28 April to 2 May 2006 - A Trip to Skye

Here's another entry arising from the indexing of digital images from 2006, and the associated diary entries. There was a 'taster' here.

Skye – 28 April to 2 May 2006

Friday 28 April saw Sue return early from work to achieve a 3:30pm start on the trip to Strathfillan Wigwams, via Sale to pick up Richard and Jenny, and then an hour to get the first 10 miles. Anyway, after an hour for tea in Carlisle, we got to the Wigwams by 10pm and enjoyed a glass of wine on a fine evening - what a contrast to last year, before establishing that Don and Liz were camping at Tyndrum.

286 miles to the Wigwams - 5½ hours driving.

Saturday 29 April (Martin)

A glitch with Sue's alarm meant we were up early at 6:30 and we left the Wigwams at 7:35 on a beautiful morning. 

The summit of Buachaille Etive Mor beckoned as we passed through Glencoe.

Breakfast in Fort William at Morrisons, where Don and Liz joined us before we moved on at 9:20, Sue wanting to get in a big walk on this lovely day. 

We did however pause for photos at the Commando Memorial.

Unfortunately, it had clouded over by the time we reached Glenbrittle at 12:05, and though the weather was improving, Sue was finally persuaded that a big walk was not a practical option.

 

Don and Liz arrived, and finally Martin’s former work colleague, Garry Scholes, who had spent the night, as usual, at King's House hotel in Glencoe. After a pleasant alfresco lunch, the six of us left Garry and headed up Corrie Lagan.  

I was soon left behind and I spent a few minutes with another walker’s Canon 300D digital SLR - nice to use. We lay on the rocks by Loch Lagan for some time, watching others on the Great Stone Shoot, and climbers on the West Buttress. Then Richard and I descended on the route shown below, whilst the other four continued by slogging up the scree slope to the ridge between Sgurr Dearg and Sgurr Mhic Choinnich. 

The waterfall above Glenbrittle House provided a splendid foreground for the Cuillin backdrop, now completely clear. 

Richard and I took 3 hours for our 8km walk with 600 metres ascent, rather slower than Naismith’s 2:38. 

The others soon returned, and whilst Don and Liz enjoyed their own a la carte, and Garry quietly listened to radio 4, Sue and I cooked for ourselves and R & J – tonight’s fare being assorted dips and crisps, followed by salmon and a korma sauce and rice and salad, etc, then Sue’s home-made lime cheesecake. Excellent. Plus copious amounts of wine from Richard and Jenny. 

Garry joined us as the light dimmed, and we enjoyed an evening stroll along the beach in front of many campfires. 

Sunday 30 April (Sue)

Muesli and bacon butties for breakfast, staying in the tent as the morning was cloudy. By the time we were ready to leave, it looked more promising, so we decided to have a go at Bruach na Frithe, one of my 2 remaining Skye Munros. Garry opted for a local walk and Don and Liz chose to start up Sgurr Alasdair and see how far round they could get. We parked the bus at the edge of the wood, setting off in the direction of Sligachan on the stony path, where a few violets flowered. 

The waterfalls looked pretty in the morning sun. 

After a steady but gentle climb, we arrived at the bealach with its lochan. This made a fine spot for tea, caramel shortbread, and a few posed photos in the sun. 

A couple of lads laden with ropes also rested here. We then headed up the ridge. Behind us were excellent views of Glamaig in the red Cuillin and north to The Storr and Portree.

 

Poles were stowed where the ridge narrowed to an excellent rocky crest beyond which we used the narrow path below the ridge. 

The cloud now swirled around us, and fleeces were put back on. Hands were needed for the scramble to the summit, where we shared a picnic spot, sheltered from the wind, with a large group. 

Winter conditions followed, as we tried to continue along the ridge, which was covered in deep, soft snow. 

With the other group also wondering about conditions, we all turned round and returned the same way. Gaining the grass again, and a view, although not so sunny, we loitered, chatting to the group from York who were staying in Sligachan Lodge for the week. 

