Gairloch in May

Participants: Neil and Ben

 

A good forecast saw us heading for the north-west. I had booked self catering in Melvaig and there were lots of not too taxing walks around. I stopped overnight in Inverness on the way up and bagged the two TuMPS within the city boundary.

 

Craig Phadrig, 172m/331', P32, TuMP, OS 52, NO 091 234. A wooded hill on the west side of the canal with lots of paths. The summit area is the site of an iron-age fort, thought to have been built around 500 BC; all that remains are the grass covered ramparts which would once have stood 10m high.....

 

 

Unfortunately, the view is mostly obscured by trees but there was a glimpse of the Beauly Firth.....

 

 

Tomnahurich, 70m/230', P38, NH 655 441. The first TuMP that I have come across that is used as a cemetery. It is another wooded hill and the highest point is at the war memorial.....

 

 

 

Next day it was on to Gairloch. First stop was at Gairloch beach where a great walk started taking in the beach and a couple of wooded hills, both TuMPS.

 

An Ard, 48m/157', P33, OS 19, NG 806 752 and Ord na h-Eaglaise, 54m/177', P36, NG 810 753. The beach.....

 

 

Gairloch from An Ard.....

 

 

 A glimpse of the Flowerdale Grahams, Beinn an Eoin and Baosbheinn.....

 

 

Gairloch harbour from An Ard.....

 

 

The summit of Ord na h-Eaglaise. I didn't realise until I got home that it was Ben's 200th listed hill or I would have probably done these in the reverse order as An Ard is the better of the two. Stll, doubt if Ben minds!

 

 

There was time for another TuMP on the drive out to Melvaig. This one was more like a hill!

 

Meall Glac na Daraich, 161m/528', P32, NG 760 808.

 

 

It stands at the edge of a vast moorland; there are settlements all along the coast on both sides of the peninsula but inland it is all bleak moorland. The highest point is the Marilyn An Cuaidh, seen in the distance, more of which later.....

 

 

It was a great viewpoint for the hills to the east. The Flowerdale and Torridon hills.....

 

 

Skye on the western horizon.....

 

 

the Fannichs and Fisherfield.....

 

 

I had been in two minds about doing An Cuaidh. The reports that I had read talked about rough and wet moorland with nothing much to see when you got there. I think, however, that most folk must leave this Marilyn for an "off"/bad weather day and I decided that as it was on my doorstep, I had better do it.

 

An Cuaidh, 296m/971', Sub-2k Marilyn, NG 765 891. I could have made it a really short day by driving up to the masts that are visible for miles around but instead decided to park at the foot of the private road to them and walk. The view when we arrived at the masts was not encouraging, the moorland certainly didn't look like enticing walking (you can just see the trig on the distant highest point in this photo.....

 

 

However, after a couple of hundred yards faffing about in the peat bog, I was able to reach much better ground by heading slightly north where I found some higher ground. Approaching the trig.....

 

 

Ben at the trig.....

 

 

It was an atmospheric spot, I doubt if it gets many visitors, and the views of the surrounding hills, although distant, were terrific. The Fisherfield hills were the most prominent.....

 

 

 

but they were only a few among many. I was also able to identify Suilven, Stac Pollaidh, Slioch, Flowerdale, Torridon, the Cuillin, Dun Caan, Trotternish and Clisham in Harris. Not bad for a remote Marilyn.

 

One advantage of staying in the area was that I was on the hill early. So I was back at the car before noon and after visiting the lighthouse at Rhubha Reidh, decided that I had time for another hill in the afternoon.

Druim an Rubha Bhain, 129m/423', P74, TuMP, NG 749802. This one was across the road from Meall Glac na Daraich which I had climbed yesterday. Being closer to the sea, it was an even better viewpoint. Ben at the summit.....

 

 

Looking down on North Erradale with Skye background.....

 

 

Longa Island and Skye.....

 

 

The hills of Flowerdale and Torridon.....

 

 

The weather on my final full day at Melvaig was a bit overcast. I decided on a drive north to Aultbea taking in the HuMP of Meall a'Cliuth at Poolewe on the way. It stood at the head of Loch Maree so I reckoned would be a good viewpoint.

 

Meall a'Cliuth, 229m/751', P 104m, HuMP, NG 850 800. I parked at the start of a track to a mast on the hill and followed it all the way. The trig was only a matter of yards past the mast.....

 

 

 

As expected, not a bad view towards Loch Maree with the Corbett, Beinn Airigh Charr prominent.....

 

 

 

The next day was home. With the whole day ahead of me, I stopped at Strathpeffer and climbed Knock Farrel.

 

Knock Farrel, 218m/715', P36, TuMP, NH 505 585. This was an excellent walk, from the car park next to the old Youth Hostel up on to and along the ridge joining Knock Farrel and the Marilyn Cnoc Mor, which I had done on a previous occasion. The highest point was the site of another iron age fort and there were good views of Strathpeffer and of Ben Wyvis to the north. Definitely recommended if you're looking for a break on a drive north.