Photograph Gallery Stage 10 Ullapool to Corrie Hallie
Photograph Gallery Stage 10 Ullapool to Corrie Hallie, Monday 30th May 2011
The story:
What an amazing day. It started ordinarily with a walk along the east side of Loch Broom but by a miracle I was walking in sunshine on a warm day. Unbelieving, as I had suffered day on day of rain, high winds and cold I enjoyed the walk immensely. Even my raincoat was shed for the first time. I cracked on to the southern end of Loch Broom and only then did the raincoat make an appearance. A sudden rain shower hit and so I took a timely refreshment break while hidden under trees. I did notice the rainfall did not have accompanying wind though. It was looking promising. The shower lasted just long enough for me to finish my refreshments. I resumed a dry walk.
Loch Broom was behind me now so with weather fair I decided to head for high ground and cross Meall a Chairn to take me to Dundonnel. Now the fun started. Do not imagine the Cape Wrath Trail has signs. Do not imagine it has defined tracks either. it is often a guessing game finding your way. Following the ‘North to the Cape’ book directions I reached the hamlet of Croftown and ended up in someone’s garden. A gentleman came out and told me I was on the right track but for some reason it had been fenced off and now walkers were forced to go round the houses. He never minded before, it was a natural access to the fell but he wasn’t given a say. More frustrating for him the people who developed the diversion didn’t put signs up so he was forever having to tell errant walkers. I was the latest of many. And when I did find the new route it was unmanaged and through gorse. I tumbled in the thick stuff and ended up with my right hand like a sieve, sprouting blood through half a dozen perforations. I was not amused. Then it got worse, the track was blocked by numerous felled trees which forced me to scramble up the fell at an acute angle. I ended up on more or less a straight course up and when I regained the defined track after 250 metres of steep ascent with my heavy backpack I was really knackered. I struggled for the rest of the day because of that fiasco.
Fortunately most of my height was gained and I trudged slowly to my high point of the day and then spent the next hour negotiating a high pass between several lochans and by forming many streams. Then came another of those WOW moments. A wonderful mountain range came into view, a mountain to grab the attention with a row of jagged high edges. I had come into view of An Teallach. It drew me forward and although my lethargy was complete it inspired me to keep going.
As I drew closer to the fantastic mountain, it is another I will now class as a great along with Suilven, Stac Pollaidh and others, I had began my slow long descent to Dundonnel. As is the norm for this walk though, the descent was not straightforward. About 500 metres from reaching the valley floor I came to another Ford, only this time it was not negotiable by a hop, jump or across stones. No, it was another wading job. Too tired to remove my socks I just stepped straight in and waded knee high. I didn’t care and so I squelched out the other side and for a couple of hundred yards until I found a rock ti sit on, remove my boots and wring the socks out. Oh well, some laundry done.
Finally and after eight hours I reached Dundonnel. I walked to Corrie Hallie and spent another hour finding a suitable camp pitch. Now I am there, in close quarters with An Teallach. After a good rest I will enjoy the mountain again tomorrow. Despite the hard toil of today it has been spectacular. I will sleep well pleased tonight.
The photographs:
Only when I’m leaving Ullapool does the sun come out
The Ullapool Ferry
Loch Broom looks much nicer in sunshine
Sky
Reaching for the sky at Leckmelm Arboretum and Gardens
Looking to the south end of Loch Broom. Cloud was filling the sky and soon after I took this photograph I was hit by a sharp heavy shower
The tide was out when I reached the south end of Loch Broom. Waders were taking advantage in the low tide mud
The River Broom at Inverbroom Bridge
Fantastic tree lined avenue from Inverbroom Bridge to Croftown
The unmarked and rough path was impossible to follow due to fallen trees so I had to make a steeper traverse up the steep bank. The scrub made it hard work.
I was out of breath when I took this picture as the climb continued to be very steep. The view of Beinn Enaiglair and Meall Doire Faid was pleasant relief as I rested
On the level at last, a relief for sure
The landscape near Loch an Tiompain
A wonderful mountain range appears as I cross the high ground toward Dundonnell. It immediately captures my imagination.
An Teallach looking formidable, a WOW mountain
Waterfall on Allt a Chairn on its way down into Dundonnell River
Descending through Birch Wood to Dundonnell and Corrie Hallie
Corrie Hallie
Making a comfortable bed
Camp set up on Gleann Chaorachain near Corrie Hallie