Meet Report: 25 May – 1 June 2024 at the Naismith Hut, Elphin.

Saturday 25th May
With three late cancellations, the smaller party began to assemble for another most enjoyable meet at the SMC’s comfortable and well-appointed cottage in Elphin, in the rugged and beautiful Assynt region of NW Scotland. On the way, Peter and Jennifer ascended Sail Mhor from Ardessie, their 158th Corbett, while Mick travelled up from Skye having taken the ferry to Uig after a fortnight in Harris and Lewis, and after shopping for breakfasts, completed a coastal walk around Achnahaird Bay with its fine views of the Assynt hills.

Sunday 26th
With a not too brilliant forecast, Mick, Peter and Jen dropped a car off at the col at Faire nan Carn and returned to Inchnadamph to traverse Glas Bheinn by the 6 mile connoisseur’s ridge that takes in Beinn na Fhurain and Beinn Uidhe and “enjoyed” the >2 km of quartzite boulder hopping in decidedly wet, cold and windy conditions.

Monday 27th
The weather forecast was better in the morning and so Mick, Peter and Jen got up early and bagged a solitary parking space near the outflow from Loch Lurgainn. After donning midge repellent, they did a very pleasant round of Sgurr Deas and Sgorr Tuath, the two summits of Beinn an Eoin. The views across the glen to Stac Pollaidh were magnificent. Tim and Ged arrived in the evening. Peter went out to his car for a few minutes in the evening attired in shorts and was swiftly ravaged by hordes of midges.

Tuesday 28th
Tim took his bike out for a long and technically challenging 56 km ride over Rhidorroch and Loch Diamh from Ullapool, with the trail being decidedly boggy or rough or both in many places.

Apart from Mick, who had done three ascents before (two being East-West traverses), the rest of the group had never been up Suilven and were very keen to do so, so they drove over to Inverkirkaig to walk in using the southern approach. This route was much quieter than the one from Lochinver, yet still had a decent path. Even the steep ascent to Bealach Mhor was relatively pleasant. The summit of Suilven was out of cloud (just) and we enjoyed the panorama in the presence of several other parties who had come up the north side from Lochinver. Peter went on to the top of Meall Meadhonach, the impressively pointed subsidiary top, while the rest of the party took a lunch break at the foot of the descent from the bealach. All returned via an excursion to see the Falls of Kirkaig after a fairly long day.

Wednesday 29th
With another indifferent forecast, Ged went off to complete his first ascent of Stac Pollaidh by traversing the ridge East-West, assisting another party on the final scramble. Mick prospected the coastal Postie’s Path approach to Ben Mor Coigach from Blughasary, going as far as Geodha Mor, where the route disappeared into the relentlessly stable low cloud that enveloped the summit. He confirmed that it is a splendid route and merits another visit in better weather. In the meantime, Peter and Jennifer had a relatively short day and climbed Breabag, to complete their Assynt Corbetts. Tim decided on yet another bike ride. Starting from Black Bridge near Loch Glascarnoch he rode North up Strath Rannoch then along Strath Vaich and over the bealach to Glen Alladale. Descending the rocky track to Alladale Lodge at a pace suitable to his age, he was overtaken by a swarm of small boys hurtling towards their campsite surrounding the Lodge. They seemed to be having a high old time despite the midges which they probably outnumbered. Tim returned by his outbound route. 40km.

Thursday 30th
Tim drove to Lochinver and cycled up the singletrack coastal road to Stoer lighthouse, returning much the same way. Although mostly on the road this was a beautiful and scenic ride. An attempt to cycle up to the Old Man of Stoer was thwarted by a deep ravine, so the last mile was completed on foot. 45km in total.

After a fairly early start, Peter and Jen were very keen to climb Stac Pollaidh for the first time and with Mick, followed in Ged’s footsteps to complete the very enjoyable E-W ridge traverse. The cloud lifted by the time they got onto the ridge and a little drizzle came fortunately after the scrambling. Ged went to size up the impressive sea stack of the Old Man of Stoer, and later visited Gairloch and Torridon.

In the evening, we all drove over to Lochinver for a very pleasant dinner at Peet’s Restaurant and found that the well-known author and backpacker Chris Townsend was also dining there.

Friday 31st
With a wet day and low cloud much in evidence on the Assynt summits, Ged set off to prospect the car parking arrangements at Dundonnell for his planned ascent of An Teallach on Saturday and collected his son Aaron from Garve railway station. Mick, Peter and Jennifer stayed in to make some plans for a trip to the Franco-Italian Southern Alps in September. Tim set off for Lowstern so as to break up his 550 mile journey home. He stopped at Blair Atholl and cycled a route up Glen Tilt then across wild and remote feeling moors to Allt Scheiathan bothy, returning down Glen Bruar past the falls. 41km.

Saturday 1st June
We tidied up the hut and departed into the sunshine of the best weather of the week! Ged and Aaron headed off to Dundonnell for a successful traverse of An Teallach in lovely conditions. Mick headed off to the Scottish Borders to join the SBHWC for a walk in the Cheviots on Sunday and on the way climbed Blair Denon Hill in the Ochils to add to his collection of Donalds. Peter and Jennifer drove over to the NW Cairngorms and climbed the Corbett of Corryhabbie Hill from Ellivreid in Glen Rinnes and went on to bag Cook’s Cairn (a Graham), as a prelude to another week in Scotland with an ambitious hill bagging plan for the Cairngorms.

Tim got up early at Lowstern and rode the Ingleborough Round, an excellent route up Long Lane, Sulber, Horton, Sell Gill, Ling Gill and Ribblehead. Return was along the bridleway below Whernside, past Albert Chapman’s farmhouse and Ged’s house. 46km.

Attendees
Mick Borroff, Aaron Campion, Ged Campion, Tim Josephy, Jennifer and Peter Tennant.