Over The Hill

As high pressure continued to sit over Scotland, and the west was best, we couldn’t resist trying to climb a new hill in clear weather and potentially good views. Bikes were loaded into the van and we set off late afternoon to park in Glen Dessary at the end of Loch Arkaig near Strathan. As it is a very long 12 miles down a single track road with very few passing places and the bracken hiding the edge of the road I was nervous about meeting anything and having to reverse. We were lucky and also relieved that there were 3 spaces left at the car park, so we had a choice. Pitched Les’ tent as quickly as possible as the midges were biting and ate supper in the van.

Alarm was set for 6.30am, I opened the curtains and couldn’t see a thing! The mist was right down but by the time we left at 7.45am it was beginning to lift. We cycled through the woods and past A’ Chuil bothy (which is now open) on quite a good forest track until we reached the junction of the Alt Coire nan Uth and the River Dessary. We left the bikes here padlocked together. After an hour’s cycle the mist had lifted and we had a first sighting of our hill, with its pointy top, and it looked so far away. We walked a further 2k until we reached the edge of the next forest and the start of the climb.

We easily crossed the river as the water was low, and started to climb the steep grassy, tussocky slope of Meall nan Sroine, the east end of the ridge. It was now very warm and there were plenty of deer flies to annoy us. At 11am we got to the ridge proper and had a short break. The Druim Coire nan Laogh ridge is a very undulating, rocky ridge studded with lochans which twists and turns along its length, which makes decisions about the route to take quite challenging. But we could see our objective which is a huge plus on a big day. There is a short scramble to the top but not too airy. We met a man coming off the top and it was the person who had slept in his car parked next to us in the car park, and who had set off on foot a little earlier than us. Younger and fitter (they all are) as he said he’d spent an hour at the top. He was contemplating climbing Carn Mor as he thought he had enough time to do so. It was now about 1.15pm, so we had taken five and a half hours to the top.

There was a mass of flying ants right at the cairn so a quick photo nearby and a retreat to have lunch looking over to Loch Nevis to the north west and Loch Morar to the south west, and to the hills in the distance all around. The views west were hazy but we could see Rum and Eigg with cloud beneath them and the Skye hills appeared above a halo of cloud. The ridge towards the west top 750m away is known as Sgurr na h-Aide and looked very fine, but we had no time to do that on the day. Don't think we'll be going back though......