Recently returned from a a few days of Corbetting by canoe. Had to delay
the start of the visit by two days as I had to attend a very sad and
touching woodland funeral of a 21 year old son of a long-term friend.
You should not have to bury your own children.
Anyway, day 1 was spent getting from the old Kylesku slipway
surprisingly quickly and easily to the head of the Loch Glencoul by
Canadian canoe. Then using Yorkshire legs to pass the impressive Stack
of Glencoul en route to the top of the Corbett, Beinn Leoid. A pleasant
evening was spent sat outside the Glencoul bothy watching the sunset
over the sea loch. Nice little bothy - and judging by the limited number
of entries in the logbook, not used a right lot.
Day 2 - returned up the loch, after paddling up to have a closer look at
the Eas a Chual Aluinn (it might well be the longest waterfall in the
land, it is not necessarily the most impressive, and proves the maxim
that is not the size that counts). With the tide on our side, but the
wind against us, the journey took somewhat longer and there were times
when you had to paddle like mad just to stay in the same spot. However,
the grey seals added to the magic of the day.
Day 3 was wet and misty - but mysterious and beautiful in that grey way
when mountains and water combine. We paddled across Loch Maree and
beached near the Letterewe lodge. We navigated in the mist to the top of
the first Corbett of the day - Beinn Airigh Charr - and then blundered
our way through bog and crags to the second of the day, Beinn Lair. My
abiding memory of the day, besides the greyness, was the sheer number of
frogs, wild orchids, primroses and butterwort.
Day 4 it rained - there was a period of persistent rain, followed by
long and frequent showers and then more rain. Did I mention it rained?
And the midges came out to play.
Day 5 - turned out to be a warm and sunny day. We paddled across Loch
Quoich and made quick work of Sgurr An Fhuarain, after being warned by
the local killer to keep to the path as he was out shooting foxes. The
hill was easy to ascend because of the very well constructed but
obviously little used stalker's path. And I know what one or two of you
might be thinking - how come if he has finished the Munros and hence
must have done both Gairich and Sgurr Mor, he has not done Fhuarain
previously? Well I missed it out, OK? - and yes I ignored the Hamish
Brown advice to do the Corbetts whilst doing the Munros .But hey, what a
panorama - it felt like we could see the whole of Scotland.
Then we paddled to the far west end of Loch Quoich and camped in
splendid isolation at the water's edge.
Day 6 - the sky was blue, the grass green, the flowers were blooming and
we were ready to tackle the great and rocky complex Ben Aden (not to be
confused with Sir Anthony Eden - see:
http://bubl.ac.uk/org/tacit/TAC/tac12/10differ.htm ). A dream of a
mountain to explore and scramble up and down. With great views into the
Knoydart and over to Rum and Skye. Then we paddled for the longest canoe
journey that I have done in one go on flat water back along Loch Quoich.
As we paddled the weather changed and rain clouds cane in from the east.
With the rain came the most spectacular and perfect rainbow I have ever
seen - it formed an arch across the loch with its foot resting in the
corrie on Gairich. It was like a gateway inviting us into another land.
As we gawped in wonder we knew that within a few minutes we were going
to get very wet - but who cares? Ant then the wind changed direction and
the storm turned away and bypassed us - we caught nothing more than a
few giant drops of rain.
--
Martin Richardson
663/1554 Marilyns - aiming for 777 71/118 New Donalds - only 40% to go
88/211 Irish Hewitts - 123, it's easy 42/220 Corbetts - only 81% to go