Sgurr Coire Choinnichean

Seen from the 'Western Isles' as she sails in to Inverie Bay, this is an impressive hill. Beinn na Caillich and Beinn Bhuidhe are the other two peaks making up the 'Inverie Corbetts', and this trio, together with a dozen others, have peered out at us from the Tables for about eight years now. Other ploys always seemed to take precedence over completing 'the list': climbing; picking up those remaining Munro 'Tops' we missed out on the round; hills on nobody's list but ours; exploring the great headlands of NW Skye; bird watching at Neist and so on. Now though, we have resolved to finish what we started!

So here we are in Knoydart; at Inverie campsite on the shores of Loch Nevis.(We seem to have brought everything including the kitchen sink with us). The walk to Long Beach from the village is a lovely one with primroses, wild hyacinths, bistort and lush greenery lining the roadside. The view from the tent door is of Rum

By the time we'd disembarked, walked to Long Beach, pitched the tent, packed the sacks etc it was 1pm and a perfect afternoon for an ascent of Sgurr Coire Choinnichichean. In our haste to get going we missed the start of the track which leads to Mam Uidhe, so much faffing took place (as Gayle would say). Once clear of the forest the ascent to the spectacular Allt Slochd a' Mhogha gorge is trackless but on the ridge it's good all the way to the summit.

To the north across wet and peat hagged Coire Choinnichen and Glean na Guiserein lay our hill for tomorrow, Beinn na Caillich, and to our north west was Ladhar Bheinn. It's a wild and special place, The Rough Bounds.

I'm sending this sitting at the cairn on Beinn na Caillich - no signal from the camp site.

Conrad - your exercises sound a bit unpleasant to say the least, but it'll be worth it I'm sure. So far the trip is living up to expectations.

Geoff - when you get a decent forecast you just have to go somewhere like Knodart.

Alan R - enjoy your jaunt north.











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