A'Mhaighdean and Ruadh Stac Mor by Poolewe. Part 2

By popular request here's part 2  ..... well 2 folk wanted to read part 2!

A long walk in July.

A'Mhaighdean and Ruadh Stac Mor by Poolewe.

Part 2 - The walk out.

  Now standing on the bealach between A'Mhaighdean and Ruadh Stac Mor after summiting A'Mhaighdean it's around 5pm in the afternoon, having a cup o tea trying to eat something as energy levels low at this point. Having difficulty eating though as my mouth is very dry, it's a bit like trying to eat a brick. Oh well have to see how I go, not much water left now and still Ruadh Stac Mor to climb. Decision time, will I climb up and come back down the same way or take the rucksack with me and find a less steep way down?

                                                        Up through here.

   There is a lot of loose rock as you climb up and quite a steep path at the bottom. Looks tricky to come down so take my rucksack with me and find another route down then. Kitted up and set off, will-power now kicking in got to get a move on to get back to car by dark. According to my gps log I set off from the bottom at 5.00pm and 26 minutes later I was at the top some how. (will-power there I think)

    The first bit is real steep as you can see from the photo above and then there's a boulder field all the way to the top.

                                                    This is the second bit, still steep.

    I always find it easier and quicker to go up through boulder fields, maybe its because you have your head down looking at your feet so much that you don't realise how steep the bit you are climbing actually is. But it's different on the way down a boulder field as you need to look a bit ahead then. Anyway 26 minutes to the cairn which by the way is a mess. Someone built a rock and cement cairn up here.  

Not sure how I got up here so quick but I did. Took a few pictures at the top.

                                                  Looking back over to A'Mhaighdean

  If you look at the top of this photo just left of centre there is a small loch, that's where the car is, just a tad away you could say.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dino60/5995803768/in/photostream
 The photo above will be bigger on flicker link above.

                                                   Me at the top of Ruadh Stac Mor.

Put my climbing hat on to come up the steep side, I use it as a bike hat as well much more comfortable than a bike hat. Got to keep what little brain I have in one piece if I fall.

   Route finding time. On the way up I had looked along to the west and the side of the hill looked less steep than where I came up, Yep, should have gone to Specsavers. Made my way west along the ridge for about 1/2km descending all the time top was 918m and came down to 825m on the ridge. It's an easy walk off to the north but would add some distance on. I set off South down the grassy face cutting across at an angle to take the steepness off. Walking poles are good at this point to keep you upright.

 This would take me back onto the path at 667m, and it's steep down again. And of course there's crags as you go down to avoid, wouldn't like to try this in the clag without being able to see where I was going.

                                             This is where I came down. Ruadh Stac Mor

   On the path now, 5.51pm got to the point now where I could not drink water without feeling sick , but I learned on one of my other big walks to walk with my mouth semi full of water for as long as I can. This took the dryness out of my mouth. Not much water left so had to ration it. Right leg-it as fast as I can. Into go home mode now, but it can get a bit painful doing this. Good it's mostly downhill on the way back, boy is it a long way.

   First task get to the stream on the path up Sgurr na Laocainn for water only 4km from here. Head down and off I go looking for markers like the cairn at the end of this path where it joins the Fisherford path. It's a good feeling when you get to something you have marked off in your mind. 2km to cairn down a not too bad path, zigzags a bit with one river crossing off the outfall from Lochan Feith Mhic-illean.

      This pic is taken just beside the cairn looking back to A'Mhaighdean and Ruadh Stac Mor.

 Only 2km to running water. Right you're thinking you have just crossed a river why not get water from there? Thought about it but it was just out of a small lochan and would probably need some treatment and the water kit I had takes a while to work.

 To save time I marched on down to the fast running water, which unless there are loads of sheep about is usually okay to drink straight away.   

   Legs working on automatic now (plodding) got to the burn 6.50pm, fill up with water 1 ltr should be enough to get me to the car. Still can't drink and my mouth's very dry, I keep using the water in mouth technique to keep my mouth moist. Total distance I've covered to here 35km.

