Tuesday, 5 June 2012

Slioch 981m


Slioch 981m

 Slioch round 2.

  Round one a couple of weeks earlier had not gone to plan, Graham had planned to pick me up and the two of us were heading up to Slioch.

I got up at 5am jumped in the shower and then headed up the stairs passing the hall window and upon opening the curtains found it had been snowing again - the mid week in April. "Bollocks". Texted Graham asking if he was still going? Got the reply "yes why not"? Guess who had not seen outside the window at that point. A wee while later came another text after he had seen outside. "Bollocks" or something like that, but he would be over at 6am to pick me up. Sure enough Graham turned up at 6am and we set off gingerly because of the snow on the roads. Went a few miles and made a joint decision to about turn and go home - see what happens when you take your snow tyres off, it snows more. lol.

 Round 2 - 2 weeks later. I had texted Brian and Graham to see if they were up for a walk this weekend but Brian was out with the YMCA on the Fortican Ridge, Graham had seen the weather for Sunday and was free so I got a text back. "Slioch, pick you up at 6am".

  Sunday 29/4/12 Graham picked me up at 6am and we headed north to Huntly. Now timing is critical on a Sunday because the Cafe at Tarve doesn't open till 8am. So the 6am departure was to ensure the cafe would be open by the time we got there.
 Got to Huntly and on up the A96 for Inverness checking who had the cheapest fuel as we passed the garages, Graham had enough to get to Inverness where we ended up at Tesco for fuel.  A short break and we headed over the bridge and north for our important stop at Tarve services. It's  quite a quick road north of Inverness and it did not take that long to get to Tarve. The guy that ran it with his wife has retired now and his 3 daughters run it, 2 of them were there on that Sunday, very friendly chatty girls.

 A bacon roll and a tea £3.20 up 20p on last year but still good value.
Bacon roll and a coffee                                            
Graham at cafe.
   Now Graham and I had a really big dilemma at the cafe, would we have a second bacon roll or not ? I had 2 there once before and it was too much, I had a brain wave (one of the few and far between I get) we would get one more and have 1/2 each, perfect.
That's just right 1 is not enough and 2 are too many. Fortified from our well timed cafe stop we headed north to the junction for Auchnasheen, it's a fast road along to Auchnasheen and  with the sun beating down now it was a nice day to be out.

   
Sgurr a Choir rainich and Sgurr a Mhuilinn Strathconon Forest
Hill on road to Auchnasheen.

 Next stop Auchnasheen station with the very clean toilets which are always open too.
There were a couple of ducks sleeping on the grass as we drew in, I thought it would be better to let sleeping ducks lie.
Let sleeping ducks lie

Graham went off to use the station facilities and I went to take a few photos on the platforms, I went over the bridge for the first time to the far platform to take photos.
Achnasheen station

 Photos taken Graham and I set off north for Kinlochewe and the car park where you start the walk. Stopping on route to get the classic picture of Loch Maree of course.

Loch Maree
Loch Maree and Slioch
Slioch can be seen on the right of the picture with the snow on top.
I will add a link to Graham's photos which are on Flicker at the end.
Just as you come into Kinlochewe there is a road on your right down to Incheril and the car park is down at the end.
  We got to the car park just after 9am which was not bad going at all. The quiet Sunday road made all the difference with very little traffic to pass.
Graham and I kitted up for the walk, put the old gators on as I thought it would be muddy  along the track.
 Me kitted up
Ready to set off for Slioch back in 9 hours

 Graham ready to go
The start
It's a bit of a hike around 5 km along the path to where you start to climb.
The path out of the car park leads to a high swinging gate about 50m out from the car park. Single file through here, this was to be a welcome sight on out return in the late afternoon.


Graham
Graham taking in the route ahead and the 5km along the path till you start the climb.
 The sun shining now and with too much kit on as usual at the start of a walk it was a tad warm. There were a couple of other walkers who left just before us and they too had kitted up, it was not long before hats and fleeces were removed.
The path is quite good along the glen with a few rutted bits and bridges to cross. You pass the cemetery which is in the middle of a sheep field, that must be awkward for funerals in inclement weather.
  About 1/2km from the gate you come on a rutted burn crossing, no water in it as we crossed but in the snow melt could be quite different.

Graham crossing the dry burn on the path to Slioch
Graham tackling the dry burn.

A few rocky bits ahead to cross with the remains of what looked like old Sheilings, heading for a second gate you have to go through - it's just a farm gate this time.
The path from Kinlochewe to Slioch
Graham picks his way through the boulders, you can just make out the gate in the distance at the end of the green strip centre of photo.
  We had already passed the other two walkers but we would pass each other on and off as the day went on. A wee down hill after the gate down to a wooden bridge with a bit of spring in it.
Bouncy bridge The path from Kinlochewe to Slioch

Watch out for the Troll. Graham cleared the Troll bridge without being eaten and we later found out why there was no Troll.  The path climbs up a bit after here but nothing serious and after a bit you are back down by the Kinlochewe river.



Happy "Graham"
Graham smiling, happy to be out in the sun on an April day with no damned midge.

