Area: Knoydart, Scotland
The legendary 'rough bounds' of Knoydart: my return to this wonderful area after 23 years. I have strong memories of that 1998 trip, when I walked in from Loch Arkaig and stayed in the famous Sourlies bothy for a few nights with Rob and Pete. Ladhar Bheinn was the big gap, however, and the biggest prize. It is undoubtedly one of Scotland's finest mountains, and having done (arguably) all the other contenders for that title, I was keen to add it to the list. I travelled across to Inverie on the small fast boat from Mallaig at 6pm after my day on the Corriehully horseshoe and spent a wonderful evening in sparkling perfect weather, the Western Highlands at its best. I had a pint at the Old Forge, Britain's remotest pub, sitting on the shores of Loch Nevis as England played Germany. I pitched in a superb spot at the Long Beach campsite and just soaked in the atmosphere. Next morning dawned grey, humid, cloudy and very midgy - but again there seemed prospects of a clearance. I was in no rush, but set out around 8.30 for the long trek up the valley on the Barrisdale path (a major crossing) to Loch an Dubh Lochan. I had wanted to take in the striking forepeak of Sgurr Coire Coinneachean but the clag was so dense I decided against it. This meant that I had to gain the main ridge via Mam Suidheag instead. This was horrendous, pathless and extremely humid, through vast ferns and tussocks to eventually gain the broad col in the mist. I had picked a good line up, though, and gained a faint path which embarks on a giant loop of the ridges that enclose and encircle the Ghuisearan valley. The atmospheric effects were spectacular, with mist beginning to peel away from the ridge as I continued upwards towards Aonach Sgoilte. On the right, Luinne Bheinne and Meall Bhuidhe (which we did in 1998) emerged from the mist, and then - temporarily at first - Ladhar Bheinn loomed across the valley into a blue sky. The ridge splits in two at Sgoilte, then kinks round to the left and up to the subsidiary summit of Stob a'Chearchaill. This has superb views of the next section, as the ridge again kinks, NW this time towards Coire Dhorcaill, a superb corrie which lends definition to Ladhar Bheinn but is hidden from view from the west. The weather was properly clearing now and views on all sides were stunning: a real privilege to get this mountain on such a day. The remaining ridge was surprisingly long and quite tiring, with short scrambling sections in places. It rears up steeply towards the end to finish on the narrow but grassy summit ridge. From the summit, many memories as I looked around. I could see the eccentric tea shack in Corran directly down across Loch Hourn, visited with the family in 2012. And also Beinn Sgritheall which I did that same trip. Ahead, the entire Skye ridge in perfect clarity above the sea fret. Of course, I had the mountain to myself (although I did see a man lower down the ridge), and so was able to soak in the wonderful feeling of being a very long way from the nearest road. The descent down to An Diollaid was an easy delight, a really surprising bonus, down springy turf. At the spur, it turns left down to the base of the valley and then a very long (10k) descent back to Inverie on tracks which become quite tedious towards the end. After such a classic traverse of such a classic peak, I spent a delightful afternoon just relaxing and rehydrating before enjoying a pizza from an outside stall near the pier in Inverie! I was back in Mallaig just after 7pm and recuperated further with another quiet bivouac at Lochailort station.
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