Below the bealach, the cold wind was in our faces until we reached the car, which was slightly hemmed in by a yellow ‘haggis’ bus. Our walk had covered 11km, with 850 metres ascent.

Arriving back at the campsite at 4 ish, we had tea and cake in the tent, a shower, then rested. Don and Liz returned at about 6:30pm, after rain had started, having completed 3 summits and traversed Collie’s Ledge, before returning down the scree slope of yesterday.*

We made dinner from the shelter of the tent - dips then mushroom and cream pasta, and trifle for pudding. Uno was the evening's entertainment and Richard beat Martin at Uno Duo whilst Jenny and I supped red wine. The rain pattered outside. 

* Sue and I did this walk with Julie on 2 May 1998. Don and Liz did very well in the cloudy conditions.

Monday 1 May (Martin)

The rain lashed down, so breakfast was leisurely - muesli and sausage butties served from our tent. 

Don and Liz left for home. Garry resumed his attempt to find Loch Lagan. (He succeeded this time after failing yesterday, but that was as far as he got.) 

Eventually the four of us headed off, stopping at a photo gallery in Broadford, where Jenny bought a print of some ferns - a reverse colour image. Then to a nearby café before continuing to Elgol, from near where we planned to walk to Loch Coruisk..  

By now it had stopped raining and the Cuillins were clearing. We carefully assessed the options after a discussion with David of Bella Jane Boat Trips.  

We decided to take the 2pm boat trip to Loch Coruisk, and adjourned to the car for lunch. Sue took some excellent photos of the Cuillin from Elgol.

 

Then we jumped aboard the Bella Jane for the 45-minute trip across Loch Scavaig, past seals (shortly to ‘pup’), to a landing just below the Memorial Hut, a posh sort of private bothy. 

We had 1½ hours to wander up Loch Coruisk before returning to the nice boat with Cap’n Q (Quentin) and Tony the guide providing hot chocolate before loading a lot of kit and a big group who were leaving early due to a poor weather forecast. 

So, it was a well laden and crowded boat that returned to Elgol via more seals, and a good view of ‘The Bad Step’ on the shore path to Coruisk. (£18 for the boat trip.)  

The Bad Step

We had a very good run back to Glenbrittle in1¼ hours. Picked up Garry and adjourned to the Old Inn at Carbost for an expensive and mediocre meal that cost more than the rest of the weekend's food. We'll use the Sligachan Hotel next time. 

By the time we got back to camp it was dark and damp and I soon settled down. It can't have been too windy as I could hear the burble of Garry’s radio 4 in the background. 

Tuesday 2 May (Martin)

A wet and windy day. Leisurely start again, with muesli and bacon butties. Then the tents came down, Garry left, and the remaining 4 of us went off in the rain through Portree, stopping briefly to look at the Kilt Rock waterfall.

On then to beyond Balmeanach burial ground where the walk shown below was attempted. 5km with 400 metres ascent. 

It was unpleasantly windy and Jenny decided to turn back. So, she and Richard missed the spectacular scenery around The Needle and The Table, to which Sue and I ascended.

The Table

Anyway, after the 1½ hour walk we stowed our wet waterproofs, ate our lunch, and headed on to Duntulm, where Caroline and William were staying. Nobody was there; they were in Portree. But the Coastguard Cottage in which they were staying was open, so we enjoyed the facilities and had a pot of tea before leaving for a 3:30 rendezvous with them at the Flodigarry Hotel, where Luke was having his fourth birthday party.

Very jolly. Lots of cake. Raff and Anna (their nanny) were also there, and Alice was much better behaved than when we last saw her in September 2005. She's now nearly one. 

We dragged ourselves reluctantly away by 4:45 and headed off on our 460-mile trip home, in driving rain until Carlisle, getting back home by 1am. (8¼ hours.) Not the most pleasant of journeys, Jenny felt jet-lagged afterwards.  

The contemporaneous diary entry transcribed above omits a few things like observations about the people whose company we enjoyed, and a lengthy critique of the Old Inn’s problems. Time has moved on; this was all 19 years ago. Doesn’t time fly?