Martin, Sue, Pam, Paul, Andrew and Dave, assembled on Saturday evening in this well appointed and well equipped cottage.
The detailed reports on this week's walks are in the 'Phreerunner' daily blogs. Here is Saturday's. And here are all the 'Torridon08' blogs, in chronological order from the bottom of the page.
This web page has some brief descriptions and additional images. We hope you enjoy our record of this most enjoyable trip in superb weather.
Annat Lodge in the evening
And here’s a map of the area, indicating the locations of each days' walk:
The weather improved as we headed past Ling Hut and up the easy Corbetts, Sgorr nan Lochan Uaine and Sgurr Dubh. The descent from the latter - directly to the Ling Hut - was surprisingly easy. Andrew took short/long cuts to dodge the summits and return via Coulin Lodge, beyond which the 'path' and 'bridge' by the west side of Loch Clair were rather optimistically described as such. The track to the east of the loch may have been a better bet!
Annat village in the evening, with Annat Lodge in the centre
On a fine, clear day 5 of us enjoyed the ascent of Beinn Alligin via Coir' nan Laogh, and a snowy traverse of both Munro summits before escaping easily off the western flank of the mountain rather than testing the unstable snow on the 'Horns'. Meanwhile Andrew enjoyed a longer but less hilly walk - the circumnavigation of Beinn Damh.
Sue near the summit of Tom na Gruagaich (Beinn Alligin) with its higher summit, Sgurr Mor, beyond,
and the Horns of Alligin and Beinn Dearg in the middle distance, Beinn Eighe beyond
and the Horns of Alligin and Beinn Dearg in the middle distance, Beinn Eighe beyond
View east from Sgurr Mor, with the 'Horns', and Beinn Dearg behind them
Another beautiful day saw us on perhaps the hardest walk of the week - up two outlying Corbetts in the Beinn Eighe group. Meall a' Ghiubhais succumbed quite meekly, but the afternoon's target, Ruadh-stac Beag, proved a tougher nut to crack, especially when Dave led Sue, Pam and Paul up to some unassailable cliffs.
Andrew had wisely gone at his own pace and enjoyed a peaceful day on Meall a' Ghiubhais before returning to Kinlochewe for essential provisions.
Beinn Eighe, with Ruadh-stac Beag in the foreground to the right, and Beinn Eighe's highest point, Ruadh-stac Mòr, poking out on the far right
Loch Maree and the Hebrides, from the eastern summit of Meall a' Ghiubhais
Pam and Paul now took a break from climbing and headed off on the 24 km circumnavigation of Beinn Damh that Andrew had so much enjoyed on Monday.
Andrew, perhaps wisely, enjoyed a vigorous coastal tramp around Diabeg.
That left Sue, Dave and Martin to enjoy a fabulous day on Slioch. Wonderful panoramas from the summit made the effort most worthwhile. We were alone up there, another party led by a kilted man having disappeared en-route.
A view towards the Hebrides from the summit of Slioch
It was a pleasure to have the added company of Janet Jardine today, enabling a lie-in before the ascent, from our front door, of Beinn Damh - the 903 metre mountain that towers above the village of Annat. The wind was strong and cool on the col at the head of the Toll Ban coire, but the weather was otherwise sunny and benign. We lingered on the summit for lunch and delighted in many more pauses to take in the exceptionally clear views on yet another fine sunny day.
The view down Loch Damh, with the Applecross hills, from the head of Toll Ban coire on Beinn Damh
Today Martin had second thoughts about a high route due to the wind. He joined Andrew on the scenic walk from the Ling Hut car park along the path that courses around the northern flanks of Liathach and descends past Beinn Alligin to the car park above Torridon House. Having no car in position, we strolled the 6 km back to the cottage, along the quiet road through pretty Torridon village. Here's Martin's blog.
Upper Loch Torridon with Torridon village and Beinn Liath Mhòr and Sgorr Ruadh in the distance
The snowy ridge of Liathach, a grandstand view from Beinn Eighe's main ridge
So that's it really. We had all enjoyed another brilliant week in excellent weather. It was a real bonus, to Martin and Sue in particular, to get some winter conditions. Having spent the 'winter' in New Zealand they were not really expecting them!
All that remains is the usual statistical record - see below:
And if you enjoyed this you may enjoy visiting (or revisiting) the page on last year's Ullapool trip - here.
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