Charn and A’ Mharconaich first. It was Maundy Thursday and we had two full days in the region. The weather was wet. There were showers as we drove north along the A9 to Drumochter Pass, but it had stopped when we reached the Balsporran Cottages and the start of the walk. The route follows a Land Rover track up the east ridge of Geal Charn. There are two old cairns and at that point the route is a walk up grassy slopes to the summit where is was very windy and we had a bite to eat, but the wind stopped us from staying long enough to eat more than a morsel.
We descended to the Land Rover track and away from the wind for a short while before we headed up steep snow slopes to the plateau of A’ Mharconaich the on to the cairn on the east end. The wind was getting stronger and cloud and mist were approaching so we made a quick retreat over snow slopes after tea and granola bars. The headwind down from the top was almost suffocating. We picked up a faint path back to the Land Rover track then it was an easy walk back to the car which was in sunshine!
Back at Pitlochry we showered and ate at Café Biba
Good Friday 18 April. Another day, another Munro! We were off to Drumochter again. Our targets were Sgàirneach Mhòr and Beinn Udlamain. Today it was cloudless with sunshine. We followed the good track up to Coire Dhomain and followed clear boot tracks toward Sgàirneach Mhòr. There were big snowfields to cross and spectacular cornices on the north side of the summit plateau. The trig point was almost buried in snow. A family of Dad, three kinds and 2 dogs fro Edinburgh were there. This was Gordon’s 100th Munro and they joined in the congratulations.
We descended easy grassy slopes to the bealach at the head of Coire Dhomain and then up the long ridge to the summit shelter on Beinn Udlamain.
A couple of other parties arrived. There were panoramic views all round. We had tea and Mars bars before following old fence posts (the border between Perthshire and Invernesshire) towards the bealach below A’ Mharconaich where we turned right to descend grassy slppes back to the Land Rover track and on to the car. The weather made up for yesterday. Excellent. Two more Munros in great conditions, what more could we want! Some sunburn too…
We showered then went to the Moulin Inn for dinner with good local beer. We ate outside because the pub was full.
Saturday 19 April. The day we meet our friends. After visiting the John Muir Trust visitor centre we set off up the A9 towards Inverness where we purchased our share of the provisions at Tesco. Had coffee and sandwiches in the car before continuing on to Lochinver via a single track road. We arrived at the Lodge at 5:15 and greeted everybody.
Spectacular view of Suilven across the loch.
Sunday 20 April. Time for a quiet day of bird watching and pottering, so we were off to Achmelvich and Clachtoll Beaches or Stoer Beaches as we called them. They are near the Stoer Lighthouse.
Clachtoll Beach – Salmon fisherman’s bothy and house set up with figures dressed appropriately Also there was a history of Rev Norman Macleod who broke away from the established chuch and went to Nova Scotia. Saw a skein of geese going North. Probably to Iceland. Picnic lunch at the waterside, used the prize winning public loos.
A very nice sunny day.
Dinner was turnip an celery soup – Janet and Gordon C, roast ham with Mash and veg – Gretchen and Peter, Amaretto trifle – Janet and Gordon C. English beer
Monday 21 April, Betsy’s birthday: Another sunny day. Walk to Suilven. A big group of Betsy and Gordon, plus Phil, Clive, Di, Phils, John, Chris, Christine, Peter.
How could we not go there? It was a 1 1/2 walk to turn off the Land Rover track, then across slightly boggy ground, over two ridges to the lochan at the base of the hill, the straight up.
There was a warm, but buffeting wind. We had lunch at the col between the main and subsidiary summits where it was sheltered. Then we went on to the summit cone which was an experience in that wind.
The descent was not as difficult as we had expected, then we were off the way we came.
Returned to dinner. There was a birthday card for Betsy from the gang. She had G&T, Malbec wine. dinner was salad, homemade bread, beef casserole with roast potatoes, spice pears. There was one large candle for Betsy to blow out.
Tuesday 22 April: The Westerly Fannichs. Two Munros.
We started at 10:30 along the access road through the edge of the forest, then up the ridge in a gusty wind. We took a route on the coire side that was too low, so we had to climb back up to reach the first summit – Sgùrr Breac, but first we had to ascend Toman Coinich, which although over 917 metres, is not a Munro. The cloud moved in and conditions got worse and worse with horizontal rain, some snow underfoot, but we continued and crossed the ridge to A Chailleach for the second Munro of the day. The weather was awful and we followed the Sron na Goibhre ridge for a while before descended into the coire, crossing Toll an Lochain outflow. The sun reappeared and we found a sport of “almost” shelter for a late lunch at 4:00 pm. it was a boggy descent to a Land Rover track which we followed along the edge of the loch back to the forest and our the route back to the A822.
