A Surprise Trip

David organised a wonderful treat for us and whisked me off to Torridon for a couple of days. The plan had been to knobble a Corbett, Beinn Damh, on Thursday, stay at the Torridon Inn, then take a stroll up to Loch Coire Mhic Fhearchair on the Friday before returning home.

After all that fabulous weather we’ve been having, it was no great surprise that the weather broke on Wednesday night and sure enough, we had to come up with Plan B. We left mid-morning and stopped by the Inn for lunch, then drove on a little further and parked the car by a bridge. From there, we crossed the road and took a path along the river to visit the Falls of Balgy, a viewpoint and the end of Loch Damh, before joining a track to return to the road, cross it and then find our way through fire scarred woodland along a little promontory to pick off a little trig. This required a little heather bashing up a steep little slope to enjoy the rather fabulous views. It was very breezy and I was so glad we hadn’t gone for the Corbett. We carefully picked our way back down, then took a loch-side path to return to the car. Roughly 5.41 miles and 907 ft total ascent.

The lower Falls of Balgy

 

Upper Falls of Balgy

 

Who, in their right mind, would follow a sign like this, when no viewpoint is marked on the map…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Folded rocks

 

 

 

 

 

Scars remaining from the wild fires of four years ago

 

 

 

Windswept and interesting!

 

 

 

 

We spent a wonderful evening relaxing, first in our courtyard room, then at the Inn bar for pre-dinner drinks, then enjoying an excellent meal and a wee dram before retiring for the night.

On Friday, the weather forecast was really not looking good for a walk taking up to around 2,000ft, so Plan B was in action again. This time we headed to Sheldaig, briefly stopping off at the viewpoint en-route, then we abandoned the car with the sheep and made our way along another promontory. The route took us along a well maintained path, then a slightly more rugged one, before again heading up through the heather and doing a wee scramble to bag another trig. The weather was mean and moody and very blustery, I was glad to get down from the trig after enjoying the views. We continued on the path with a few more rough bits before returning to the well made path we’d walked in on. A great little leg stretch, roughly 3.29 miles, 685 ft total ascent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Woo hoo in the wind!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We decided to make the trip really worthwhile and take the Applecross road back. The weather made it very atmospheric. We stopped for lunch at the Applecross Inn, I can recommend the food, but the staff and hostess were less than cheerful, only one of the waitresses seemed happy in her work. Our journey continued over the Beaclach na ba, but we’ll have to go back…

 

What a fabulous little trip. More please!!!