Friday
Lochan beside path on walk in. Beinn Lair in the distance.
After a long drive up from Dundee and lunch in Gairloch we started getting ready for the off at the beginning of the long road in at Poolewe (15:25). The first bit on bikes was on tarmac but this soon gave way to a rough stone track which was not quite so comfortable with big, heavy packs on our backs. When the cycling stopped past Kernsary we started our LONG walk in to our proposed camp site near the Fionn Loch.
On the way, Pam, Neil and myself made our way up Beinn Airigh Charr. We left the others and the path past the mountain at the kink in the path in Strathan Buidhe where we left our rucksacks. We ascended the comparatively straight forward slopes first southwest them northwest to pick up a ridge that led directly to the summit (19:30). Unfortunately the clouds came in just a few minutes from the summit to spoil the summit view but we were fortunate that the cloud was no lower as the view from just below the summit (and cloud) let us see where we hoped to camp and where the others were quite likely to be setting up camp already.
We arrived at the chosen site close to the south east end of the Fionn Loch and after pitching our tents (20:45) and getting something to eat we were rewarded with a wonderful sunset. The downside of the site, as with all of that area, is that we were plagued by midges every time the gentle breeze dropped a bit. I was in shorts and tee shirt so very vulnerable to midge attack but I had applied Skin So Soft and managed to escape with a few bites but only where I had missed a bit just above my socks. It's wonderful stuff!
On the way, Pam, Neil and myself made our way up Beinn Airigh Charr. We left the others and the path past the mountain at the kink in the path in Strathan Buidhe where we left our rucksacks. We ascended the comparatively straight forward slopes first southwest them northwest to pick up a ridge that led directly to the summit (19:30). Unfortunately the clouds came in just a few minutes from the summit to spoil the summit view but we were fortunate that the cloud was no lower as the view from just below the summit (and cloud) let us see where we hoped to camp and where the others were quite likely to be setting up camp already.
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7We arrived at the chosen site close to the south east end of the Fionn Loch and after pitching our tents (20:45) and getting something to eat we were rewarded with a wonderful sunset. The downside of the site, as with all of that area, is that we were plagued by midges every time the gentle breeze dropped a bit. I was in shorts and tee shirt so very vulnerable to midge attack but I had applied Skin So Soft and managed to escape with a few bites but only where I had missed a bit just above my socks. It's wonderful stuff!
Our route for the challenge.
