Day 4
Shiel Bridge to Maol Buidthe (via Falls of Glomach)
A late start, after the previous day's exertions. I spoiled myself with a tin of beans and sausages from the campsite shop - yes I know, but I'm worth it. Off walking again by 9:00am, but my left knee was quite stiff and sore. I took a couple of iboprofen (Vitamin I) and fortunately it eased off as I followed the forest path towards Glomach. As on previous days, I was the only one on the trail, and didn't see anyone else until lunchtime, at the top of the Falls.
The Falls of Glomach didn't disappoint, a huge cleft in the hillside contained two spectacular cataracts, with impressive cliffs on both sides. The path down, over precipitous slopes above the gorge, wasn't immediately obvious, but trust to the map and it becomes clear. It's an excellent route down, with good view all the way. I was soon at the forest road which leads to Iron Lodge. From here it was a good landrover track over the next pass, to Maol Buidhe bothy. This turned out to be a longer walk than I thought, and my right heel started playing up towards the end, but it was worth it for the bothy. Set amongst crags and mountains, near to Loch Calavie, it's a remote and beautiful spot. The maintenance officer was there, replacing some wood panelling, and he gave me lots of useful info on the bothies ahead of me. He also advised me not to go via Achneshellach the next day, but Strathcarron, and head for the Coire Fionnaraich Bothy. Excellent advice, as it turned out...
Distance: 26 Km
Time: 8 hrs
Day 5
Maol Buidhe to Coire Fionnaraich
Up at 6:30 and away by 7:30am, but my left knee was now very stiff and sore. More vitamin I helped, but I had to consider the option of getting to Strathcarron and bailing out there, or at least resting for a day or so. I was traversing pathless boggy ground, which certainly didn't help. The iPod was invaluable, I was listening to 'A History of the World in 100 Objects', and Neil McGregor's fruity tones (is that his real accent?) kept me from dwelling on my sore knee and carried me to ancient Egypt, Babylonia, China and Peru instead. Once I found a stalkers' path down to Bendronaig Lodge, my knee felt much better, and I was able to make good time over the next bealach & down to Strathcarron. Aside from two MTBers, seen from a distance, no-one else was about.
After a tiring morning, I felt I deserved a good lunch and pint of shandy at the Strathcarron Hotel. Here I also got some more local info, and was able to avoid the road walking over to the start of the path to Glen Torridon. However my heel was playing up again, not blisters but potentially more serious, a very hot & swollen tendon. I took some more drugs, and added a padded dressing to my heel. I was able to limp up the excellent path as far as the bothy at Coire Fionnaraich, arriving at 4:30pm It was well worth the effort.
The MBA had had a work meet there just a few days before, and the place was spotless, still smelt of fresh paint. They'd installed a new stove, left some firewood, some tea, coffee and sugar, and even a box of choccy biscuits! It's in another superb location, and I was able to do some washing, had a splash about myself in the burn, cooked a good meal and dipped freely into the biscuit supply. I was the only one staying there, though a Munroist dropped in to make a brew on his way down.
Distance: 21.5
Time: 9 hrs
Day 6
Coire Fionnaraich to Loch an Fada
The weather just kept getting better. It was a bright, crisp sunny morning, and after a great night's sleep in the bothy, and another dip in the river outside, I was ready for the walk over to Torridon. Off just after 7:00am, the superb path led up easily to the bealach, great walking and the previous day's aches & pains had gone. I saw an eagle at one point, which stopped me dead in my tracks. (Spotters' guide: If you have to ask "is that an eagle?" then it's almost certainly a buzzard. If it's an eagle you just think "WHOA, EAGLE!!")
Down the other side of the pass, Liathach and Beinn Alligin came into view, against a cloudless blue sky, and I had a rush of deja vu and felt I was walking in the Alps. Unfortunately there were no bergeries serving cold beer along the way. I had to make do with the NTS centre in Torridon, who kindly refilled my water bottle.
I didn't fancy a long road walk in the hot afternoon, so I hitched a lift to Kinlochewe ("I'll Kinloch-ewe in a minute...") where ice cream was available, and I could buy a few more packets of noodles & cereal bars. There were a couple of families having lunch outside the cafe on the main road, and I puzzled over people's different ideas of a good time - why would you choose to sit by a road, letting your kids play in the car park, when there is some of the most accesible and beautiful scenery in the country a 10 minute drive away? Each to their own, I suppose...
I decided not to stick around in the dizzying metropolis of Kinlochewe, and headed off up the track to The Heights of Kinlochewe. The afternoon had turned cooler and breezy, so I didn't hang around, but pressed on to the shores of Loch an Fada for an overnight camp. From there I would be able to cross Bealach na Croise in the cool early morning, then have a leisurely walk to Shenevall Bothy for my next stop.
Once again, I was almost alone on the trail, just 4 people passed me the whole day. The last one advised me "Be quick, it's getting crowded up at the Loch!" and indeed, there was already a tent by the shore when I arrived and another turned up shortly after me. Positvely hectic. Although it was a bit misty and very windy now, I had a superb relaxing evening in the tent, brewing up and looking out over the loch as the sun set.
Distance: 25.5 Km (Not including hitching!)
Time: 8 hrs
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