CWT – day 5

1.5.2023 Monday

Craig – Shenavall bothy

45 km – 1200 m ↑ – 214 km total

I wake up in a soft bed around seven. Really don’t feel like leaving it. There was some mild snoring from roommates in the night, luckily I had earplugs. I slowly eat breakfast, porridge and black tea. I set off around eight. First few km on asphalt, then I turn north toward Coulin pass. The sun finally comes out, along with the views, and my mood instantly improves.

First 2 hours I walk on a farm road. I tell myself that Kinlochewe should be an easy 3 hours away. I enter some kind of forest reserve where they’re trying to restore native woodland. Seems to be working in places, since the trail’s brutal — a stretch through heather and bog.

I curse for solid 2 hours before reaching Kinlochewe. There I buy fresh fruit — I’m properly sick of dried raisins by now. I continue northeast and then north through the Abhainn Gleann na Muice river valley. The road is boring and I have annoying headwind in my face. But the sun’s out, so I’m happy, sitting down in wind shelters I find here and there. After 15 km along the valley I reach about 300 m elevation near Lochan Fada, and an epic view of the surrounding munros opens up.

I feel like Aragorn, chasing orcs across Middle-earth alongside Gimli and Legolas — that’s exactly how it looks like here. Probably the most beautiful stretch so far, maybe thanks to the sunshine too. I take it in for quite a while, but I need to keep moving. Bealach na Croise pass awaits. The climb goes fairly well, with a whole pile of stone cairns along the way.

The moment I reach the top I lose the trail — pure navigational hell. More peat bogs here, plus a deep gorge with a stream cutting through.

I wander around here for about an hour, then find a fairly nice, but wet, trail around Loch an Nid, and I’m almost at Shenavall bothy. The road feels endless, and every time I think I’ve made it, it turns out to be a different house, with Shenavall still 2 km further.

Around seven I reach Shenavall, another incredible spot, a wide valley ringed by giants. There are already 4 people in the bothy (Daniel and Nick) plus a dog, and then 4 more arrive. I finally get to experience a proper Scottish sunset over Loch na Sealga.