  Lets get down this hill to the causeway at the Dubh loch. Off I plod, it's still quite steep down to Carnmor, I had intended checking out Carnmor barn on the way back down but sod the extra 400 yards and walked past. 

                                                                     Causeway

 The path from Carnmor to the causeway is a bit of up hill but not too bad then it takes you onto the pebble beach which will slow you down - it's a sod to walk on.

7.24pm and time for a stop - last of the tea. Tried to eat a bag of crisps, hmm it's like eating sandpaper so gave that up for a bad joke. The midges are at it now in the evening and there's very little wind to keep them away. Quick bath in Deet50 to try and keep them at bay.

Got to get going as it'll be dark around 10pm tonight.

Tea drunk, which I had made too strong for my liking but it's all I had, I set off for my bike across the causeway (another mental marker passed). Then along the end of Fionn Loch with a bit more pebble beach to navigate.

           Next marker a cairn at the turn in the path at Polt Fraochain  and 38.8km into the walk.

 Turn right here and then across the wooden bridge the path makers had put in for daft people like me doing this short walk.

I like the people that build things like this to help us out.

 Next mental marker river crossing about 3 km ahead, midges having a go if I stop now so just kept walking.                

                                

                                   Path climbing up from the loch now towards river crossing
  
   Reached the big rocks just before the river crossing where the bloke left his bike another tick in the brain. A big down and up to cross the river and across the stepping stones. Don't know if you would get across if it was in spate but you could take the old path round higher up.

  8.20 pm as I cross the river and I devise a cunning plan not to get eaten by midges when I get to the bike.

Bike at end of this lochan, reach the bike round about 8.30pm and throw my rucksack down quick and dive into it, wait for it grab my midge net which I bung on extra quick.

 I had put the bike a bit off the path so it would not be seen so have to rescue it from the heather and the bits and pieces I left with it. Put the walking poles into rucksack along with pump, tools and puncture repair kit. My right hand now had a burst blister from the walking poles.
   Lost a bit of weight out of the rucksack in the morning by leaving some stuff here. Cloud of midges round me now hungry little sods and I am their tea.

(not if I can help it.)

 Decide to push the bike for a start as it was uphill with midge net 1/2 pulled up. Legs not too bad at this point I've no idea how, 42km covered now. A major mental tick getting back to the bike.

                                                Looking back to lochan where bike was.

   Big hill ahead I remember coming down it in the morning with the brakes hard on. Got to the top and on to the bike woohoo off the pins for a while. Did not put hat on at first but that did not last long. Picked up a bit of speed on the down hills, but there were all the stone drains along this bit so had to stop for them about 50 times (well it seemed like 50 times). A few big stones on the path and I was having to raise the peddles high to miss them. Until then the peddle caught a big stone stopping the bike dead but not muggins he carried on forward managing to stop before soft fleshy bits ramming into handle bars (use your imagination). Put the hat on at this point not sure why (much).

   Next mental marker the cairn at end of mountains. 1/2 rode bike 1/2 walked pushing bike. Till I hit the proverbial wall. Midge net on, clouds of the little blighters round me now still wearing a tee shirt. Could not go any further. Into rucksack to see what was left to eat and grabbed my jacket to put on. Ah ha "cake" and not the sticky sweet one that had made me feel sick earlier, soft country slices don't you love Mr Kipling. Ok had sat on the ground and was trying to figure out how to eat this cake without being eaten my self, still with a mouth like sand paper. Slid the cake up under the net and took a bite with a mouth full of water at the same time. Managed to get the 2 small cakes down with the water. Piece box on the ground I laid my head on it for a rest as I don't think I could have got up at that point. An orchestra of bzzz was going past my ears and all I could see through the net was a foot thick cloud of the little carnivores trying their hardest to eat me. A few got in to the net - but not many. Don't you just love the west coast of Scotland in May to September with no wind. Nowhere I would rather be (much).

A picture from Skye.

                                                Sums it up beautifully, West Scotland that is.

Really dead now, had a wee rest with my little mates all around for 10min or so.

Got myself picked up some how and off I went, cairn ahead and another mental tick or kick by this time.

                                                      You can see the drains in this pic.

