CWT – day 8
4.5.2023 Thursday
Inchnadamph – Loch na Seilge
40 km – 2250 m ↑ – 340 km total
A proper windstorm’s blowing since morning, was rough at night too. The tent walls kept pressing against my sleeping bag, which got a bit damp because of it. I pack up the tent and head off before eight toward Bealach na h-Uidhe pass.
The climb is about 500 meters of elevation, a classic hiking trail. Couldn’t see a thing at the top, all wrapped in cloud, wind howling. Probably would’ve been beautiful yesterday. I don’t linger, just a short rest below the summit in an emergency shelter.
The way down is genuinely steep, slippery with mud, and the wind is really unpleasant. On the left there’s also the Eas a’ Chùal Aluinn waterfall, apparently the tallest in the UK (200 m), but with the water low and the wind blowing it doesn’t look nearly as impressive as Falls of Glomach. I descend all the way down to the sea — Loch Beag and Loch Glencoul.
There’s another bothy near Glencoul, where I take shelter from the wind and eat lunch-slash-breakfast. Still blowing hard, in this odd way from land toward the sea, whipping up waves out into the ocean. I continue along a ridge by the coast toward Loch Glendhu. The wind at least tears the clouds apart and the sun comes out. There’s another bothy at Glendhu, where I take a short break from the wind.
I’ve already got over 20 km in my legs today. I continue 5 km along the coast with wind at my back, then turn north for another 7 km toward the turn-off for Ben Dreavie. The whole stretch is on a farm road with a crosswind. Exhausting. The climb up Ben Dreavie is fine, there’s even a proper trail. From the top there’s a lovely 360-degree view in every direction, small lochs scattered everywhere.
There’s no trail on the way down, but it’s beautiful and remote here. If it weren’t blowing so hard I’d camp somewhere around here. I search for a sheltered sleeping spot but don’t have much luck. Pitching and securing a tent in this wind is no joke. Eventually I find a small spot 5 km further, below Loch na Seilge — we’ll see how the night goes.
Dnes to bolo veľmi unavujúce, vietor do tvare alebo do chrbta, a občas ma až zrážalo z nôh. Ťažký deň s najväčším prevýšením. Krásne scenérie, ale keby som mal mať takýto celý týždeň, tak asi sa na to vykašlem. Zajtra predposledný deň, blížim sa k cieľu.
Today was really exhausting, wind either in my face or my back, sometimes strong enough to knock me off my feet. Tough day with the biggest elevation gain yet. Gorgeous scenery, but if I had to do a whole week like this, I’d probably give up. Tomorrow’s the second-to-last day, getting close to the finish now.
