Photograph Gallery Stage 11 Corrie Hallie to Kinlochewe : Walking Englishman's 1000 Mile Walk

Photograph Gallery Stage 11 Corrie Hallie to Kinlochewe

Posted by Mike on Saturday, August 20, 2011 · 1 Comment

Photograph Gallery Stage 11 Corrie Hallie to Kinlochewe, Tuesday 31st May 2011

The story:

It is safe to say this was one of the most spectacular days of my walking life; and eventually one of the most arduous (as a consequence of an impromptu decision during the walk). After a decent nights sleep in my tent I awoke just after 6.00am. After breakfast and the daily chore of repacking the rucksack and of course dismantling the tent I was on my way walking just before 8.00 am. It was a lovely morning, overcast but dry and with small scatterings of blue sky. Cloud was low enough to obscure the higher mountain tops though so An Teallach was not in full glory as it had been the previous evening. This gave me the opportunity to focus on the lower hills, many with interesting profiles which often took my focus from the track ahead.

My first mile walking was up a gentle track though birch woods with all the satellites of An Teallach to my right. Peaks with evocative names like Sail Liath, Sgurr Fiona and Glas Mheall Liath all pointed out their singular prominence to me. They were wonderful close companions as I continued to climb up the track and out of the birch wood to just west of Loch Coire Chaorachain. Near the loch three walkers caught up with me. We chatted for a while about the splendid walking country. They were heading straight for An Teallach to do the ridge traverse from south to north. I wished them well and they too wished me all the best on my long journey south. Just after they left and walked on I reached an intersection in the track. They headed off on the right hand fork toward the Shenavall Bothy. Somewhere before the bothy they would probably cut due north to ascend Sail Liath, the first peak on the An Teallach traverse. I took the right hand fork and continued south.

Soon after the intersection I had a.other WOW moment, they are becoming a regular inspiration to me in these magical north west highlands of Scotland as each ironic mountain or mountain range passed is instantly replaced by another (John O’Groats to Land’s End walkers – you are seriously missing out the best Great Britain has to offer) An Teallach was sadly behind me now but the WOW was caused by the first view further west of the thinned peaks of Beinn Dearg Bheag and Beinn Dearg Mor which are separated from An Teallach by Loch na Sealga. As well as the magnificent twins I could see the craggy north face of Beinn a Chlaidheimh straight ahead of me. I was heading toward a valley past her eastern flank. While looking at these beauties and other fine mountains in the distant east I suddenly realised my ascent and levelling had turned into a fair descent. I was heading down to Abhainn Loch an Nid, a river that I would follow upstream for the next two miles.

After the exhausting day yesterday I was surprised to be making good headway but it was a fact I was and the walk through the valley flanked by first Beinn a Chlaidheimh and then Sgurr Ban to the west and by Creag Rainich to the west soon passed by. Interesting features in the valley included by some huge single boulders strewn by the path side which must have made an almighty sound when they had shared off the mountainside.

I reached my goal of Loch an Nid at 12.30pm. My original plan had been to camp near the loch before heading on for Kinlochewe tomorrow. However, I felt OK, the weather was good with plenty of warm sun so why not make the most of it? I decided to walk on a little further, have a mountainside lunch and then deliberate.

I walked on from the tranquility of Loch an Nid due south and then rounded Creag Rhuig a Bhraghad to track east toward Loch a Bhraoin. Soon I came to the ruins of an old mountain building which I stopped beside to take lunch. It was now just after 1.15pm and a warm sunny afternoon. Like a true long distance walker I took out the gas, pocket rocket burner, kettle and cooking utensils to prepare a gourmet meal. I made two cups of tea, a hot mountain fuel drink and a Cheese Pasta meal in a bag. I followed it all with a Kitkat. It was absolutely divine!

After lunch it was approaching 2.00pm and then I decided to go for it. Rather than camp on the mountain, and not knowing what the weather had in store for me tomorrow, why not take advantage of the conditions and make the next day easier. And so I did.

I made for the nearest bealach (mountain pass) to the south. This was Bealach Gorm flanked by Groban to the west and Meallan Chuaich to the east. The going was heavy through peat and in the depressions were very old tree stumps from when the area was totally forested. It was an interesting distraction imagining the area of desolation being full of life then, a barren wasteland now. Despite the trudged and inevitable meandering through the peat hags I made it over the bealach in good time and thanks to the food with some energy. The descent was easy at first but as I got lower it became harder and steeper. No track was evident but sheep trod were so I followed them down.They proved to be the safest way down and the best. At the base of the bealach I came into open moorland, it was Kinlochewe Forest and not a tree in sight. Just peat, more plodding peat. I had no alternative but to cross it on a course due south to the Heights of Kinlochewe nearly three miles distant. The prospect didn’t exactly thrill me.

The first challenge was crossing Gleann Tanagaidh and I was expecting another knee high wade across but fortunately a diagonal rock strata and a couple of convenient boulders allowed for a careful few steps and a final enthusiastic hop. Done it! Then I trudged and trudged and trudged on yet another meandering course through a heavy peat landscape and to make it worse on an ascent toward Loch a Mheallain Odhair. According to the map this would give me access to a track but by now I was fatigued and it took some finding. I was now at the cursing stage and my legs were beginning to ache. My pace of earlier in the day had turned to slow motion now. It was also starting to get cold, a wind was picking up.

At last I found the track and in doing so I was mentally invigorated. Physically there was nothing to be done, I needed rest but there was some way to go before I would get that.

The track from Kinlochewe Forest to the Heights of Kinlochewe was good and a steady downhill gradient. I made my way down as quickly as my ailing feet and legs would take me. The wind was getting up more now so the descent was a welcome one. Aching every step I made it down to the Heights of Kinlochewe and now began what seemed the longest two and half miles ever. On the tops I had got a signal on the phone and my angel Lil had got me accommodation for the night. I just had to get there. As I walked those last miles I looked and every contour and feature on the map. It seemed an age to get to each one. I was going painfully slow. The only pleasures of my pain were the views immediate of Abhainn Bruachaig and its cascading waters over white rock falls and the view east to the magnificent Beinn Eighe, a glorious white mountain which like an angel guided me on the tough final steps into Kinlochewe.

I reached my goal at 8.00pm. I had been walking for twelve hours and for about eighteen miles, often over hard terrain. I was tired, most certainly, but I had reached my goal and completed two stages of my walk in one day. I have earned a rest day. Just as well because heavy rain is forecast, how fortunate is that.

Today has been awesome in many respects but despite the toil I will look back on it with reverence. I have seen more stunning mountains, many wonderful landscapes, breathtaking waterfalls, cascading rivers and streams, secluded gorges and idyllic havens of beauty. I am in awe of this place and on Thursday I will resume my wonderful journey through this marvellous land.

The photographs:

The morning view after taking up camp