When Shall We 3 Meet Us Again

To quote the bard of Avon, the likelyhood of three old cronies meeting on the Scottish moors in "thunder, lightning and in rain" now seems vanishingly small. Colin, who'south idea information technology was to visit the highlands this year, had previously suffered a mishap whilst  walking on Moel Famau in North Wales. So he at present has another damaged shoulder to match the other one that received "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" when he fell off a friend'due south moped in Liverpool.

Thus information technology was just Ken and Johnnie that headed upward north in Johnnies Ford B max to sample the delights of the Munros. Ken was quite impressed with the car's tiny 3 cylinder turbo-charged 1000cc engine.

Ken who has many years of experience of the Glens of Nevis and Glencoe and the islands of Skye and Arran, had never made it as far north as An Teallach so that was our destination. Weather forecasts for the week called were dire and proved unfortunately accurate when nosotros arrived at Dundonnell in driving rain at half dozen:45pm on Monday afternoon the thirteen^th of May.
Pulling up at the Dundonnell Hotel car park, we scuttled beyond the road to the Hotel reception and were totally saturated by the pelting in the ten seconds it took us to cross.

Ken gets settled into the hostel after a long drive north.

We had intended camping at The Northern Lights site at Badcaul only a few miles up the road from Dundonnell only there was no way we could take put the tent upward in the loftier winds.

Seeking culling accommodation, we asked the kindly receptionist if there were any bunkhouses available locally. She promptly told us that there was a excellent hostel a couple of miles upwardly the road and that the owner would be coming in to the hotel subsequently that evening. Suitable encouraged by this good news we settled downward with a beer and a tasty repast of soup of the day followed past steak & ale pie and veggies.

Truthful to her word she pointed us out to Dave Neville who runs the Canvass Mhor Croft Hostel at Camusnagaul near Dundonnell. Dave welcomed the states with the news that infinite was available and we could occupy bedroom no ane.

Then later on another beer we headed off to the hostel and settled in for the nighttime on two lower sections of the ii-tier bunks in the four person room No i.

Day 2 - May 14th - A quick tour of the neighbourhood.

The Towering hump of Sail Mhor dominates the view of the loch

On our way north we had stopped in Inverness for food supplies and so nosotros didn't need to become shopping on our first twenty-four hours. In view of lowering clouds we decided non to visit the tops. Instead we took a walk up the route towards Badcaul. It was dry but very gusty, then we felt a bit pitiful for a x potent gang of oilskin clad workers swarming over the framework of a Fish subcontract out on the white capped windswept waters of Little Loch Broom.

We called in at the Northern Lights campsite only information technology was totally deserted and afterward checking the rates pinned to the door of the ablution cake nosotros started deliberating near the best plan for adaptation for the rest of the week. The weather condition forecasts were still unpleasant so there was not much incentive to move from the hostel providing space was available.

We connected upward the road a while to a little store to see what sort of supplies they sold. It was a typical village store with a post office and had a small selection of essential items, not that we really needed anything much. We soon headed back towards the hostel stopping only for a curt stay at a handy bus shelter out of the wind.

There we made a brew and took in the scenery over the Loch from a comfy demote outside the shelter once the wind slackened enough for Johnnie to test out his new bivvy stove.

A view of the hills north of Trivial Loch Broom from Badcaul.

We got back to the hostel around 1:30 pm, later on the 13Km round trip and decided that as we had spare time to get and visit Ullapool which is non besides far due north of Little Loch Broom.

