Invergarry Lodge

Archive for the ‘The Great Outdoors’ Category

Maol Chean-dearg

A few pictures (and not many words) from todays hill outing. I headed up Maol Chean-Dearg near Loch Carron, very cold in the wind and some heavy showers on the way up  but it cleared up nicely for me in the end.

An Ruadh Stac and Beinn Damh

Beinn Damh from the summit

Across to the Torridon giants

Matt

Blue sky thinking

We received an official complaint about our blog yesterday…that it doesn’t fairly represent the actual weather conditions, particularly during these last few weeks which must be the wettest September since the year began (or something like that).

Anyway, we do get out in the poor weather as well, it just doesn’t always make on to the blog…normally as a result of not having any good photos to show.

Local wet weather, low level options include a circuit of Loch Oich, a 10 mile loop starting at the hostel and finishing conveniently at the pub.

Loch Oich in the mizzle

In Glencoe in poor weather you could try the two laraigs, an 8 mile mid level loop around Buachaille Etive Beag among great surroundings. If anyone fancies this, we recommend a clockwise direction – a better path on the way back.

Looking down to Loch Etive

And most recently, in what turned out to be very poor conditions…horizontal rain and deep bog (Ian went in up to his waist within 5 minutes) we got the train to Corrour and ran the 15 miles (16 if you take a poor route choice through the final forest) back to Spean Bridge. I’m not sure our dog Dylan has forgiven me for taking him on this one yet.

Unfortunately it’s not all sun and blue skies in Scotland but you can always find something to do….and it makes you appreciate the good days even more!

–Matt

The Sgurr nan Eugallt Fan Club

We, Invergarry Lodge, now declare ourselves lifetime members of the Sgurr nan Eugallt fanclub (as long as knowing how to pronounce it isn’t a prerequisite).

Sgurr nan Eugallt is a Corbett (2946m high) between Loch Hourn and Loch Quoich, basically the last hill on the left as you head down the joyous 25 mile dead end road to Kinlochhourn.

A quick little hill, only 4km form the road to the summit, I was up and down in about 2 hours 20 minutes including plenty of time to take in the views, and what views…..a fantastically placed hill.

Looking back to Loch Quoich munros

Dyls enjoying the view

Looking across Loch Hourn to the Saddle

And finally, sun rays over Sgurr na Ciche on the way home

A stalkers path zigzags up to about 650m which is pretty boggy (makes for a good descent) and then just follow the ridge up to the trig point. The true summit lies 600 m beyond the trip point so make sure you continue along the ridge for the tick…you’ll probably want to anyway for the views!

–Matt

North Shiel Ridge

Someone recently sent me a chapter of their upcoming book on the Munros  entitled “Why do we do it?”, this is something I often ask myself when I head out to the hills. The relentless slog up what seems to be a never ending mountain, the thoughts of all the other places you could be running through your head and sometimes even thoughts of turning back creeping in, then…the views open up and all those doubts are forgotten.

This is exactly the type of day I had yesterday on the North Shiel ridge, the long, steep, pathless ascent (although I did have Dylan to help pull me up) was soon forgotten as the gradient levelled and the ridge narrowed and got more interesting. Terrific views in every direction and wonderful light on the hills that my little point and shoot camera can not do justice. I won’t dwell on the route (it’s the one in Ralph Storer’s book) and I’ll just show you a few photos…

Along the ridge to the Five sisters of Kintail

Back towards Mullach Fraoch Choire

A’Chralaig and a wee Am Bathach in front

The South Shiel Ridge

–Matt

Am Bathach (A QUICK HILL FIX)

We whipped through the hostel duties in record time this morning and I was soon heading up to Am Bathach in Glen Shiel for a quick hill fix before the afternoon’s chores began (cutting the grass and going to the shop for beer). I couldn’t get parked in the usual layby due to some forestry operations so headed onwards to the Cluanie Inn. A slight route change involved following An Caorann Beag up to Bealach a’ Choinich before reversing direction up to Am Bathach’s summit rather than the usual steep slog up from the A82.

Am Bathach is a great little hill for a quick ascent or as part of a route up the munro Ciste Dhubh and provides a great viewpoint of the surrounding Munros. Up and down in 1 1/2 hours, a real shame I had to head back so soon, Ciste Dhubh was looking very inviting!

Oh, and make sure you check out the new fangled 360 interactive panorama thingymabob. Click on the icon on the right at the bottom for full screen goodness!

–Matt

Stob Ban (The one in the Mamores) with panoramic goodness!

