Return to Glen Affric!

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After the spring trip, I visited this area again in summertime.

30-31 July 2006

Also this time the trip went via Newcastle: with SN one can fly there quite cheaply, and if one orders long enough in advance, the train travel with GNER to the north is also very payable. For only £21 I could travel via Edinburgh and Inverness to the small station of Attadale on the line to Kyle.From there, into nature, via Strathan (still smaller than the Strathan by Loch Arkaig, but with two inhabited houses) up to Loch an Iasiach, very beautiful loch to camp, but as from the first evening already a good rain shower!

01 August 2006

The following morning, waited for the end of the rain waited, and our little insect friends are massively present! This is Scotland in the summer! Via Glen Ling, descent to Killilan, a very nice hamlet complete with red phone box, and further by Glen Elchaig. Camping at the foot of the path which goes to the Falls or Glomach. A good wind at night, therefore no insects!

02 August 2006

The climb to the Falls or Glomach is over a steep and difficult path, but the view on the water falls is impressive. Arrived above, going on in southwestern direction via the famous Bealach na Sroine,the pass of the Nose ! Descending to the Dorusduain forest. Initial objective was to go straight to to Glen Affric from here, but it is meanwhile already wide after the afternoon, so that I aim to the (very luxurious) camp-site at Morvich. Evening, a walk to the pub in the Kintail lodge hotel!

03 August 2006

Eastwards through Glen Lichd, passing the well known Morvich outdoorcentre, and further to the neighbourhood of Camban bothy. The best campsite around the bothy is the sheepfold some hundreds of meters further: beautiful dry ground. A splendid place in splendid surroundings! The insects are however terrible, so most of the time is spent inside behind the insect mesh.

04 August 2006

From here, it is only a short walk to Alltbeithe. There is a new manager, a young Australian lady, the previous one having been possibly driven off with the arrival of the insects! In the afternoon I will once look at to the spring work site, and the small trees are growing beautifully! In the youth hostel, different guests come by, including Belgians and Dutch.

05 August 2006

Back west through Glen Gniomhaidh towards Glen Gaorsac. Difficult passage by this very swampy glen. Camp at the bank of Loch Gaorsac: a beautiful but extremely solitary place. Few people pass here, it is the shortest way from Glen Affric to the Falls or Glomach, but there is no real path and the area is very wet. It starts raining on arrival in the late afternoon and it will not stop until the following morning. No insects, but nevertheless remain warm and dry inside. In the Nammatj one sits well protected, this was certainly a justified investment!

06 August 2006

Back to the inhabited world today, what means that we have to cross the high Bealach after Sgairne! There is a very good path from Glen Gaorsac, which is not shown on the map however! Once on top, enjoying the view (no Munro's, which are in the fog), and then the long descent to Morvich, and further to the camp-site at Shiel bridge. This one is much simpler (and cheaper) than the one at Morvich, but it is only a short walk to the Kintail lodge pub!

07 August 2006

For the last complete day here, still a beautiful local walk from Shiel bridge: up Glen Undalain, and then up to the bealach at Loch Coire nan Cragachan, down and up again through the Moyle wood, and then a few miles along the road up to the youth hostel of Ratagan. A beautiful closure of a week in this splendid area, and the occasion of putting everything in order for the return trip, via Fort William to Newcastle, and just on time in Brussels before the security hassles in the British airports!

I look forward to already to next year!