The local scenery of Dundonnell is somewhat bleak but as we headed further n past the Falls of Mesach the views profoundly improved and passing the Braemore forest they became positively beautiful, an arborial delight!. Equally usual, Ken with his vast establish knowledge from his former career could identify all the tree varieties that nosotros passed by.
Emerging aslope Loch Broom we collection on to the outskirts of Ullapool, admiring the many sailing craft moored up around the town's jetties. Also in position was a vast prowl liner that had sailed in the night before.
On the way to Ullapool we had noted a road sign saying that it was merely 130 miles to John o'Groats, the most northerly bespeak on the Scottish mainland and the furthest northward either of the states had been in the UK.
Later a brief stop at the local supermarket for petrol and at a cash machine to collect more funds, we hove to at the Seaforth Inn alongside the ferryport and had a tranquility pint of ale whilst watching the other punters eating their huge lunches that seemed to consist mainly of Moby Dick sized fish portions on pocket-sized mountains of chips .

Back at the hostel nosotros used the comprehensive self-catering kitchen facilities to prepare our usual traditional "all in stew". It was a real touch on of luxury compared to our usual cooking system of midge dodging and trying to shelter the stoves from wind on a campsite. Afterwards on we headed down to the Dundonnell Hotel to wash our dinner downwards with a couple of proficient local ales.
Our beers were served by a charming Spanish girl, and then in spite of not visiting the Pyrenees this year we did at least go take chances to do our Spanish conversational skills.

Solar day 3 - May 15th - Our first loma twenty-four hours - An Teallach

Nosotros arose promptly at 7 and the weather condition even so looked a flake wild only we decided to head for An Teallach anyway every bit we considered that by using the Stalker path, the route would exist more or less direct up and down with petty navigation bug in the event of low cloud or even whiteout conditions.

Afterward breakfast nosotros arrived at the trail alongside the Dundonnell Hotel at 8:40am and later Ken setting his GPS and Johnnie his Garmin watch, we headed up hill. Feral Goats watched united states of america from the heather as they had been driven downwardly to lower levels by the inclement weather condition. We as well saw a few Red Deer on the higher slopes as nosotros plodded along the trail.

The snow filled gully leads Johnnie from a plateau marked at information technology'due south terminate by a modest cairn on towards the summit of Bidean a' Glas Thuill, the highest point on An Teallach

Foto by Ken (taken on twenty-four hours 5)

   The centre function of the ascent crosses some rather boggy footing which Ken was not as well keen on (more of this later) but college up nosotros followed a deep gully organisation over fresh snowfall. The gully peters out on a sort of plateau which Johnnie remembered from his previous visit in 2009 with Colin.

A wee cairn at the height of the gulley marked the route but beyond this all was gray and white due to the low clouds and the fresh snow cover.

A cairn marks the descent route to the stalker path.The undulating ridge line of Glas Mheall Mor behind.

Foto by Ken (taken on twenty-four hours 5)

The mountain forecast provided past Dave at the Hostel had indicated that in that location would exist 20mph winds at the 900 metre level, but every bit we turned left and ascended several false summits along the ridge, it felt like double that and we found that our fingers were before long freezing upward.

We had to don our windproof overgloves earlier standing.

Ah! Scottish summer conditions!

 Ken'due south beginning top of An Teallach

Every bit Johnnie was repeating an before ascent, Ken was leading up the undulating ridge and he couldn't quite believe he had reached the acme rather than another imitation superlative.

Clouds were down, wind was howling across the icy snow but we happily shook easily at the superlative of Glas Mheall Mor 979 metres at 12:50pm.

 Getting a mash on

It was Ken'southward first acme on the stunning An Teallach ridge. Unfortunately for Ken, visibility was down to 100 metres or and so and he would have to wait another to twenty-four hours to see the glorious views.

We decided on discretion in view of the wild weather condition and retraced our steps dorsum to the marking cairn and sat downward for a rest and to eat our dejeuner.

We prepare up the stove for a mash but then discovered that neither of us had brought the tea bags! So, we had to be content with water to wash downward our cheese and salami sandwiches.

Then it was off downwards the gulley and stalker path to the route.

