Footprints Across Scotland
Why not make a few of your own!
21st and 22nd July 2007
Well it has been a few weeks since my last trip but I finally got away over the weekend. With most of the UK under a deluge of water especially to the south it seemed likely that the best way to avoid the rain was to go further north. Although it was a bit gray the rain stayed away for the best part. I headed off early Saturday up past Inverness and onto Lairg and then up along the single track road that leads towards Tongue stopping just short of Altnaharra.
Ben Klibreck
I squelched my way across 3km of grassy and slightly boggy moorland to the foot of Ben Klibreck before a fairly steep ascent onto the main ridge. The mist was tooing and frowing across the summit and didn't clear for any length of time till I was on my way down. I decided to take a different route back across the southern top and down less steep slopes to the lower moor.
Ben Klibreck and Loch an Fhuarain
I was back at the car around 4.30 so as I had plenty of time headed further north past Ben Hope and on to Durness which lies at the far north-west tip of Scotland. The camp site here lies on the hillside above a nice sandy beech which I am sure would have looked even better in the sunshine.
Durness Beach
After putting the tent up, a shower and bite to eat was followed by a quick walk along the beech and then a couple of pints of Guinness at the local pub. A nice quite night's sleep was only interrupted slightly by the odd patter of rain on the fly sheet. Was up around 7.30 the next day and thought the weather was about to change as I got my second shower of the day when returning from the toilet block. 20 minutes later however it stopped raining so I quickly took the opportunity to take down the tent. I needn't have rushed as that was the last rain I saw until early evening when driving back to Aberdeen. The clouds were covering the tops of the hills of was thinking of climbing so I just headed south slowly hoping things might improve. Stopped briefly at Kyle of Durness, a sea loch that runs out to Balknakeil bay and then the sea and around to Cape Wrath. Had lunch on the shores of loch Assynt opposite Ardvreck castle before moving down to just north of Ullapool were I settled on a low level walk under the cliffs of Ben Mor Coigach.
Camas Mor, Loch Kanaird
I arrived back at the car around 7.00, had a quick wash then headed on back to Aberdeen stopping for the customary fish and chips in Fochabers.
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