Over The Hill

We left Morvich Campsite at 7.30am and at the car park at Killilan unloaded the bikes and were ready to start at 8.30am. The cloud was down but it was cool and pleasant for the 13k cycle up Glen Elchaig to Iron Lodge. The land around the estate buildings is very well kept and the first 4k of our bike ride was on tarmac – what a dream. The Highland cows and their calves were thankfully in a field and not straddling the road as they were when I cycled in to climb the Munro, Mullach na Dheiragain several years ago. The track beyond the tarmac is relatively easy to cycle along, with a few uphill sections where we pushed. When we stopped to take off a layer, as the sun was now out of the cloud and raising the temperature, a mother and son overtook us on an uphill section, still cycling, obviously more bike fit than us, and they were certainly younger than us (not difficult) and/or they hadn’t done a hill the day before!

Glen Elchaig is very pretty to cycle along, passing Loch na Leitreach, and not too onerous if just going to the end for a picnic and back again. The track splits at Iron Lodge, and a bit further on, splits again and encircles Aonach Buidhe passing the Maol-bhuidhe bothy. We took the right hand track which leads down to the bridge over the An Crom-allt and the steep south ridge of of the hill. We refilled the water bottles and took a deep breath, trying to spot a route up. In fact we more or less followed the mother and son combo until they disappeared, and we didn’t see them again – definitely fitter and younger!

At 11.30 we had a short rest and a refuel and facing the breeze enjoyed a view back along the way we had come. The clegs were a real nuisance, but we plodded on and the gradient eased nearer the top. We waved to two people coming down the hill whom we had spotted earlier walking along the track to the east side of the hill. They found a quicker route up obviously, but it looked steeper on the map so we had rejected that option. Perhaps they hadn’t done a hill the day before either!

At last we saw the cairn and the views that appeared were breathtaking - definitely worth the climb. We spent a while at the top, in awe of the 360 degree views. NE to Strathconnon and Loch Monar, N to Ben Dronaig (still to do) and behind to Maoile Lunndaidh and Lurg Mor, NW to the mountains of Strathcarron with An Ruadh Stac we climbed in May this year, W to the Cuillins and Skye, SW to Knoydart, S to Kintail and to the Glen Affric hills, and E to Glen Cannich. We took a video but the camera doesn’t always see it as the eye does. Looking north we saw the Maol-bhuidhe bothy, and a herd of deer in the corrie below, one of which was in the middle of a small lochan. Reluctantly we decided it was time to retrace our steps, down the grassy slope rather than heading to the path that runs between Aonach Buidhe and Faochaig, as the grass was softer underfoot than the stony track.

Near the foot of the slope I spotted a Butterfly Orchid, only the one, although there were plenty of Marsh Orchids. We saw a lizard and a few frogs but not many. We refilled the water bottles, collected the bikes and set off to the start point. In spite of a headwind it was a dream of a ride – mostly freewheeling this time with minimal pushing – what joy. We got to the van at 5pm, took the boots off and had a reviving tonic, without the gin. The car park was busy but we hadn’t seen anyone else, so where were they? The drive back was a delight being able to see the hills all around because on the way up the cloud was down for most of the journey. We were two tired and very happy bunnies. We had completed our challenge hooray.