Nosotros arrived dorsum at our car simply before 4:00pm and thought that a absurd pint would advantage our efforts of climbing upwardly nigh 1000 metres and covering over 10 steep kilometres only the hotel bar was closed. (We afterward found out that they didn't open up until half-dozen:00pm – Que lastima.)

Day 4 - May 16th - An easy day - Stac Polly

This former ruddy sandstone hill stands proudly up above the moors and is 1 of the oldest rock types in the UK.

The Gaelic spelling of Stac Pollaidh is less unremarkably used.

Talking to Dave and some of his other guests at the hostel the previous evening, nosotros heard that they had been on a visit to Stac Polly (alt. Stac Pollaidh) with Dave acting equally the guide and whilst we had been blasted past the elements on An Teallach, they had been sunning themselves on Stac Polly.

Become in there we idea, let's have it, so off nosotros drove in the same direction passing Ullapool and heading further northward again. We glimpsed Stac Polly from the road and stopped to admire it'due south proud prominence, thrusting steeply up out of the moors similar some sort of prehistoric monster.

Leaving the main A 835 route we drove down a single track road with passing places until we reached a car park under the colina. This hill is obviously more of a tourist trap than the surrounding peaks due to it'south like shooting fish in a barrel access and low meridian (612 metres). A notice board at the motorcar park gave information virtually the geology and affects of erosion on the area.

Johnnie sips his juice at the bealach on Stac Polly.Foto by Ken

 Signs of erosion - a circular path avoids these trails

It also recommended a circular route devised to alleviate further erosion and this we took passing around the hill to the northward side before ascending to information technology's central bealach.

We dropped our sacs in that location, stopped for a drink and headed up to the eastern peak admiring the views of Cul Beag and Cul Mor to the east and the fifty-fifty more than impressive bulk of Suilven to the North.

Cul Mor seen from Stac Polly

The view of Cul Beag seen from Stac Polly.

The isolated hill of Suilven needs a long walk in for an ascent and requires finding a route through the many lochans.

Seen hither from the elevation of Stac Polly.

Ken and Johnnie bask the moment. Foto by Ken

Ken enjoys the sandstone friction.

After the obligatory handshake and fotos nosotros retraced our steps to the bealach and and so traversed over several pinnacles to the western tiptop. This required the employ of the hands and was quite heady. The old red sandstone provided excellent friction and stirred memories of climbing on the gritstone edges in Derbyshire.

Fellow scramblers head for the western summit of Stac Polly.

Later topping out at the high betoken we retraced our steps to collect the sacs and headed back down to the road. A somewhat longer diversion traversed apace enabled us to avoid following a 20 stiff coach party of foreign tourists heading downwards to the return path.

On the style dorsum we stopped in Ullapool for refreshments and tried some other hostelry called The Ferry Boat Inn  straight on the promenade. They served a reasonable ale which we supped in a leisurely manner whilst admiring a sailing crew tacking beyond the Loch from the comfort of our leather armchairs.

Johnnie samples the ale at the quayside inn.

Ken chills out with a pint of local ale.

Day v - May 17th - An Teallach again

The impressive ridge of An Teallach seen across the moors from the A832 road south of Dundonnell

With the prospect of the best weather window of our week's stay, we decided to head for An Teallach once more.
We were soon trudging along the familiar Stalker path heading up towards the plateau where nosotros had been on May 15th. This time the weather condition was fine and nosotros arrived at the marking cairn in good style Simply before 11 am.

Ken heads upwards the trail to An Teallach

The stalker path becomes somewhat indistinct in an area of rocky slabs.

Ken checks his GPS at the mark cenotaph at the top of the arroyo gully.

Unlike our previous visit, our way was clear, so after a quick check on Johnnie's map and Ken's GPS we soon arrived at a bealach beneath the summit ridge.

Ken admires the view beyond An Teallach.The ridge and top of his starting time top Glas Mheall Mor from a previous days ascent is over to his left side.

150 metres above lies the acme of Bidean a' Ghlas Thuill.

