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".
A bacon roll and a tea £3.20 up 20p on last year but still good value.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
Graham ready to go
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 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 
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 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.
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.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
A young lad came up just after us on his own, he was up from England
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.
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.
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.
The view back down
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.
One more climb to the trig point at 980m but this is not the top.
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 taking photos with his Nicon 900 at the trig point.
Me at trig
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.
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
Letterewe wilderness and Fisherfield
Loch Marree and out to the islands
Torridon and Flowerdale forests
And of course Graham and myself at the 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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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