Scotstoun Gentleman’s Club – AGM – August 09
October 1st, 2009 • Gorge Walking, Hill walking, Mountainbiking, River Kayaking • Somhairle
For the second year running we (Somhairle, John, Spad & Hamish) made our annual pilgrimage to Torridon. We rented a great wee cottage in the grounds of Torridon House (seat of Lovelace) and have found it to be a great base for exploring Wester Ross. This year the weather was changeable to say the least.
Myself and Hamish had a great first day climbing Ben Damh. This is a great hill with staggering views and some technical walking. Without the use of a decent map we found our way up without bother on the well trodden path. On the way down the path petered out and decided to make our way down Spidean-Coir-an-Laoigh which was steep but manageable. Later to discover there was a decent path down the ridge to the east.
The next day took us to Meall a’ Ghiuthais which is a fairly small hill 887m. We set out up the well bolstered foot path from the car park on Loch Maree. This path is steep but very will built and has stunning view of the loch and Slioch. When we set out it was 25º and blazing sun but soon after we left the path for the scramble up Meall a’ Ghiuthais the cloud thundered in and visibility became very low. Walking between the two summits we found the corrie the guidebook suggested for descent. Somewhere along our walk between the summits something had gone a-wry and we ended up wandering west in to Glen Grudie. We only noticed our mistake once we saw through some small breaks in the cloud; instead of seeing Loch Maree we were looking at the Glen. A long detour above Druim Grudaich brought us back to the path and glourios sunshine. This trip was a valuable lesson in checking and double checking your bearing in poor visibilty. If the cloud hadn’t broken slightly we may have walked into the plateaux and been faced with a very long walk out. Aye, lesson learnt.
As the week progressed the weather got worse, but undeterred me and Spad set out to mountain-bike up the path alongside Abhainn Coire Mhic Nobuil between Litahach and Ben Eighe. The day started out in the sun with the odd shower, the trail was fun and good going apart from a puncture of one of the square edged water bars. However as we came alongside Ben Dearg the rain and wind swept in with gusto. The trail also conspired against us becoming totally un-rideble, rugged and undulating over ancient merrain. Things became morbid when we found it impossible to stop and eat due to hash weather and lack of shelter, so we soldiered on hungry, wet and cold. Once we reached the Coire Dubh Mor of Ben Eighe the weather and trail improved giving us a welcom re-fuel ready for the descent. To say this descent is gnarly is an understatement, it is one of the most technical descents i have ever done. With gargantuan boulders, sharp water bars loose rock, sand and steep rock garden steps it is not one for the faint hearted. Riding it I was on the edge of me abilities having to hop, track stand, manual… You needed all the tricks in the book to clear every section. There was no let up and nowhere to recover. Add to this the un-mistakble grind of metal on metal as the sandstone crud disolved my brake pads, reinforcing the uncompromising rugged harshness of this epic place. A quick burn along the road down Glen Torridon in team time trial style got us home and dry.
We took things a little easier the rest of the week, having a fine day out in the rain on Gairloch sands beach, mucking around in surf canoes and wind surfing. John, Hamish and Spad had a gorge walk up the Abhainn Alligin (i think) while I sat on the couch and licked my wounds. A great wee mountain bike ride round Loch Damh and there was the obligatory night on the shot with Thorburn and Porch. then the depressing drive back over the border (highland) into the lowlands.
If you get the chance to go to Torridon. GO!
Fine adventuring gentlemen!!