Good Friday on Knoydart

[GM0GAV]

As MM0FMF & MM0VPM have already posted pics of the great spring weather, I better complete the set… It was stunning weather with incredible visibility, the Met office summit forecast was excellent for 7th April. Unusually the visibility was forecast as Excellent greater than 40 km.

This trip had been planned for some time, I would follow the Walkhighlands route to activate Meall Buidhe GM/WS-084 first and then Luinne Bheinn GM/WS-089. It had to be done on a week day when the the first ferry from Mallaig leaves at 0730 and last ferry returns at 1830. The circuit is 27Km and 1586m ascent, adding in 1 hour on each summit my plan was:

0800 Ferry arrives Inverie
1100 Summit of Meall Buidhe GM/WS-084
1200 Leave Meall Buidhe
1400 Summit Luinne Bheinn GM/WS-089
1500 Leave Luinne Bheinn
1800 Back in Inverie for a quick pint in the Old Forge before the ferry

The plan worked perfectly and stuck to it give or take 10 minutes, left Luinne Bheinn GM/WS-089 at 1500 and the walk back to Inverie took me 2 hours 42 minutes giving me 7 hours 42 of walking for the day. But sadly the Old Forge Pub is closed for renovation, so that part of the plan failed…

Conditions were not the best on HF, as normal fewer chasers in the afternoon from Luinne Bheinn GM/WS-089. Nice to work GM4OAS & MM0CWJ on 2m from both summits.

Heading out from Inverie

Feeding the farmed deer, very tame

Lord Brocket memorial. He was the landowner pre & during WW2, rather unpopular it seems and a Nazi sympathiser.

Highland cattle

Druim Bothy. Not open access but available for rental

Path into Gleann Meadail

Looking back as I start to ascend Meall Buidhe GM/WS-084

First views of Ladhar Bheinn GM/WS-046

Eigg & Rum come into view

Meall Buidhe GM/WS-084 summit

Ben Aden middle left and Sgurr na Ciche in cloud behind the lower easterly summit

MTR3B LCD gets a run out

3 band EFHW with Sotabeam Pico Traps and 1:64 coupler ( 2 x FT50-43 stack + 100pF)

Looking back to westerly summit of Meall Buidhe GM/WS-084

Loch Nevis below

Sgurr na Ciche now cloud free

Heading to Luinne Bheinn GM/WS-089. Path looks fine here, but in truth most of it is tough going and rocky. Quite a bit of up and down and it did take me 1 hour 50 minutes summit to summit

Looking back at Meall Buidhe GM/WS-084, shows why its not fast walking!

Barrisdale & Loch Hourn

Ladhar Bheinn GM/WS-046

Long way back to Inverie! You can see the path dropping down and rounding the right side of Loch an Dubh-lochain

Path back from Mam Barrisdale

Looking back at Luinne Bheinn GM/WS-089

Bridge has gone

Looking back from Loch an Dubh-lochain

Loch an Dubh-lochain

Closed!!

But the shop next door was doing good business. A very nice IPA!

Lots of people enjoying a Friday night beer on the shore

Thank you Knoydart, I will return!

73 Gavin
GM0GAV

[MM0FMF]

You have even better WX than me and Alan had. And you don’t really need many words to describe the day.

[MM0EFI]

Excellent Gavin!

I’ve walked down into Inverie a few times using the various mountain passes, but never been on the tops that you did. Looks spectacularly rough.

Thankfully the Old Forge was open every time i visited. It is community owned now and I read that they are renovating the kitchens and bar.

[MM0VPM]

Superb Gavin!
Thanks for sharing.

Only been in Knoydart once in1981, so time to plan a return I think. Who needs tourist boards when you have SOTA reflector to inspire?.. and that applies for all the countries we get to see here.

Alan

[G4OIG]

Excellent report Gavin… even better photos. Well done on a most challenging day. Knoydart must almost be the remotest of the remote.

… and as for that infamous landowner.

The Seven Men of Knoydart

[M0WIV]

Amazing stuff. I walked from the head of Loch Arkaig to Mallaig through Glen Dessary in the days before it was called the Highland Way. I camped overnight at the head of Loch Nevis. The midges were hungry! This was about 1970.

But I still remember the sight of Scurr na Ciche looking down on me and have alway hankered about returning to ascend it. I suspect I’m beyond that now but many thanks for stirring up great memories.

[VK3SQ]

Hi Gavin, thanks for your report and great photos, well done,

Cheers

Geoff vk3sq

[ZL4NVW]

Looks like bits of Central Otago … but with pubs!

[MM0YCJ]

Fantastic,

A great day out Gavin. I recall I ticked Luinne Bheinn [GM/WS-089] on 13th September 2021 and had a super day out with a swim in Loch an Dubh-lochain on the way back as it was so warm. The Old Forge was also closed when we got back to Inverie but the local shop had some chilled beer on sale which we enjoyed sitting outside the pub.

We were even accompanied by some dolphins on the ferry trip.

Ciao

[GM4TOE]

@MM0YCJ

when we got back to Inverie

My late mother-in-law came from Inverie and the family would row from there to Sleat (on Skye) to go to church (and presumably back again afterwards).
Hardy lot - it is a long way to row a boat!

[GM4TOE]

Slight correction: Airor to Kilbeg Church, still a very long way!!

[MM0YCJ]

Hi Barry,

@GM4TOE

My late mother-in-law came from Inverie and the family would row from there to Sleat (on Skye) to go to church (and presumably back again afterwards).
Hardy lot - it is a long way to row a boat!

Impressive trip just to get to church across the Sound of Sleat. It must be about 5Km each way, even longer with the tides and winds to take into account. Kilbeg Church must be very close to the Gaelic college Sabhal Mor Ostaig?

I did a splendid walk through Airor, then Inverusergan from Sandaig when I activated GM/WS-182 Beinn na Caillich, way back in May 2011. I continued over GM/WS-046 Ladhar Bheinn to get back and did the first activation of both. Rather a timid day out compared to rowing over the Sound of Sleat and back every Sunday!!!

They were indeed a hardy lot in those days.

73

[G6WRW]

I have fond memories of the area and even got the t-shirt.

[MW0WML]

Cracking report! Lovely photos.
Love Knoydart.

[GM4TOE]

@MM0YCJ

Kilbeg Church must be very close to the Gaelic college Sabhal Mor Ostaig?

It is.
Gaelic was their first language but was “beaten” out of them in preference to speaking English - how times have changed, now everybody wants to speak Gaelic! Wish I could find the photo of the “flitting” from Glenelg - rowing boat full of possessions, including the piano, with Grandmother perched on top (like Gile’s Granny for those who can remember!) and off to Breakish - another very long row.

[G4TQE]

A great report and photographs.
Brings back happy memories.

I did Meall Buidhie and Luinne Bheinn, in 1996, from Arnisdale. I was dropped off near Barrisdale by a local boat owner and picked up later from same spot.

I did the Corbetts of Beinn Bhuidhe, Sgurr Coire Choinnichean and Beinn na Caillich in 2007. I caught the boat from Mallaig to Inverie and stayed in a guest house for a couple of nights. The Old Forge pub was very welcome!

John, G4TQE