I have read the comments on my last posting and the reason I haven't
been able to reply is I have been away for nearly two weeks walking the
hills. I take your comments on board and apologise if anyone is
offended by my posts but you don't have to read them unless you want
to. I do reply and post on other threads but being away a lot I am
sometimes too late to add constructive comment.
Having taken your advice I herewith post my trip at the end of March to
Barrisdale. Unfortunately I am away again later today so I won't be
able to read your comments until my return later next week.
By the way the likelyhood of getting any business from these postings
is zero. I just think that some readers maybe interested in the
routes etc and I know from other sites that walkers get more enjoyment
from viewing my photos.
TRIP TO BARRISDALE
A 22 mile drive along a single track road ended at the hamlet of
Kinloch Hourn, where the car was parked and we prepared for the walk to
the isolated houses at Barrisdale. There is actually only one house
permanently occupied there, the other two are rented out to walkers and
the third is occupied by the Estate owners when they visit the area.
There is also a bothy, part of the same building as one of the rented
houses, and an area for some rough camping, both of which incur a small
charge. Access to this area is either by boat or by foot. We
elected to walk although my client soon regretted this idea and wished
she had opted for the boat.
The track along the south side of Loch Hourn is very undulating rising
on several occasions from sea level before returning to the shore line.
With the extra weight of food for the four days, sleeping bags and
our winter gear it took some time to negotiate this seven mile section
of path but we eventually reached Barrisdale Bay.
I had pre-booked the accommodation at The Stables, where the south end
of a building has been converted into bunkhouse type accommodation with
a coal fire which heated the room and the adjoining bathroom together
with supplying us with hot water. The accommodation at least afforded
us some shelter from the weather and a place to dry out in the evening
rather than being wet and cold all week.
The next morning we left The Stables and headed towards Gleann
Unndalain before climbing onto the north-west ridge of Sgurr
a'Choire-bheithe. The cloud base was around 700 metres and we had to
cope initially with some light rain which soon got heavier and later
changed to sleet and then snow. It had also become very windy. We
eventually reached the summit cairn but due to the poor weather
returned to Barrisdale by the ascent route.
The following day we had planned to climb the remote Corbett, Ben Aden.
It was windy but dry when we set out from Barrisdale and followed the
stalker's path up Gleann Unndalain. However it didn't stay dry for
long as we soon had our first prolonged shower. Higher up these
showers changed to sleet and then snow and at Mam Unndalain the area
was white. Here we disturbed some deer sheltering from the snow and
windy.
Once over Mam Unndalain we descended, still on a stalker's path,
towards Lochan nam Breac disturbing some more deer en route. We also
had to cross several streams which were in spate and it was a bit of a
concern as the rain and snow continued. More of a concern was a
sudden lightening flash followed by a clap of thunder as we were very
exposed where we were especially carrying walking polls. The nearest
shelter was some three hours away at Barrisdale but fortunately this
storm passed over quickly.
We eventually reached the east end of Lochan nam Breac after around 3.5
hours walking. The stream flowing into this lochan was in spate and
more like a river and it would have been very difficult to cross if not
impossible. Even in dry conditions it appeared that wet feet was
inevitable. Before reaching this stream I had actually decided that
this was as far as I was prepared to go in these condition as I was
concerned that we could possibly get cut off by the rising streams.
My client was obviously disappointed but safety had to come first.
The return was by the outward route with the long climb back up to Mam
Unndalain but the drop down to Barrisdale was pleasant enough despite
the weather.
The final day bagging hills in the area was up Glen Barrisdale to
below the bealach between Meall nan Eun and Sgurr Sgiath Airigh and
climbing fairly steeply onto the bealach. From the bealach the ascent
of Sgurr nan Eugalit commenced but higher up we returned to winter
conditions with poor visibility, light snow and a cold wind. There
was also fair bit of lying snow. We reached the so called summit,
which was marked by a few stones and navigated to the Trig Point before
returning to the summit and onto Sgurr Sgiath Airigh before dropping
back to the bealach.
Quoted message said:From here it was onto Meall nan Eun before a very steep and rocky
descent back to Glen Barrisdale and the return to our accommodation.
The next morning we packed up and in rain and wind returned along Loch
Hourn to the car at Kinloch Hourn after a very eventual few days
although not as successful as planned.
Lindsay
www.caledoniahilltreks.com