CWT – day 2
28.4.2023 Friday
Corryhully bothy – Barrisdale bothy
44 km – 1535 m ↑ – 84 km total
It rains all night, luckily easing off by dawn. In the morning my roommates sing happy birthday to me, pour some Scotch whisky, and I say my goodbyes and head off. Today I’ve got 3 passes planned.
I reach the first one after about half hour of walking, and my feet stay dry for exactly that amount of time too. I’d put on Sealskinz waterproof socks — we’ll see how that goes. The climb up Bealach Allt n’ Chaoruinn (483 m) is nice, decent, readable trail alongside a stream, but the other side is a complete soggy mess after the rain.
Several times I can’t tell where the trail even is. It runs along the left bank of a small river, which you have to wade through at the end. Stepping on stones, you can make it across dry-footed. After 10 km I reach the bigger Pean river, luckily bridged. After crossing it I miss the turn and end up wandering around a marshy forest for a bit. After 20 minutes I find a forest road and after another 5 km reach A’chuill bothy. A beautifully remote spot in a meadow, but I push on toward the next pass, Bealach an Lagain Duibh (300 m). The way up is waterlogged, I have to jump around like a mountain goat. Monumental peaks tower all around — it looks like in the Lord of the Rings here.
Even the names sound alike — some are hard to read and even harder to pronounce. On the way down I pass a loch, Lochan a’Mhaim. Pretty little path, though underwater almost the whole way. Only near the end it does change, opening up to beautiful views of the Atlantic Ocean — Loch Nevis.
Down in the bay I sit for a bit at Sourlies bothy. Still fairly early and the bothy’s packed with Italians. I have an afternoon snack, dried meat and a flapjack, and continue. Next comes a stretch of beach walking toward the mouth of the Carnach river. Lucky me, it’s low tide, so I can walk the lower path too. The Carnach is a fairly big river, and before the bridge there’s a lot of treacherous bog.
I meet a guy from Ireland, we walk together for a bit, he wants to camp before the pass. I continue through the narrow valley alongside the Carnach river. There’s a nice camping spot along the way, under a cliff by the river, but it’s got already 2 tents and surely more people will join. Higher above the camp the river widens and I lose sight of the trail, sinking in. Toughest section so far. I’m almost at the end of the valley and need to turn left, steeply uphill, when I slip and fall onto my left pole. It’s bent — hopefully it holds until the end.
The Mam Unndalain pass (560 m) is the longest and toughest technical climb so far, easing off a bit only near the top. It’s foggy and pretty windy. I don’t linger and head down toward Barrisdale bay.
The way down is a reward — a beautiful dry trail, like the ones in the Low Tatras, with a view over Barrisdale bay – Loch Hourn. I meet 2 Englishmen and we chat a bit. They’re also heading to the bothy, but they’ll camp there. The bothy’s empty but fairly well equipped — 2 rooms, a small kitchen, water, and even a toilet and electricity. This one isn’t free, £5 a night into the honesty box. I take off the waterproof socks and my feet look terrible after 45 km — chafing right up to blisters. I put on compeed plasters, hopefully it’ll be okay tomorrow. Some guys from the trail arrive, one gives me tape to fix my pole — needs to hold. Later about 5 more guys arrive from the other direction, heading to Inverie tomorrow, home to the most remote pub in Scotland, the Old Forge. All this walking for a pint :P. They complain plenty about my planned 10 km stretch to Kinlochhourn tomorrow, saying it was awful. I have dinner and go to sleep, dry again. I’m exhausted and fall asleep instantly. Tomorrow’s the highest point of the route — Forcan Ridge, 720 m. Btw still no signal here at all, probably not until tomorrow at Shiel Bridge.