    Over the crest of the hill and magic I could see Loch Kernsary and hatched another cunning plan to save me having to walk/bike all the way to the car park at Poolewe.

And a complete waste of time that was, tell you soon.

   Big downhill to the forest gate and a phone signal again. Made a call hardly able to speak to report progress and give eta to Poolewe. 9.30pm 46.6km done not the only thing that was done at this point. 1.1/5km through the forest to the gate I missed on the way in with the light beginning to fade. Downhill through the forest so had the brakes hard on most of the way through to stop going too fast. Got to the big boggy bit and walked through it, stream next had some speed so straight through jumping off for the little up hill at the other side. Down to the gate which I had to open and then it's out of the forest. Feeling a bit better food must have kicked in now. Only 750m to my cunning plan at Kernsary. Now on the way up there was a pickup truck parked at Kernsary and I figured that if I gave the bloke some cash he might take me to the car park. Got to Kernsary and no pickup! Darn I said ? I'll have to bike it.

                                                                       Kernsary.  

   Downhill and across the bridge but it's uphill after it, got off and walked a bit till I came to some sheds.

 

 Back on bike, next stop would be the Letterewe gate just over 1km, got to the gate at 9.50pm and it was open so no getting off here. Light going now and I was heading for a forest so decided to bung my head torch on just in case I met a car. Into the forest at Inveran

 Not too bad along here, mostly downhill and soon was at the horses in the paddock.

  Big green gate ahead and then the tarred road. Had to open and shut this gate.  Chased a few sheep off the road as I cycled along the tarred road heading for the car park at Poolewe.

Got to the car park at 10.15pm 54.2km covered. Best mental tick of all.
 3 cans of juice in the car for me to rehydrate. I had lost around 1/2 stone on this walk, pity it would go back on in time.

  Had a rest and a drink but still could not eat much. Changed clothes and got the bike tied onto the bike rack a few midges buzzing around but not a lot so just ignored them. These were the village midges and not as hungry as their country cousins.
  Local pub for a pint of Guinness. Found the hotel and bar but no barman, hiding somewhere. He turned up after a while and I ordered my Guinness he pulled a can out of a chiller and I asked him for "draft". "This is draft he replies" then he pours the can and sticks it under a gas tap. Guinness is best really cold which this was not so I did not enjoy that pint and left 1/4 of it - not like me.

   Enquire as to the price of staying the night. "£49" came back and I said for a room. "No per person". A bit pricy for me. Set off for Achnasheen in the dark now and the single track road between Gairloch and Kinlochewe. Be about 11pm now and we must have meet the whole population of Gairloch on this single track road coming home, had to stop at nearly every passing place to let them by.
  Got to Kinlochewe and the wide road and not a soul to be seen. Pit stop at Achnasheen station.
  Still awake drove on to Contin not much traffic now. Reached Rogie Falls and had to stop, big lay-by here pulled into the darkness and stopped for a sleep.
  Feet down through the peddles managed to get stretched out and pulled the headrest off for a pillow had a blanket in the car to get under. Fell asleep for 2 hours woke up round about 2am and set off for home.  Got to Inverness and plenty people still going about. Headed down the A96 and in nearly all the towns we pased through there were people going about quite a few of them drunk. Got home at 4.45am Sunday morning, wide awake still had to have a cup o tea and watch tv before going to bed around 5.30am  A long day out.
  So tired from this walk did not go hill walking till the next Friday.

    Back to work now so that's the hill walking curtailed a bit.
     
                                                          The end till the next time.
                                                                      Dino60
Ps since writing this, Beinn a' Chlaidheimh has been remeasured and found to be under 3000 foot by 20". When I climbed it on June 21st  it was still a Munro so I am still counting it as a Munro on my tally. This is one of the Fisherfield 6 of which the 2 above are also part part of. Fisherfield 5 and 1/2 just don't sound right some how. So my Munro count will still include it. 283 total. The other one they remeasured and demoted to a Corbett was Sgurr nan Ceannaichean, which I climbed after it had been demoted so I am counting it as a Corbett.

   Beinn a' Chlaidheimh  Middle left hill.

X Munro

                                                         Sgurr nan Ceannaichean sunrise.
                                                                         X Munro