Winter upstairs, summer downstairs……
Snowy tops - winter upstairs!
A long weekend Munro bagging was enjoyed by all the last weekend before the clocks change. Following detailed strategic negotiations based on various work commitments, three groups headed north with bikes liberally strewn across and in the vehicles. The agenda was loosely based on picking off two of the crew’s Munro countdown – Frank and Tenko.
After a first night in the comfortable but rather sanitary Inverness YHA, we made an early strike westwards with increasingly positive weather forecasts brightening our day, contrary to the dour predictions of earlier in the week. When a gift horse weatherwise like this comes along, especially at the wrong end of October, it seemed only right to revise upwards our plans for the day. The wider group wasn’t due to rendevous until later so Andrew, Mark and I worked off the maps and Andrew’s internal highland database and hatched a plan to approach the Fannichs from the south, off the A832, as a change from the more usual northern approach options. We abandoned the car at the western end of Loch Luichart and cycled along the recently resurfaced Fannich Estate road across the Fannich Lodge – a stunning and easy bike ride due to the immaculate road and weather!
The bikes abandoned near the Lodge, we headed north upwards on an excellent stalkers path that took us up onto the gently rolling summit approach of Meall Gorm (blue green hill apparently). Blue green it was not, due to a large amount of fresh snow, increasing from a snowline of about 600m. It was intriguing to see the various animal and bird prints in the still whiteness of the snowfall from previous days. With cracking views we headed west to bag An Coileachan with its well-made cairn before turning southwards for Loch Fannich and the bikes. The cycle back was even more glorious scenically due to the long winter afternoon shadows and the largely downhill nature of the return trip which allowed for much admiring of views!
Back on the road heading south west (via the friendly store at Lochcarron, thank you) we drove through Glen Carron heading for the night’s booking at Plockton, meeting Frank, Tenk and Guy at the bunkhouse and pub respectively. Frank had bagged A’ Ghlas Bheinn and Tenko, Brian and Guy had done a hardcore day biking out to Bendronaig Lodge for Lurg Mhor and Beinn Sheasganaich from Attadale off Loch Carron. A stunning piece of amateur recording was made by Tenk who had managed to capture (by chance) the moments immediately following Brian’s catastrophic fall from his mountain bike in horrifying detail. It’s worth a look. By all accounts Bri left a large skin deposit on the track on his way down and not surprisingly was not too happy, as captured on camera.
Fantastic Autumnal Day
Sunday took us all back east to Craig on the A890 in a late group and advance party – again the weather was unexpectedly fine and clear. Having crossed the railway, we cycled up the Allt a Chonais on a landrover track, which was hard going for the first 5-6km before levelling somewhat and curving into the impressive Gleann Fhiohaig, behind Sgurr nan Ceannaichean. Leaving the bikes at Glenuaig Lodge, our intentions were for Maoile Lunndaidh to the south. For me, the summit approach across a slushy snowy grinding ascent bore strong resemblance to the Cicerone guide’s description ‘great lump’, especially after the rather taxing cycle ride in (and I had the best bike!). Apparently the mountain was named ‘bald hill of the wet place’ and it really was a rather featureless ascent. Not one to do without the views! We returned via the same route, with the welcome prospect of a cruise back down to Craig on the bikes, cow herds permitting. The two groups did meet on the hill where acrimonious words were exchanged and allegations of cheat and “dishonourable rogue” were aimed at Mark, which sullied the otherwise enormous quiet of the mountain. **
Tenk’s group, moving at lightning speed,** nearly caught the advance party on the way down until shortly after remounting the bikes, Tenk was stopped in his tracks by a herd of mighty beasts and a very scary bull. After’s Tenk s bravery was challenged he was heard to shout “ I was brought up on a farm, you ba***** “ before plunging into the herd shouting some strange farmish shout with his bike held protectively between his lycra-clad form and the bull. Doug (formerly know as Guy) and Brian followed nervously behind and with some haste…… but all made it back in one piece.**
The group on Sunday
Sunday night four of us managed to book into the bunk house at Ledgowan, well worth it with the prospect of a warm welcome, bar meal and roaring fires at the lovely Ledgowan hotel across the car park. We had drinks with Brian (still reeling from his ejection from the mountain bike), Tenk and Guy before they went back to Inverness for the night in readiness for an early train drop off.
We love biking in (especially Frank)
Monday Frank, Andrew, Mark and I had intended to return to Craig and advance once again up the unfriendly track to the Glenuaig Lodge but luckily managed to persuade Frank to come back for the two Sgurrs another day. Instead we headed south for the Ben Alder range via Newtonmore, parking close to Moy Lodge on the river Spean. Bikes out again (we were getting good at this), the four of us climbed a relatively short distance to leave the bikes in the valley of Lochan na H’earba. We took the good path east along the Allt Coire Pitridh before turning north up to the wintery and elusive summit of Geal Charn, for a cold luncheon. Creag Pitridh to the east offered a much more direct ascent – my favourite summit of the weekend. Another day of amazing views. stretching across a wide panorama from Ben Alder to the Cairngorms. We descended off the rocky spur to the east of the summit which provided a direct and satisfying return to the bikes and back to the cars, before Frank split for a birthday celebration in Glasgow and the remaining three of us returned home.
As for Tenk and Doug and their attempt on the Strathcarron 4 ! ….that’s another story for another time!**
** Disclaimer: these views represent only a solicitor’s view of events following an unhappy fall from a bicycle (at speed) and can not necessarily be taken as representing the views of any other person or party whatsoever
Amanda