Back at the car at 6:00 pm. Too late for a shower when we returned to the lodge, so delayed it until later, we changed for dinner of butternut squash soup with homemade bread; salmon, asparagus, mash, broccoli; pear pie.
Wednesday 23 April; St George’s Day. Handa Island; t he responsibility of the National trust for Scotland (NTS)
A large group of us, plus Bob, Jilly, Phils, Dave Lydiatt, Janet, Gordon C, Dave Campbell. The first boat was full, so we had a wait. This was Gordon’s third visit and Betsy’s second to Handa and there had been an upgrade to the boat – a new inflatable craft with a nicer engine. A very quick trip to the main beach at the Island.
Weather first class – clear and sunny. This was a great day for birding. Great skuas nesting everwhere, Lots of oystercatchers, meadow and rock pipits, wheatears, sylarks, 2 puffins mixed with kittiwakes on a cliff, ringed plover nesting near the path from the beach There were lizards shining on the boardwalk. A flock of great skuas bathed in the lochain. Many photos. Here’s a few:
Thursday 24 April: Our day to cook. Grey sky so a good day for not being on the hills. Full breakfast with all the grease and meat, but not until the customary porridge had been eaten. It was our day to cook with Bob’s help. Cabbage slaw starter. Rhubarb crumble (10lbs of rhubarb!) made by Betsy. Gordon and Bob set the table and chopped veg.
After lunch and sampling of Robin’s cakes we took a short trip to Lochinver where we visited Highland Stoneware. It was open so we could see the work in progress.
Some notable pottery sculptures were outside:
We visited the fairtrade gift shop followed by the “bookshop and Tea Romm” which had a sign saying “beware of grumpy old man”. A nice shop. with a lot in addition to books. Then we were off back to the Lodge to cook the crumble. Between then and dinner, we fitted in a trip to a the nearby pottery of Fergus Stewart in the old stables where we bought a small cup with spout. Wood fired, salt glazed clay. Salad and crumble were well received. Gordon’s custard went down well.
Friday 25 April: Another Munro. Cona’ Mheall a bit of unfinished business from a previous year – we had climbed all its immediate neighbours. A sunny start turned to cloud and fog as we drove south to the trailhead. It’s a long walk up a logging road to a beallach. At that point the fog was so thick that we following the path became difficult, but with the help of the OS map an compass we made progress. We ate lunch after passing some lochans and some snow patches. Two hikers came out of the mist. They had already climbed Beinn Dearg and Cona Mheall We joked about the wonderful view. We located the end of the dry stone wall from Beinn Dearg which was a good landmark and from there were were able to find our way to the summit cairn, Another Munro; 7 this year – a very good tally.
At that point things were became “interesting” because we had to find our way back in the fog. We retraced our steps, but descended from the ridge too early, tried to go back up, but didn’t find the correct turning point, followed a stream down towards a large lochan (might be Loch Tuath) – completely the wrong direction and we were in a glen between the peaks. Then we spent 2-3 hours trying to get back to the beallach. Time was going on the could was thickening and the drizzle turning harder. Eventually we found the end of the stone wall and some footprints. It was 6:30 and we had a long 2 1/2 hour walk out. There was a cell phone signal so we called the Lodge and told them to save our dinner. It was a great relief to get into our car, but we noted that the car belonging to the other party was still there.
At 10:10 pm we were back at base. Phil and Phils kept us company while we ate. Showered and went to bed – no packing done!
At this point Gordon vowed to get some GPS navigation on a cell phone our tablet.
No photos. Nothing to see!
Saturday 26 April. Packing, huge cooked breakfast, took a few items for the day because our plan was to visit Edinburgh. our route would take us past the place where we had parked the day before. We noted that the car belonging to the other party had gone. Goodness know when they got down. Their objective was to finish all four Munros in the group.
Lunch in Pitlochry, dropped bags, returned car to airport, dinner at a pub on the Royal Mile. Train south to York on the following day.
A very successful trip some very nice days and some questionable ones, plus of course our adventure on Cona’ Mheall.