Ahead the final one hundred and 50 metres rose steeply and were covered past a good layer of fresh snow.

Ken kicks steps up the crispy snowfall towards the top.

We decided against donning crampons although we were conveying them equally well as our axes. The snow conditions were good and so Ken led the way, kicking steps where necessary or hopping from bedrock to bedrock.

We were ascending forth the edge of the ridge and soon saw the inspiring sight of the An Teallach ridge extending from Sgurr Fiona to Sail Liath.

The impressive ridge of An Teallach

seen from the slopes of Bidean a' Ghlas Thuill

Here and in that location we did find icy sections only these proved to exist no problem for vibram soles.
We had most reached the summit of Bidean a' Ghlas Thuill when an eagle suddenly soared up only about twenty feet above Ken's head. I stopped in amazement uttering a shout of wow!!

Ken disturbs a pair of Golden Eagles as he heads for the elevation of Bidean.

Instead of whipping out my camera I just stared at the awe inspiring majesty of the huge bird

The Eagle vanished from sight briefly just presently returned with it's mate and by the time I was ready for a picture they had soured high above us. Inside what seemed similar seconds they were half a mile away.

(nosotros checked Dave's bird volume later back at the hostel and confirmed our suspicions that they were actually Golden Eagles.)

The last few metres to the meridian of Bidean

We were so just a few metres from the top.

Ken reaches the acme of An Teallach

Ken shortly afterwards reached the trig station on the tiptop so got his amazing views due to the articulate skies to a higher place us.

As nosotros stood admiring the views, we saw clouds descending and also boiling up from behind the ridge ahead.

So reluctantly nosotros decided to descend before our view was ended.

Down beneath about the bealach we came beyond a couple ascending and exchanged a few words with them. By this time the summit was shrouded in cloud, definitely a case of the early birds getting their worms.

Ken and Johnnie celebrate a fine climb on top of Bidean a' Ghlas Thuill

Clouds boil up behind the ridge of An Teallach - fourth dimension to get downwards

On the mode back down. Ken suggested a diversion to attempt to avoid the boggy section that he had taken aversion to previously. So at the bottom of the snowy gully department nosotros headed out to the west looking for the terminate of the stalker path.

This involved a fair chip of heather bashing and hopping over small streams just we gradually lost height without actually locating an alternative path. I did spot a wee froggy on the mode downward and we had managed to circumvolve around a small herd of red deer who were grazing off the trail.

The deer caught our olfactory property and prepared to flee.

They eventually caught wind of us simply seemed quite reluctant to leave their grazing spot.

One of the beautiful bays forth the coastal route from Badcaul towards Gairloch.

We striking the road at 3:00pm and decided to take a drive up the coast road towards Gairloch admiring the many deserted bays on the way.

Eventually we had pangs of hunger and decided to head back to the hostel to ready a vast repast of pasta which took all evening to digest.

Ken was invited to Bring together the local music session in the Dundonnell Hotel and he took function with gusto.

In the Dundonnell Hotel bar later on we were pleasantly surprised to discover that they had another real ale on tap, Ruby Cuillin from the Isle of Skye micro brewery. This helped a bit to wash down the pasta.
Whilst supping our first pint we noticed a gathering of local musicians that included our host Dave. I suggested to Ken that we motility over to their corner of the bar as it would be more conducive to mind to their music rather that the raucous chat of a table full of Glaswegians sitting closer to u.s.a..

We managed to find a pocket-size table with free seats and noticed a rack with ii guitars at the side of it.

I suggested to Ken (a neat guitarist) that these must exist for guests then he should select one and join in the session. In the mean fourth dimension Dave had spotted us and encouraged u.s. to join them.

Ken presently gave them a rendering of one of his currently favourite tunes.

I looked through their vocal book that they had placed a few copies of around their corner of the bar.

