13.5km, 1240m. Loch Cluanie, Northwest Highlands.
Perfect walking day on the Thursday; broken cloud, and gentle breeze (until I hit Glen Affric for the midge fest! Friday started well with more wind (thankfully), as the day progressed the cloud dropped until it was at 700m.
Thursday - After two long days of helping my sister move from Perth to Inverness I headed for the hills via Cotswold Outdoors, Inverness for a pair of new boots. (Tried on in Betws-Y-Coed the week before, but they didn't have the right size which they did in Inverness!) After a bit of dithering, not about the boots but where to head for; Loch Cluanie was chosen.
I eventually parked up at Lundie off the A87 and left the van at 13.00. A lovely path took me straight up Carn Ghluasaid (15.00). I then took a path slanting across the hillside, bypassing Creag a'Chaorainn and up to Sgurr nan Conbhairean (16.00). A detour to Càrn a' Mhadaidh-ruaidh (17.00) a deleted top but with great views of the whole round and deer below. Sail Chaorainn (17.35), Carn na Coire Mheadhoin, Tigh Mòr na Seìlge (18.20), more deer mooching towards me totally unaware of my presence. Camped at Gleann na Cìche GR122170. By the time I hit the glen the wind had dropped and the midge fest began. Cooking in the porch with just the hands outside the inner seemed to help clear them out!
Friday - More wind thankfully kept the worst of the midges at bay as decamped, setting off at 08.45. Two stream crossings and a gate in the deer fence found me heading pathless to wards the north east top of Mullach Fraoch-Choire. Hit the top of the deer fence at 9.45 and another convenient gate, and continued past cloud berries to the top (11.30) before heading onto the main summit (11.50) for a well earned brew with stunning views. The crenelated Na Geurdain lead me on to Stob Coire na Cralaig (12.45). A pleasant ridge took me on to A'Chralaig and the outlying top of A'Chioch (14.15) with a bit of mist in an occasional drop in the cloud level. Luckily I got a great panorama of the ridge. A careful contour and descent took me to Bealach Choire a' Chait. the climb back up to Drochaid an Tuill Easaich went more easily than I thought before another contour round to Creag a'Chaorainn, the top I had inadvertently missed the day before. Bit pissed off that I had no signal to let icky know where I was. Got back to the van at about 19.00 (I think).
A great solo backpacking trip, and the brand new boots were fab (thankfully)!
Area :
Glen Affric and Kintail
South of Loch Mullardoch you will find the Glen Affric and Kintail area whose southern boundary is the A87 road to Inverness. The Five Sisters of Kintail, Beinn Fhada, Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan and Carn Eighe are just some of the impressive peaks in this area, and all have their own unique selling points such as remoteness, size, steepness or height. As a result, peaks in the list are all over 900m.
