Petestack Blog

21 July 2013

Dry

Filed under: Running,Walking — admin @ 3:31 pm

Two days on from my wet day on Sgurr Mor, pretty well next door (but even ‘wester’) in Knoydart and how hot and dry can it get?

While I’m posting this under ‘Running’ (no ‘Walking’ category, see?), it was never going to be a running trip with much rough ground to cover in sweltering conditions and an overnight pack, but perhaps I did just break into a bit of a jog on the return from Barrisdale to Kinloch Hourn yesterday with escape from the oven in mind…

So, 22 years after my only previous ascent of Ladhar Bheinn (following the lowly ‘new route’ of Strider’s Gully in February 1991), I was back to finish the Knoydart Munros and Tops. Which, to summarise a big two-day outing from Kinloch Hourn, took me into Barrisdale and round the rim of Coire Dhorrcail (not forgetting the slight dogleg of Ladhar Bheinn’s summit ridge!) from Druim a’ Choire Odhair to Stob a’ Chearcaill before crossing Mam Barrisdale to Luinne Bheinn, where I camped at c.800m before leaving most of the gear in the tent for the long, early morning (but still oppressively hot) out-and-back to Meall Buidhe and picking it up again to bag the fine, big Corbett of Sgurr a’ Choire-bheithe on my return. Hard to pick highlights (or lowlights) from all that, but Knoydart cairns seem to attract ravens, I’m not sure I’ve ever sweated and drunk so much (literally gallons!) on the hill, so-called ‘tick-proofing’ with long trousers tucked into socks simply encourages a tick or ten to sneak down and hitch a ride home on your ankles, the temperature inversion over Lochan nam Breac and Loch Quoich yesterday morning was quite spellbinding and I really didn’t expect to meet another walker (who’d camped even higher than me) coming across from Meall Buidhe at 6:15 am! Beyond that, just what can I say? It was hot, it was dry and (despite all the drinking) I’m still 1.9kg down on Friday morning today, but just look at the photos… it was great!

2013-07-19ladharbheinn1 2013-07-19ladharbheinn2

2013-07-19ladharbheinn3 2013-07-19ladharbheinn4

2013-07-19llochhourn 2013-07-19beinnsgritheall

2013-07-19ladharbheinn5 2013-07-19aonachsgoilte

2013-07-19ladharbheinn6 2013-07-19luinnebheinn1

2013-07-19luinnebheinn2 2013-07-19tent1

2013-07-19tent2 2013-07-20inversion1

2013-07-20inversion2 2013-07-20inversion3

2013-07-20meallbuidhe 2013-07-20sgurrachoirebheithe1

2013-07-20sgurrachoirebheithe2 2013-07-20barrisdale1

2013-07-20barrisdale2 2013-07-20stobachearcaill

2013-07-20barrisdale3 2013-07-20lochhourn

2013-07-20sgurrnasgine 2013-07-20kinlochhourn1

2013-07-20kinlochhourn2 2013-07-20kinlochhourn3

2 Comments

  1. 6:15am ‘other walker’ now identified as Dan Bailey! :-)

    Comment by admin — 28 July 2013 @ 12:07 pm

  2. Great couple of days and a pretty unlikely time/place to meet Pete. I was surprised too! And I’d echo your sentiments re. drinking and sweating. Don’t think I’ve ever been out in such hot/windless conditions in Scotland before.

    Love the pics.

    Cheers,

    Dan

    Comment by dan bailey — 28 July 2013 @ 1:30 pm

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