After collecting more beers to lubricate the tonsils, I tried to sing along whilst Ken played the guitar. Information technology was a really great session and we thought that Colin would exist green with green-eyed knowing he had missed information technology.

Ken's playing was well received just I'yard non certain about my singing as I did chugalug out the verses of "Whiskey in the Jar" at a fair volume although information technology was much more like "dinna lissen ye" rather than "sparse lizzy".

Another beer saw us to the end of the session and we went dorsum to the hostel well pleased with the evening. Adjacent solar day, Ken was amazed that nosotros had downed iv pints as nosotros are not really in serious preparation these days.

24-hour interval half-dozen - May 18th - Our terminal day

Ken heads for Loch na Sealga and the Shenevall bothy.

Sadly we had arrived at the end of our week in Scotland, apart from our return solar day.

The mild (ha ha!) weather of the previous twenty-four hours was replaced by the more than usual heavy clouds and threatening rain.

We decided on a long walk at low level across the shoulders of Canvas Liath and onwards to the shores of Loch na Sealga, about a 17km round trip. Although the rain held off, clouds were notwithstanding depression and views of the hills not existent.

 Even so, the walk was pleasant, a mixture of rocky track and boggy grass. Nosotros did accept a wee debate nigh the distance covered and the position we had arrived at. Ken informed me that I shouldn't question the veracity of his GPS when solely basing my location estimates on instinct. Withal we didn't come to blows nigh information technology and the whole week was every bit usual marked by our non-combatative companionship.

Ken heads down to the isolated bothy of Shenavall

Around halfway on the outward leg, we met a young chap walking solo and discovered that he was doing the Greatcoat Wrath Trail, a trek of almost 200 miles from Fort William to Greatcoat Wrath on the top of the Scottish mainland.

After chatting for a few minutes we wished him well on his 3 week odyssy and continued on our fashion.

We left the moor via a rocky gully that lead down to a plain bordering the Loch and here the trail seemed to peter out.

The bothy is very remotely located simply convenient for those crossing the moors on the long distance Cape wrath trail.

We spotted a cottage beneath and descended to it. This proved to be the bothy of Shenavall  so nosotros decided to finish in that location and after a brief look inside moved outside to the shelter of the bothy wall, made a brew and ate the sandwiches nosotros had prepared at breakfast.

These deer seemed unafraid so may not have experienced the shooting season.

A few Ruddy Deer were grazing near the bothy but they seemed unperturbed by our presence.

Luckily the pelting held off and we returned to Dundonnell even so dry.

Almost at the road we met a heavily loaded Scottish guy who proceeded to explain that he was looking for his mates who were hoping to apply the bothy. Although his brogue was inexplicable to Ken I managed to fathom out that he was bringing a tent in case the bothy was full. I told him that we had only seen a 3 or 4 people so he should be sleeping in doors tonight. We arrived dorsum at the car park at v:00pm and drove back to the Hostel to melt our dinner.

Mean solar day seven - May 19th - Going home

After a nourishing breakfast, we packed the auto and said cheerio to Dave, telling him that we had really enjoyed his and Lynda's hospitality.

The day was dreary but we had a pleasant drive back to Inverness where nosotros topped up on petrol. Heading around the Cairngorm and passing Aviemore we stopped once again at Pitlochry for java and scones before continuing on to the motorway junctions outside Glasgow. Hither we passed a particularly splendid piece of public fine art  at the side of the thruway.

We had no more adventures and crossed the Lake District without incident, finally arriving back in Liverpool at 6:00 pm. Ken'due south wife Jen had prepared a slap-up dinner for us and they had kindly agreed to put me up overnight.

The adjacent day I left early at 5:50 am, heading back down south and arrived home at xi:30 am. Checking my mileage on the car saw that I had covered 1630 miles on the trip. As usual it was a great calendar week if unfortunaltely far likewise short.

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Source: https://www.summitpost.org/2013-when-shall-we-three-meet-again/852825

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