TORRIDON GOLD

Sunset over Loch Torridon from Sgurr Ruadh

 Another High Pressure system drifted over the entire Scottish Highlands last week. Five days of absolutely stunning weather. Light winds, blue skies and hot sunshine! When the weather is settled like this over the whole country then there is only one place to be, Torridon! I packed the camping gear for a few days out in the hills.

WEDNESDAY 21 APRIL

Fuar Tholl and the track up to Coire Lair

With snow still hanging on in the Cairngorms and in the North West Highlands last week I was undecided what to take. Was the recent warm spell enough to have melted away the snow? I couldn't quite decide, even up to last minute. In the end I took the winter boots and winter ironmongery. My plans are always flexible and I rarely have a set, rigid itinerary for a multi day trip on my own. So better take the winter gear, just in case I felt like doing something adventurous around in the North and Eastern corries where snow will linger. I caught the train from Aviemore and headed to Achnashellach. This brilliant wee train station is the start point into some wonderful country and several routes over to Glen Torridon.

The beautiful Coire Lair

The last time I wild camped was back in December, before restrictions kicked in. So my first trip back with the camping gear was exactly the same mountain area. Coincidence or just because it is always magic here? Shortly after leaving Achnashellach station you get a magnificent view of Fuar Tholl. A steep 'Corbett' that guards the entrance into the beautiful Coire Lair. All the tracks and trails in this area are superb. Built many years ago by the local estates for deer stalking, some of these routes through the hills are also ancient passes from one glen to the next, long before roads and rail were built.

Sgorr Ruadhs N. East face

My choice of mountain to sleep on tonight was Sgorr Ruadh. It is a brilliant view point from the summit looking out to the big Torridon giants. I'd brought along the tripod as well as the proper camera with the aim of getting some sunset and sunrise shots. The finest walking route up this Munro is along the North ridge The path that goes up Coire Lair takes you right below the NE face (the mountains finest feature) and from the Bealach at the top of the coire you can easily access the Northern ridge of the hill. It was already hot by mid morning and the skies were completely clear, just as forecasted. 

Sgorr Ruadh's impressive crags

The view back down Coire Lair from the bealach

From the bealach it was quite obvious there wasn't any snow from here to the summit. Ah well, the big boots keep you fit! I was on the top by mid afternoon so had a very liesurley time having coffee and setting up the tent. I've been up this mountain well ver 50 times now so know it very well. I obviously know what the ground is like everywhere on the hill. Just a short distance from the summit cairn, on the south side, it is very grassy and almost flat. I wanted a summit camp and I was not far from the actual summit. I also wanted that great view of Beinn Alligin, Liathach and Beinn Eighe.

The North ridge of Sgorr Ruadh looking over to the Torridon Mountains

Not bad views, Beinn Liath Mor

Or this way, Fuar Tholl

Liathach & Beinn Eighe from the porch

After a liesurley dinner I had a mooch around the top of the impressive crags just down from the summit whilst I waited for the sun to slowly go down. Of course this time of year we have plenty of long daylight hours. The sun not setting till around 8.30pm. 

It is often said that you don't really know any mountain well until you've been up it many times via many routes and ultimately slept on it. Very true. Ive certainly explored this wonderful Munro many a time And slept on the top. There is an 'easy' Grade I winter gully on the East face which I have climbed a few times. Great views from the top of this route. I spent the remainder of the late afternoon looking for Ptarmigan and other wildlife. 

Typical Torridonian Sandstone crags and ledges

Fuar Tholl fron the east face exits

Liathach's fine ridgeline

Beinn Liath Mhor's amazing geology

I set up the tripod and camera for the sunset at the summit. There is nothing finer than sitting and watching the sun slowly sink to the horzon. The NW coast, of course, as may mountains where you will get some spectacular sunsets over the Minch. I love this one because you get the Torridon Mountains thrown in for good measure.

Golden light over Fuar Tholl

The sunset over Loch Torridon with Beinn Alligin & Liathach on the right

Skye Cuillin on the left horizon with Maol Chean-dearg at near centre

Skye & a distant Western Isles

Sunset and Beinn Alligin

The moon was out so the light was extended way after the sun gave out its final embers. A lovely sunset. No.better place in the world to be at that moment. 

THURSDAY 22 APRIL

It had been  a chilly night and early morning with a layer of frost on the tent when I got up. I was at the stove and brewing up for 5am and ready to capture sunrise, of course. Equally as spectacular. You need to be up early these days if you want to see it properly. It is definitely worth it. Make a coffee and wait for mother nature. Wonderful. 

Sunrise!

A few seconds late and your camera will not cope!

By 9am it was warm again. Unfortunately there was a definite haze today with the breeze coming from a SW direction which nearly always means poorer quality of air and definition for photography. Still, can't be too greedy!

Maol Chean-dearg at first light

Some morning haze onto the Torridon hills

An Ruadh-stac

I packed up the tent and headed back down the North ridge in beautiful early morning, warm sunshine. Next stop, Glen Torridon. The trail from the bealach continues through the hills with stunning mountain and loch views all the way.

