Petestack Blog

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!