May 1972 - A Trip to Mull

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I've been scanning slides of a 1980 visit to the island of Mull, but before posting that entry I noticed these pictures from a visit in May 1972. This was probably my second visit to the island, the first being a year earlier during the solo trip described here.

Anyway, I think I'd spotted a place to camp near Tobermory the previous year when I'd stayed in the Youth Hostel. This time I was with John Clark and Roger Freeman, travelling in my green Mini, BVN 406B, that would be my principal means of transport for the next five years or so.

Our campsite was next to the path leading from Tobermory to the lighthouse at Rubha nan Gall, in the vicinity of Rubha na Leip, around NM 511 557, just above the high tide mark. It's pictured above; high tide reached to within inches of the tents..

It seems that we encountered this waterfall en route to Tobermory.

Our accommodation appears to have been a Blacks Good Companion tent with a giant flysheet, and by this time I had purchased my first Vango tent, one of the early Mk4 versions.

It really is (was) a fine place to camp, just a few minutes walk from the fleshpots of Tobermory. Roger climbed a tree for a better view. He encompassed the Spirit of Adventure in those days.

Without the benefit of a diary, I can't remember what we did. We may have gone up Ben More, but I doubt it. We certainly did drive around to Lochbuie, where the next picture was taken.

Camp was set up near Bunessan, just above a wonderful sandy beach.

Rather than go for a walk, my companions preferred to exercise their vast engineering skills by creating complex waterways on the beach.

Our campsite can just be made out in the centre of the next picture.

Bunessan is close to Iona, and the last day of our trip was spent on a visit to that island, the prospect of which appears to have Roger jumping for joy!

I think the next (last) four pictures in this sequence were taken on Iona, where we spent a whole day before returning home.

Next up - the 1980 trip to Mull that marked the start of our 'diary' records. We also visited the island in 1979 (and maybe other years in the 1970s) but I haven't got to those pictures yet.

Easter 1972 - A Trip to Skye

 

Here's a trip with a few photos but no diary entry. I'll do my best to remember it, and Mike may provide some additional comments that I'll add later.

 

I'm pretty sure it was Easter 1972, and we probably travelled up to the Loch Lomond area on the Thursday or Friday. I'll assume Thursday. I would guess that the top picture was taken the following morning, 31 March, possibly at the Ardlui campsite by Loch Lomond.

 

My companion was my schoolmate Mike, who has appeared previously on these pages as 'Poor Michael', my hapless mate on the rather inclement TGO Challenge of 2011, and on an earlier 'training' walk in the Lake District. 

 

I think the next picture was probably taken looking back to the Ben More range, site of my first Munro 'bag' in 1968, from north of Crianlarich.

 

 

We were traveling in my first car, a 1964 Mini 850. I had it from 1971 to about 1976, and took the mileage from 30,000 to 100,000 before crashing it. At this point in 1972 the passenger floor leaked, so I'd waterproofed it using a unique blend of glass fibre and the old metal 'Marvel' tins. This worked a treat, but didn't stop the leak into the car. On this trip, Mike found the water level in his footwell steadily rising as we progressed north in the rain. Eventually he found a pan with which to bale out. Unfortunately the sliding window didn't open wide enough, and he managed to empty the pan all over himself. When I got home I drilled a hole in the floor of the car.

 

 

We headed north, through Glencoe.

 

 

 

 

We stopped at the War Memorial, and admired the view towards Ben Nevis.

 

 

By the time we reached Loch Cluanie, we were ready for a walk. So we headed up the Five Sisters ridge, aiming for Sgurr an Fhuarain.

 

 

 

 

 

We didn't reach the summit, but it was a good walk in the mountains. Here's a panorama constructed from the last two images - a fine view - click on the image...

 

  

Then we headed onto Skye, and the single track road (most were single track then) to Glenbrittle, pausing on the way at a viewpoint.

 

 

The next day (Saturday?), I think we must have toured around on a dreich day, during which we undertook a short coastal walk and I took just one picture.

 

 

Then on Sunday we enjoyed a walk in the Cuillins, heading up Coire Lagan. We set off from where we were camped, at Glenbrittle. I think there were others in the party, whom we met up with at Glenbrittle, but I can't recall who they might have been.

 

 

Mike is on the left in the next picture, next to an unidentified friend.

 

 

We gradually worked our way up into Coire Lagan.

 

 

 

 

 

There were rocky views all around, but when we turned around we were still some way off reaching the ridge, which in the next picture is dominated by the In Pin.

 

 

Here, we are looking back down into Coire Lagan.

 

 

The next two pictures were taken in the direction of Sgurr Alasdair, with the Great Stone Shoot looking formidable.

 

 

 

Whilst I've been up that since, on this occasion we were happy to reverse our steps and head back to camp, from where I presume (in the absence of evidence to the contrary) we headed back home the following day, Monday, in time for work on Tuesday.

 

 

I must have dropped Mike off somewhere. Perhaps his memory is better than mine - I'll add his comments, if any, in due course.