Ian Waddington - 32098

logs 2,463

Awards Completed

MCI MLW ML
Member Of

Winter Walking Record

Details

Date : 28/10/2018

Duration : 4 Days

Style : Solo

Type : Quality Mountain Day (QMD)

Weather : Clear - sunny - good visibility

Wind : Moderate wind

Camping Type : Wild camp

Nights Camping : 3

Mountains : Garbh Chioch Mhor Garbh Chioch Mhor - Garbh Chioch Bheag Luinne Bheinn Luinne Bheinn East Top Meall Buidhe Meall Buidhe SE Top Sgurr na Ciche Sgurr nan Coireachan

Flagged :

Description

27/10/18 - 8.8km canoe.
Canoe in from GR004031 to campsite at GR931990, near the Cruadhach South dam on Loch Quoich.
Drove up from home, a quick shop at Morrisons in Fort William before heading on to Glen Garry and got to Loch Quoich at 15.00. By 16.20 I was ready to paddle in on a lovely evening, with the sun setting and darkness descending. I arrived at 19.00, and by 20.30 my camp was set, tea brewed and supper cooking. Then I got hit by a stomach bug and was up three times in the night.

28/10/18
Stayed around the tent all day with a few short walks. A perfect walking day, clear, calm and crisp; very disheartening.

29/10/18 - 22km + 1730m
Alarm set for 5am; at least the clocks had gone back the day before so it felt more like 6am. Cruadhach South dam (06.00), in the dark followed the path to the head of Lochan nam Breac where I crossed the the stream wearing crocs (06.45) in the gloom. Continued along the path to Màm Unndalain (09.00) enjoying the sunrise, and watching it light up the summit of Luinne Bheinn. It was then up the pathless east ridge ending the stunning views. Looking down into Barisdale Bay brought back memories. Got to the summit at 10.00, and headed down to Bealach Choire Odhair for a well earned break. By now I was following some previous footprints which made life easier in the six inches of snow. Up over Druim Leac a' Shith and down to Bealach Ile Coire, before the final pull up onto Meall Buidhe (13.00) and another rest. It was then a case of retracing my steps back to the camp (19.30) with another river crossing in the dark. Just to really piss off a tired person, my right foot dropped into a slot full of water (in the dark) only 500m from the end. The thought of a wet cold boot for to the next day. Crawled into my sleeping bag for a couple of hours before I was ready to cook supper etc at 22.00.

30/10/18 - 12km + 1380m
Alarm set for 6am, and looked out to cloud and drizzle, went back to bed for an hour to see if the improving forecast wast right. Off at 08.30 heading up the stalkers path onto Meall a' Choire Dhuibh. Lots of lumps, bumps and crags to add to the ascent and descent as I worked my way along the ridge, meant I didn't get to Sgùrr na Ciche until 11.50. big descent, thankfully mostly on the path to Feadan na Ciche where I had a spot of lunch. The re ascent to Garbh Chioch Mhor (13.15) felt okay, and I was feeling as though the worst was behind me. By now I was thanking my lucky stars for such stunning weather. Soon I was on Garbh Chioch Beag (13.50) and heading down to Bealach Coire nan Gail. This left the final pull up to Sgùrr nan Coireache (15.20). As I started to descent down the ridge of Druim Buidhe I was rewarded with the spectacle of a Bocken Spectre as the cloud came in. I was back to the tent for 17.00 and had decided to head out of Knoydart that evening so started to get organised and packed. I was ready to go in an hour (18.00). The paddle out in the dark took a long time, especially the final stretch with the wind blowing from the south-east. The final challenge was getting to the one and only exit point; once I had realised the grid ref was going to be out due to the loch being much lower, I found it no problem. Then the exhausting bit of getting everything up to the van and packed before bringing the canoe up and driving away (21.30).

A fab two days walking, a great adventure, and I lost four pounds in weight!

Area : Loch Eil to Glen Shiel

The Great Glen to the east, the A87 to the north and the A830 to the south separate this area from its surroundings and enclose an area of high mountains and low glens. The highest mountain is Sgurr na Ciche (1040m) and further north the South Glen Shiel Ridge is formed by a whopping seven Munros! Also in the area is The Saddle (1010m) which is home to the classic Forcan Ridge. Peaks in the mountains list are all above 900m.

Location

Marker
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