Inchnadamph to Cape Wrath
A June walk through remote Scotland - without a midge!
The walk from Inchnadamph to Cape Wrath was something we (i.e. Hilary & Andy Spenceley
and Jane Robertson) had been planning for many months and had picked the week beginning 28th
May in the hope of hot, sunny weather!
Andy and Hilary left the Island of Jura the morning after the Bens of Jura race in clear,
sunny (though unseasonally cool) weather. Picking up our car in Kennacraig, we drove north
to Inverness to meet Jane, who had ran the Lairig Ghru with Westies the day before. The
weather deteriorated all the way, and by the time we reached Inchnadamph it was pouring
and freezing cold. We had planned to start walking that evening but the prospect of
sorting out the previous week's gear (from the Boat Race & Jura) and the next week's
gear in the rain did not appeal. So we pitched our tents near Ardvreck Castle and used
weather windows to get a bit more organised and give Jane, to her horror, bananas, a
cucumber and a loaf of bread to carry - it was going to be a holiday not an endurance
test, after all! We also had to dodge a dive-bombing seagull who didn't welcome our
presence- a nest nearby somewhere.
On Monday morning we packed up, save one tent in which we sat waiting for the hail to
stop, then headed off to the Assynt Field Centre where we left the car for the week. We
sat in the car for half an hour waiting for the next hail storm to finish, then decided
we'd better head off. The day took us up stalkers tracks and crossing rough ground,
(violets, orchids, bog cotton, marsh marigolds), with intermittent heavy showers, sunny
intervals and a strong wind, to our first night's camp at a high lochan on the slopes of
Beinn Leoid. Andy had recced the spot on the Carnethy Elphin trip last October and swore
it was dry then, but we paddled around that evening on the mossy surface, eating inside
the tent to shelter from the biting wind. Knackeredness from Jura and the climb with 40lb
sacs, plus temperature ruled out a trip to the dramatic Stack of Glencoul.
We had heavy rain that night. The pattern for the week was set next morning as again we
packed everything up and sat in a tent waiting for a heavy shower to pass and the next bit
of blue sky to arrive. At this time of year we never saw it dark all week, so an 11 am
start (yes, Keith, you read right!) and making camp at 7pm was not a problem (though we
were normally away slightly earlier than this). Becoming accustomed to the weight of our
bags we climbed Beinn Leoid, our first Corbett of the week, and the adjacent Meallan a'
Chuaill (a Graham for those who count these things important). Still Goretex clad, due to
the wind, we descended to cross the minor road near Kinloch (the first of only two roads
crossed all week), skirted round the end of Loch More and in improving conditions climbed
Corbett no 2, Meallan Liath Coire Mhic Dhughaill, a hill that definitely deserves to be
better known and not just for the fact if has the longest name of any Corbett ! It is a
large hill of many ridges, subsidiary summits and high corries a hill worth
spending some time on. After traversing one of the many ridges and dropping down to the
next glen we found a lovely camping spot beside the river and equably discussed whose
payload to eat ( Jane's ! ) and again sheltered from the biting wind to eat and watch the
sun gradually drop and the sky turn red over Ben Stack. Still no midges.
The next day Jane put on clean, dry socks before realising that the first action of the
day was wading the river! We climbed the first Corbett of the day, Meall Horn, in
improving conditions. Dropping down the other side to pitch camp, we actually sunbathed
with our lunch before the stony climb up Arkle (with no sacs !) in the late afternoon
it was so nice at lunchtime lounging outside the tents that we didn't want to move.
Near the summit we met the only people we met in the 6 day walk (apart from at Sandwood
Bay)! It was far better visibility than when Hilary had been up at New Year, just as
dramatic but less scary than when covered in snow. Andy by now was getting mad because
Jane and Hilary weren't eating their full chocolate biscuit ration and he was carrying
them (lots !) , but we'd have murdered for a flapjack: point to remember in future.
We thought the weather might be improving but Thursday dawned grey and windy, the worst
day of the week, and after taking the stalkers track to Loch Dionard and seeing a Golden
Eagle, we took what must be quite an unusual route up the long east bouldery ridge of
Cranstackie. "The wind blew as twad blown its last, the rattling showers rose on the
blast
." With big rucsacs doing nothing to streamline the process we battled
along, unable to find any shelter and being blown over several times, resulting in Hilary
begging for jelly babies 10 yards from the summit but at last we were there.
Amazing to see sea pinks at this height and other tiny flowers surviving on such dry stony
ground. We dropped down to the col for lunch and to leave our bags before nipping up Ben
Spionnaidh (the most northerly Corbett in Scotland). We were pretty exhausted by the time
we forded the River Dionard and found another good camping spot.
We woke on Friday morning to a blue sky and what clouds there were disappearing fast. We
crossed the second road of the trip - again far from any reprovisioning point (fruit and
bread exhausted, caustic comments from Andy re oatcakes) and our hopes of finding a litter
bin dashed. The sunny weather was just as well as the boggy trudge in to Sandwood Bay
would have been miserable in rain. Despite the sun, the bitter wind continued. We paused
for lunch at Strathan Bothy, then continued to the coast where the familiar post-card view
of Am Buchaille and lovely long sandy beach greeted us. Sea pinks abounded in a more
expected habitat. Having seen virtually nobody all week we were glad to see the day
visitors departing. Andy and Jane braved a swim and we beachcombed, not very successfully
but found enough wood to burn the combustible rubbish.
The walk to Cape Wrath on Saturday morning was warm, sunny but still windy. Andy rushed us
on from seal watching at Keisgaig, and just as well! There was a minibus when we arrived
at the Cape Wrath lighthouse at 1.30pm, which transpired to be the last one of the day. It
was leaving in 20 minutes for the 10 mile drive to the ferry across the Kyles of Durness.
This just gave us long enough to hang over the cliffs, spot puffins, fulmars and
cormorants and take the end of trip photos. Superb timing connected us with the daily bus
from Durness to Inchnadamph, where we scrounged a shower in the hostel, Andy terrorising
genteel geology ladies in the communal shower room !
That night we camped in the same place as before near Ardvreck Castle, spotted and avoided
the seagull's nest and had a late night stroll round the castle ruins. We rounded the week
off with a lightweight trip up Quinag on Sunday morning, relishing the lack of weight and
sunshine and debating with other walkers whether the temperature was closer to January or
November.
There is a Cape Wrath trail, part of which links Inchnadamph and Cape Wrath and
takes a low level route visiting villages en route. We think ours was preferable - wild
wilderness country, outstanding mountain scenery with some little-walked hills, remote
idyllic campsites with good water supplies, abundant flora, no people, the odd cuckoo
oh and nary a midge in sight.
Hilary and Andy Spenceley
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