I headed out for a run with Ian to the western Mamores this afternoon but we ended up cutting it short due to a mixture of adverse weather and laziness. We started from the lower falls and headed up the steep flank of Mullach nan Coirean where we donned what wet weather gear we had (which wasn’t much – it was forecast to be better than it was!)

From here round to Stob ban was lovely ground for running but unfortunately covered in cloud today and we took a battering from the horizontal rain before we reached the summit of Stob Ban.

Things brightened on Stob Ban but neither of us was much up for Devils ridge on a day like today so at the bealach we darted off north and followed the Allt Coire a’Mhusgain back down to the car….4km of fantastic downhill running that finished far too soon as far as I was concerned.

A great quick route among amazing hills but not much else to report and not a great day for photographs unfortunately. The hostel pc has packed up – along with our panorama making software – but whilst looking on the web I discovered this nifty software…what do you think? I wish i’d taken more than 3 shots now.

–Matt

Glengarry Bike Routes

Busy busy busy here during this time of year but we have managed to squeeze in a few afternoon bike rides inbetween changing beds and evening checkins.

First up, the very family friendly Greenfield circuit which goes right through the forest and back along Loch Garry. We cheated a little and missed out the road section back to Invergarry but had a pleasant ride and enjoyed great views.

Secondly, we did the Loch Lundie circuit, about 10 miles on easy but fun landrover track above Invergarry with some single track in the last 3 miles. Slightly less family friendly but lots of fun. The hardest part is a short boggy loose section of up near the beginning and is soon over.

Both routes can be seen on this google map (yeah, I know i linked to it last time!)

View Bike Routes Invergarry in a larger map

Garbh Bheinn (Ardgour)

Skived off hostel duties today (with the wife’s permission of course!) and headed across the Corran Ferry to do the Garbh Bheinn horseshoe with Ian and Dylan the hostel Labrador.

It was hot and steep work under blue skies but plenty of lochans for Dyls to cool off in. The route was harder than I thought (I should have had more than a cursory glance at a map)  it takes in two Grahams and a Corbett – five significant up sections, two of which are very steep.

The view across to Garbh Bheinn

Looking back to the summit just before the final descent.

View towards Glencoe

A great hill with great views, will be back one day for some scrambling or easy routes.  Nice and quiet as well, we only saw a pair of climbers and a family walking….perfect when you’ve got an excitable Labrador with you.

–Matt

Invergarry Mountain Biking

Every time I’m out on my bike I always have a great time and think I should do it more often…well, after biking and running in the Lake District last weekend I was keen to head out again. I decided to head out on a quick  loop taking in Loch Lundie, new for me on a bike but I’ve run it a few times so I knew the route well enough.

The initial ascent is hard work on a bike… boggy sections and some steep loose sections…a real test, but thankfully short lived and it is the only real test on the route. The next 6 miles are on a good landrover track that heads out on to the open hill side, not particularly technical but is nice and fast with only a few sheep for obstacles.

The track eventually comes to an end at the Bridge of Oich, here you jump on the Great Glen Mountain Bike Route for 3 miles back to Invergarry with some nice swooping bits of singletrack. If you are used to routes at trail centres like Nevisrange and Wolftrax you may find it a bit tame but if  you fancy a bit of good old fashioned cross country riding I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. Once again I have been surprised by what’s on our doorstep, a great ride that I’ll definitely be doing again soon.

To help anyone looking for mountain biking routes around Invergarry, I’ve knocked up this quick google map that I’ll try to keep updated when I find something new.
View Bike Routes Invergarry in a larger map

–Matt

Fort Augustus Golf

I’ve been craving a game of golf for a few months now, one of our regular dog walks goes along the caledonian canal  right past the Fort Augustus golf course and it looks very inviting on a nice sunny day. I’m not sure where these cravings have come from, my golfing experience is limited to rounds of Pitch and Putt over 12 years ago, but that wasn’t going to put me off. My brother James is visiting from New Zealand, he was also up for the challenge.

Apparently it is one of the hardest nine hole courses in Scotland….my brother James and I, although we are no experts on the subject, agree…it beat us good and proper.

There was quite a lot of ball hunting going on (mainly from my brother you understand)

We also had a small trolley malfunction…

Anyway, I won’t embarrass ourselves by putting our score cards on here but needless to say it wasn’t pretty and the pros have nothing to worry about, although on the final green, right next to the club house, in front of other golfers and the the man in charge…..I played the hole of my life and managed par!  Respectable!

£15 plus club hire for a round of 9 holes, £20 (I think) for the full 18 . Not a bad way to spend a few hours but don’t wear shorts if you expect to end up in the long stuff.

Matt