Thursday 24 May - Beinn Bhuidhe

(This post has been put together in bits and pieces so apologies if it is a bit disjointed.)
The most western top of the long ridge running eastwards to Beinn Bhuidhe, is clearly seen from Long Beach and although this Corbett is often climbed from the east, via Mam Meadail, we opted to gain the ridge from Loch Bhraomisaig fearing that we would be cooked alive
in Gleann Meadail.

The burn from Coire nan Gobhar provided a welcome water suppy for pouring over heads, as well as for drinking and filling water bottles, before the pull to ridge and Sgurr Coire nan Gobhar. The Knoydart ticks were out in force and we spent some time removing the tiny brutes from arms and legs (and in my case, feet). Lynne sympathised: "Serves you right for wearing shoes". From the moment we'd taken to the hill after crossing the bridge over the Inverie River, the going had been harder - steeper, rougher and hotter than on Beinn na Caillich, but I felt none of the weariness of that day. I'd put it down to temperature alone but I suspect it was a lack of calories. For me, hot weather and eating don't go well together. Also that day I couldn't get the Quest adjusted as a day pack and was constantly stopping to re-adjust. It was a frustrating experience and a painful one. Two paracetamol taken by the cairn!

Anyway, Sgurr Coire nan Gobhar was eventually reached and in a light breeze we made our way to the Bealach Bhuidhe. Food.

We were quickly over the intervening 786m top and up to the trig point (pic). Sgurr na Ciche jutting skyward(pic); Ben Aden above the River Carnach, still to be done. Too many to name. Go see if you haven't been there. The ridge continues down to the Mam Meadail and Meall Bhuidhe could be linked with our hill of today (a hard day out I would think) but most will include it with Luinne Bheinn as we did from Barrisdale with our young border collie Mist, as eager to explore the hills as we were. We'd walked in from Kinloch Hourn, hurriedly pitched the tent and climbed both Munros. The following day we did Ladhar Bheinn, walked back out in the cool evening and drove back to Invercoe and the caravan. We'd had temperatures similar those on this trip while snow had fallen in the Cairngorms and mountain rescue teams had been in action. By morning it had arrived in Glen Coe. It was 2nd June.

As we left the summit we met the same lone walker encountered on Beinn na Caillich. More or less just starting the Corbetts, he was fourteen Munros away from his second round and looking forward to the peace and quite of the Corbetts. I recalled a light-hearted magazine article from many years ago titled "You'll meet a better class of walker on the Corbetts", wished him well and went our separate ways.

The lower slopes leading down to the River Inverie were a tangle of old bracken and new, the air fragrant with the perfume of wild hyacinths.

Sitting back at the tent removing ticks from legs (covered all day) a passing walker stopped "Are you Afootinthehills", he asked. "Certainly am. Are you Alex?" Fellow blogger (but not a Follower! Ed.- generously, he is now) he also was here for the Corbetts. Good to meet you Alex and I hope you enjoyed Beinn na Caillich. I think your suggested route via the Mam Li might have been a better choice than ours, so I hope you weren't cursing us too much yesterday! To be honest I don't know why we didn't go that way. Phillip Tranter eh? What a man.

Later we met Gus and Jess (I think that was their names) who'd just completed their East to West coast crossing having started from Aberdeen. We had a coffee with them in Inverie before catching the boat. Have a wonderful trip to Peru, Jess.

And so we are now back at Glen Nevis enjoying coffee in the sun.
"For Knoydart you will want many more days than you ever have avaiable. Knoydart is a far country as well as a rough one". Hamish Brown.

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