Loch an Eion

Liathach guiding the way

Typical Torridonian Sandstone pavement

I reached beautiful and spectaculat Glen Torridon by mid afternoon. It was extremely quiet, just a cyclis. I had only seen 3 mountain bikers and two distant walkers since yesterday morning. The local deer in the glen were outnumbering humans at this point.

The locals

No worries about humans

I pitched up in the glen for tonight and headed to the Torridon Stores, except they're currently closing at 3pm! That ice cold coke will have to wait!

FRIDAY 23 APRIL

Even warmer today. With it was more haze. I was wanting to get some more photography in, my main focus for this trip I suppose. So I lingered a while and waited for the shop in Torridon to open, at 11am! There was cloud building up by lunch time but I eventually teared myself away from civilisation with a coffee outside the shop watching the world go by. I planned on heading round the back of Liathach, to it's Northern climbing corries. 

The beautiful path up Coire Mhic Nobuill

Cloud over Beinn Eighe

The corries on the North side of Liathach are very spectacular and this is where the vast majority of the Winter climbing begins. What a place to venture on the second finest mountain on Earth. To get into the corries you start up the path from Loch Torridon which goes up Coire Mhic Nbuill. A very fine and easy walk on excellent paths. If you continue on this it makes a circcuit around the North side of Liathach and ecventually comes back into Glen Torridon via Coire Dubh Mor. I wanted to leave the trail and head up into the upper reaches of Coire na Caime. Lithach's most spectacular coire. 

Loch Coire na Caime

It's an hour of rough, pathless walking to get into the coire. Highly unlikely to meet anyone here, even in winter. As you climb higher the crags become more and more spectacular. In the centre of this magnificent coire lies the beautiful and lonely Loch Coire na Caime. A wonderful spot to sit and admire and sleep! No phone signal at all on this side of the hill. Solitude indeed. Just the faint noise of a few burns. 

Beach and big crags

The Northern Pinnacles of Liathach on the right

Delightful burns and pools

SATURDAY 24 APRIL

A fabulous few days in Torridon. Time to head home. Another hot day, although it was quite breezy and cool first thing in the morning. Was the wind Katabatic? The high tops foecast was for it to be a light breeze. I chose a different route back to Achnashellach. The right of way from Glen Torridon through the Coulin Estate is an easy walk on good paths and tracks with a gentle bealach to climb over back into Glen Carron, The Coulin Pass. On the way some stunning scenery!

Beautiful Loch Clair and mighty Liathach

Sgurr Dubh & Loch Clair

Liathach & Beinn Eighe

Loch Clair is a photographers dream. Right beside the road in Glen Torridon with a backdrop of mountains and small remnants of Caledonian Pines. Best time for the light is morning. Today we were back with very clear air and cloudless skies. After spending an hour at Loch Clair I set off through the Coulin Estate, but walking was very slow with photography opportunities every couple of minutes!

Loch Clair & Liathach

Liathach & Beinn Eighe

Sgurr |Dubh and Liathach

There is fabulous birdlife on Loch Clair and further into the estate at Loch Coulin. I could have very easily spent another few hours lingering around here. By mid morning it was hot, hotter than the last few days. Any snow on the hills was fast melting away. 

Beinn Eighe & Loch Clair

At the Southern end of Loch Clair Beinn Eighe suddenly takes centre stage over an abscent Liathach and shows off much more of its huge ridgeline, the views are behind you of course. Loch Clair very kindly gave me a reflection before I left this beautiful stretch of water.

Quiet path through the state

Beinn Liath Mhor's Eastside

Loch Coulin & Beinn Eighe

Beinn Eighe eventually shows off her entre ridge once you arrive at Loch Coulin. One last big reveal before it starts to be left behind and you continue over the Coulin Pass. The fine mountain vistas haven't quite ended though. As the path joins a big 4WD track and steadily clims to the high point you get to see Beinn Liath Mhor's Eastern flanks.

Beinn Liath Mhor

The top of the Coulin Pass

It's less than an hour from the top of the pass back to Achnashellach. From one magnificent world you come down into a much gentler part of the NW Highlands, well until you head South and then there is a whole wealth of remote, wild Munros that await you. But that's another trip!

Loch Dughaill and Glen Carron

SUNDAY 25 APRIL

Back home and a leisurely walk today. The final day of this mini-heatwave before all change and back to cool, wet conditions. A spot of easy walking and birdwatching in the Monadhliath. These hills cover a huge chunk of the Highlands and are the largest area of uplands in the UK. Here you will find space, peace and no other humans, just as we did. 

Space and lots of it!

Beautiful wee pools and burns

No Munros, no Corbetts but plenty of hills around 500-600m. Some easy with good access tracks and some more challenging with peat hags and rough walking with no.paths. Great areas to practice your navigation. 

The beutiful Wheatear