Scottish Road Trip
Got back yesterday from a two week trip to Scotland. View some of the photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/33420474@N04/sets/72157621938893967/
After a quick Munro on the way north (Beinn Tulaichean) the first part of the trip was spent island hopping with our mountain bikes. To reach the first island Eigg we took a small ferry from Arisaig. The crossing was very rough and a few people including me looked very 'green'. We set up camp on a lovely grass patch not far from the ferry pier and then went exploring on the bikes. The only road took us to Singing Sands Bay. The clouds were low and it rained on and off but we had a great trip.
In the evening we went to the cafe/bar to be entertained by the locals. Only 84 people live on the island and half of them got very drunk that night. The next day we set off to climb the islands iconic hill An Sgurr. As is often the case it was cloud covered when we reached the top but on the way down the skies cleared and we were rewarded with great views of the towering cliffs. The skies were clear as we boarded the ferry back to Arisaig.
After a night in Mallaig it was off to Rum on the Cal Mac Small Isles Ferry. This was a much smoother crossing and our accomodation on the island was to be a castle not a wee tent. After booking in at Kinloch Castle (we were in the hostel) we explored Kinloch Glen by bike and on foot. We hoped to do the Rum Cullin Corbets the next day but low cloud wind and rain made this unsafe so we settled on a bike ride across the island to Harris. This was quite tough on the gravel road into a head wind but worth the effort to see the Bullough Mausoleum. On the way back we left the bikes to climb Minishal for a better view of the island. The Cullin remained cloud covered all day.
Our final island was Canna and it was a flying visit. We took the ferry from Rum and had just over an hour to quickly cycle the one dirt road on to Sanday Island.
Once back on the mainland we headed to Fort William but had to move on to Roy Bridge as the campsite up Glen Nevis was full. Our aim now was to climb some munros on Susan's list and do some cycling. First off we cycled to Fort William along the Caladonia Canal and returned via Leanachan Forest. Then we got in a Munro day - climbing Aonach Mor and Aonach Beag from Glen Nevis - before moving north to Glen Shiel. On route we climbed Gleoraich and Spidean Mialach in the rain.
The campsite in Glen Shiel was a midge nightmare - as it often is. This was Susan's first visit and she'll remember it well. The Glen has many Munros on her to do list but we only had time for three - Carn Ghluasaid, Sgurr nan Conbhairean and Sail Chaorainn - before heading further north to Lochcarron. These were climbed on a much better day and we got some good views.
In Lochcarron we stayed at the basic but good 'Wee campsite'. Susan wanted to visit Plockton so we had a ride there on the sunniest day of the trip. We also wanted to visit Applecross having watched 'Beachcomber Cottage' on TV over the winter. Unfortunately the weather was really wet and windy but we did visit the bothy at Sands Bay where Monty Hall stayed.
Our final destination was Gairloch. On route we climbed Susan's 162nd Munro - Fionn Bheinn - from Achnasheen - again in the rain!!!!. Before starting the climb we bumped in to two fellow An Teallach Mountaineering Club members - Willie Bain and Brian Rendall. They were on a 'bagging trip' as both have nearly completed their Munros.
On our final day before heading south we had another great ride in the sun from Gairloch to Rubha Reidh Lighthouse. The views to Skye, Harris, Lewis and Sutherland were great and we both wished we had longer to travel in this wonderful area. We will be back!!!!!!!!!!!!
After a quick Munro on the way north (Beinn Tulaichean) the first part of the trip was spent island hopping with our mountain bikes. To reach the first island Eigg we took a small ferry from Arisaig. The crossing was very rough and a few people including me looked very 'green'. We set up camp on a lovely grass patch not far from the ferry pier and then went exploring on the bikes. The only road took us to Singing Sands Bay. The clouds were low and it rained on and off but we had a great trip.
In the evening we went to the cafe/bar to be entertained by the locals. Only 84 people live on the island and half of them got very drunk that night. The next day we set off to climb the islands iconic hill An Sgurr. As is often the case it was cloud covered when we reached the top but on the way down the skies cleared and we were rewarded with great views of the towering cliffs. The skies were clear as we boarded the ferry back to Arisaig.
After a night in Mallaig it was off to Rum on the Cal Mac Small Isles Ferry. This was a much smoother crossing and our accomodation on the island was to be a castle not a wee tent. After booking in at Kinloch Castle (we were in the hostel) we explored Kinloch Glen by bike and on foot. We hoped to do the Rum Cullin Corbets the next day but low cloud wind and rain made this unsafe so we settled on a bike ride across the island to Harris. This was quite tough on the gravel road into a head wind but worth the effort to see the Bullough Mausoleum. On the way back we left the bikes to climb Minishal for a better view of the island. The Cullin remained cloud covered all day.
Our final island was Canna and it was a flying visit. We took the ferry from Rum and had just over an hour to quickly cycle the one dirt road on to Sanday Island.
Once back on the mainland we headed to Fort William but had to move on to Roy Bridge as the campsite up Glen Nevis was full. Our aim now was to climb some munros on Susan's list and do some cycling. First off we cycled to Fort William along the Caladonia Canal and returned via Leanachan Forest. Then we got in a Munro day - climbing Aonach Mor and Aonach Beag from Glen Nevis - before moving north to Glen Shiel. On route we climbed Gleoraich and Spidean Mialach in the rain.
The campsite in Glen Shiel was a midge nightmare - as it often is. This was Susan's first visit and she'll remember it well. The Glen has many Munros on her to do list but we only had time for three - Carn Ghluasaid, Sgurr nan Conbhairean and Sail Chaorainn - before heading further north to Lochcarron. These were climbed on a much better day and we got some good views.
In Lochcarron we stayed at the basic but good 'Wee campsite'. Susan wanted to visit Plockton so we had a ride there on the sunniest day of the trip. We also wanted to visit Applecross having watched 'Beachcomber Cottage' on TV over the winter. Unfortunately the weather was really wet and windy but we did visit the bothy at Sands Bay where Monty Hall stayed.
Our final destination was Gairloch. On route we climbed Susan's 162nd Munro - Fionn Bheinn - from Achnasheen - again in the rain!!!!. Before starting the climb we bumped in to two fellow An Teallach Mountaineering Club members - Willie Bain and Brian Rendall. They were on a 'bagging trip' as both have nearly completed their Munros.
On our final day before heading south we had another great ride in the sun from Gairloch to Rubha Reidh Lighthouse. The views to Skye, Harris, Lewis and Sutherland were great and we both wished we had longer to travel in this wonderful area. We will be back!!!!!!!!!!!!
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