The river seemed to be quite low by the amount of stones you had to cross to get to it. I would imagine in the snow melt it would be a different story.

Slioch
The Kinlochewe river with Slioch in the distance, getting closer all the time.
The path heads up again after here and you get your first view of Loch Maree as you walk along.
The path from kinlochewe to Slioch
  Graham studying something off the track. Not long after here we came on why there was no Troll under the bouncy wooden bridge and then the jokes got very lame for a good while after.
Don't mess with me!!

Billy Goat Gruff - the big one that chased off the Troll. I don't fancy arguing with him sunning himself and looking down over his flock.
 Just up ahead was a dry river bed with a whole herd of wild goats. Graham decided he was David Attenborough  and went into stealth mode down the river bed to get close up shots of the goats.
 He got a couple of close ups then two of the goats turned their back on him and peed right in front of him. I don't think they wanted him quite that close somehow.
Wild goats The path from Kinlochewe to Slioch
Even more bad jokes after this encounter like you must be kidding, I heard you were here. I think Graham got the last one in.
  The track comes back down and you are on the shore of Loch Maree,  a very nice place to be. Walking along the shore in and out of the woodlands.

The path from Kinlochewe to Slioch
Not far after this you come to a bridge over the Abhainn an Fhasaig and the start of Gleann Bianasdail. It's a good job it's here, this little river is in a small gorge and would be a bugger to cross without a bridge.
Graham at the Abhainn an Fhasaig bridge
Graham at the far side of the bridge. Now pay attention here "do you see the two iron posts just behind Graham"?  Well as you pass through them you see the path climb up in front of you but look right at the posts and you'll see the path you should take along the side of the river. A wee bit over grown but if you miss it, it doesn't really matter. Graham and I followed the two walkers that were in front of us up the hill till we stopped for a fly cup.

Thats the wrong way Graham right a bit.
Graham up where we stopped for our cuppa and I removed my gaiters.
About 5km from the start of the walk to here.
After the tea the other two set off straight ahead following a path but I looked at the map and Graham and I set off north on a faint path into a bog - knew I should have kept the gaiters on. lol. Not much of a climb but long heather and very boggy for about 1/2km and then up a steepish bit where I spotted a path off to the right. I headed to join it further up the glen. Graham was higher up the glen so we met a good way up and looking back the other two came into view now heading in our direction a good bit back.
 Out of the bog and on the path heading for the gap between Meall Each 525m right and in the middle of  the photo and Sgurr Dubh 728m. Just up past here we came on an old sheiling, just think how hardy people were who used to live here long ago.
Slioch at the back

You pass this on the way up Slioch
Graham at the sheiling.

Just to cheer you up if you are planning this walk this is only 79m above sea level.
Yep it's a near sea level start around 37m and 981m at the top. Graham and I pushed on up the path in the blazing sunshine, thankfully I had taken the trouble to go dig out the suntan lotion in the morning before Graham picked me up.
Not far from here the up starts, quite a rocky path and steepish up through a dry stream.
Not up that? yep. ps and down
Graham heading for the first steep bit - quite a few more to come.

The path got steeper as we climbed with a bit of scrambling over big rocks on the way up. It must have been about here Graham realised that he had only 1 ltr of water with him and on a hot day like this he would soon run out but I had 2 ltr in 4 1/2ltr bottles so I gave him a 1/2ltr and we reckoned we could pick up more from a stream further up somewhere.
Steep path up Slioch
Steep path ahead.
At 252m now this was going to be a slog, Graham and I were feeling the heat now  so we stopped for a breather a few times on the way up.
Graham takes 5 in the heat.
Graham taking five.

We pushed on up and we could see the other two coming up behind us a good bit back, steep bit after here but it eased off a bit as we continued to follow the path which seemed to be a dry stream bed. We spotted a rock formation that looked like a throne to us round about 317m, we were only 1/3 of the way up now, it's a real hike this hill. 

Graham's Throne?
Throne rock formation

We kept on the rocky path up to where it flattens out at around 500m and decided to stop for lunch as it was 12'ish. Sitting in the sun looking out over the Fanachics. As we were lunching the other two caught up with us and carried on past. By this time there were a few other walkers on the go too.
 After lunch and raring to go Graham and I set off into Coire na Sleaghaich skirting round the back of Sgurr Dubh following a faint path . We spotted a path over towards the middle of Coir na Sleaghaich  but like sheep we followed the others up the left hand side in the next photo.

Slioch from Coir na Sleaghaich
 Our path took us up the left hand side of the low ridge you see and boy is it steep.
It had been an easy walk through the corrie with not much of a climb with only a few boggy bits to dodge round. Graham led and he didn't seem to like the steep drop behind us as we ascended. Wouldn't be much fun if it up here if it was wet.

The steep bit up from Coire na Sleaghaich
Graham tackling the steep grassy bit.
It was well worth the climb for the view we got over Loch Maree and Torridon and Flowerdale forests - you won't find any trees there though.

Loch Maree panorama
Loch Maree

A young lad came up just after us on his own, he was up from England for a few days climbing so we offered to take his picture with him in the photo which he accepted.
At 700m ish now only 281m of up to go, as we had been climbing the sun had melted some of the snow. Onward and upward over the next bump, about a 30m climb and down to the two wee Lochans. About here a mountain crow chanced it's luck to see if it could get anything to eat off us! Slioch looks like a sleeping whale from here complete with an eye.
Eye watching Graham
You can see the steep path on the right hand side of the photo along with the eye.
We dropped down to the lochan and got a nice view out to the islands.

West from Slioch

Time to drop down into low gear box for the next bit and zig-zag up. The path comes and goes up the next bit and there are plenty of wee ridges to zig-zag along as you climb. Up into the snow now which was nice and cool to eat. Graham found a better use for it as an air-con system of sorts by filling his hat with it and then putting it on.

Graham cooling off with snow in the cap
The view back down
Looking south from Slioch Loch Maree below
We could see as far as the eye could see on this clear day. The car was parked at the end of the green bit you see in the distance. You get up to about 932m then have to drop back down a wee bit till the final climb to the trig point. We came on a frozen Lochen which is not on the o.s. map and may not even be there in the summer heat.

Frozen lochen Slioch not on OS map
One more climb to the trig point at 980m but this is not the top.

Last climb to trig point, Slioch
Graham heading for summit

The last bit up to the trig was fairly easy round about 10.7km and 5 hours 25 min from the start of the walk to here, we had a few stops and were not walking flat out to get here.

The trig point Siloch.
Graham at Slioch trig point.
Graham taking photos with his Nicon 900 at the trig point.
Me at trig
Me at Slioch trig point.
Our mountain crow came back and chanced it's wing to see if we would feed it.
The young lad came up not long after and was taking pictures when we explained to him this is not the summit it's over a bit and 1m higher.

Slioch summit in distance.
True summit

True summit in the distance. It was a bit cooler now with a slight breeze but the sun was still shining down on us.
We packed up again and headed over to the summit a very small cairn but with some stunning views all around
Fisherfields 6 Munro's with An Teallach panorama
Letterewe wilderness and Fisherfield

Looking south west from the summit of Slioch
Loch Marree and out to the islands
Summit view of Torridin forest from Slioch
Torridon and Flowerdale forests

And of course Graham and myself at the summit

Me on top Slioch summit

Graham on top Slioch summit.
Graham and I set off back to the car a different way than we had come up, along the ridge to Sgurr an Tuill Bhan at 934m and quite a narrow ridge in some places.

The way down from Slioch along the ridge.
Graham ponders the route
Not a very hard walk along here but a few wee ups and downs to get to the cairn, but it didn't take us long to get over there.

The moon
Graham approaching the summit of Sgurr an Thuill Bhan.
Time to head for home and a very steep descent down the side of Sgurr an Thuill Bhan down to Coire na Sleaghaich. We could feel the old legs and knees going down here but at least it was dry for the descent down to the coire.

Looking down from Slioch to loch Maree

After this you get a respite across the  Coire na Sleaghaich which is almost flat, and we found a good flowing stream where we filled up the water bottles. We had been going for about 7 hours when we started down the dry stream with just over 2km down to the bridge over Abhainn an Fhasaig. Sun still shining and a wee bit weary now we planned to stop for a break at the rock throne, "guess who walked right past it  missing it completely" ?  lol.  Graham and I made our way down missing the sheiling  that we passed on the way up too. We had spied the path from higher up down beside the river and we had ended up on it coming out down at the iron poles at the bridge.
Slioch path
Graham and I stopped just over the bridge for a last cuppa a tad weary and with a 5km walk out to the car to go, the two off us set off along the track. We would find it painful by the time we got back to the car.
   The goats had moved down nearer  Slioch into the wooded area by the loch, of course when we came on them the bad jokes started again.
Graham and I slogged on along the track which seemed to have grown in length since the morning. We finally came on the Troll bridge and the small hill up to the farm gate, it seemed like Everest to us now. Our old legs were well tired. It took us an hour to get back to the swinging gate which was a welcome sight as it was then only 50m or so back to the car.
   Dropped the pack and changed our footwear and clothes and packed the kit into the boot and as Graham was driving I could relax in the passenger seat.  It didn't take too long to get back to Inverness and we headed back to Tesco to get more fuel - typical  they had run out of diesel!  Graham's car only had 88 miles worth-ish showing on the trip.
   We headed down the A96 in search of fuel and by good luck there's a new Sainsburys at Nairn and it had Diesel. Now the big debate happened about here - where were we going for chips? I had suggested  Fochabers but Graham thought that was too far. We did not want to go into the one at Nairn as it had not been good last time so we settled for the Bervie Chipper just outside Forres.  I had a burger and chips for under £4 - yes that included the chips a real bargain and it was not bad too. Can't remember what Graham had but think it was okay too. Then Graham drove us home after that - a good days walking on Slioch. -Just over 21km in 9 hours ish.

The rest of the Grahams and my photos follow links to Flicker below
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dino60/sets/72157629935285083/ Me

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chimpaction/sets/72157629569944414/ Graham
The End.
Dino60