Second day in Devon....

Suilvan here again...not much to say today as I got to stay on the grass and chat to the other camper vans and enjoy the lovely weather...so I'll let the humans write about today:

Looking out to sea.

 Well, Sunday dawned a lovely day and Claire and I decided to go for a walk along the Devon coastal path up to Hartland Point - where there was apparently a tea van!! As well as being close to the sea - and having a prolonged dawdle on some beaches; we could also check out some of the cliffs that are in the area, such as Smoothlands which has a route I would love to do one day.

First thing about the Devon coast path; it ain't exactly flat!! In fact there were some quite sharp ups and downs; especially for two unfit people trying to wind down after a trying few months.

Lundy in the distance

That being said; it was impossible to quibble, the day was lovely and we found a lovely beach to sit on and munch some cheese triangles and outcakes before tootling along the coast further.

The weather was glorious and lots of stops for gazing at the cliffs and water were needed before we eventually got to Hartland Point, where tucked away was a VERY nice tea shack. A cup of tea and a pasty (so close to Cornwall after all!) went down very well before we attempted the return route. I say attempted as we ended up going back the way we came, due to the path we wanted to take being a muddy path. When I say muddy I mean flooded with mud - clearly there had been oceans of rain in Devon as 3 days of 25 degress plus had not evaporated it/dried it out. That being said, it did give us time to soak our hot feet in the sea on the beach we had been to before!! not a bad thing really.

Supper was at the pub again; having come back to Suilvan for a shower and change....as you can see another glorious evening.

Another glorious sunset.

Relaxing in North Devon...

Suilvan here, thought I would blog about my first road trip with the new owners. It was down to Devon and we actually had some glorious weather. 

First off for me was a few days in the doctors getting a couple of things attended to, my alternator was tuned for example so I could make sure that things worked when I was away from home. After that, I was loaded up with SO much kit it was untrue (it would have been easier if I had to take what was left in the house!!) and the Simon human and I set off for Devon.

It was a long drive, the first day of the school holidays (whatever they may be) and Devon is a long way. There were frequent stops for the human to refuel and quite a lot of cursing on the way down as we hit lots of other traffic. There were a few other nice older vans to say hi to - and some caravans to swear at -  don't know why the master told me to swear at all the caravans (or 'grockle pods' as he calls them) but there we go.

To cut a long drive short, we eventually arrived in Exeter and I was parked up for the night. Next day, the humans my owners were staying with wanted to have a look at me - they had never seen such a lovely van. My top compartment even got tried out by a little human (Claire's nephew!!) and it was nice to be the centre of attention. Soon enough we were heading off on some rather narrow lanes towards the place we were going to stay. The Simon human was driving and he tried his best; however  I don't think he has too much experience of driving a van, so I did struggle up a few hills. However, we got there in the end and I must admit the humans had chosen a nice spot. It was a lovely campsite and had POWER - so I could plug in and relax and enjoy the scenery. I also got to laugh at my humans as they tried to work out how to make things work. All humans struggle with this to some extent but these two are worse than most. Once that was done, we could settle in and enjoy the lovely views of the sea and the local area - some pictures they took are below.

Finally got here....wish they knew how to drive me.

Lovely church behind the campsite

Screda Point..main slab in the middle.

 The humans went off for a walk around the sea (one clutching his climbing guide) and they had supper at a pub on the sea front). Personally I prefer diesel; however the humans assured me that the beer was excellent at the pub. They also said that the climbing looked excellent as well. This was good as some more humans with a lovely van were coming in a couple of days to stay with them - company at last!!
The day ended with a lovely sunset....boded well for the week said the humans.

Sunset on the first night.

Suilvan's first day out!

Claire and I took advantage of the fact that it hadn't actually rained in one whole day (pretty amazing for the last few weeks) and got out for a walk today. I seem to be winding down towards the end of term and feel totally shattered with very little oomph. However, waking to a morning without a biblical amount of rain was too good to pass up so we loaded up Suilvan and set off.

Claire and I are still getting to know Suilvan, yesterday for example we had a total pig's ear of trying to light the gas - thanks Peter for the assist!! and there seems to be a problem with the back door. However, it was still good to pootle along at 60 all the way to Braithwaite were we parked in the school.

There was next to no wind and it was quite warm and pretty sticky, so it was a bit of a flog at times. The path up to the Hause seems to get looser and steeper every time I do it - and lunch was taken at the top of the Hause. We watched with amusement as some DofE people took a very odd line up a loose scree slope to near the top of Eel Crag and (having praised their fitness and questioned their iq level!) we set off on the path.

As can be seen from the pix, https://picasaweb.google.com/102361192587557786751/EelCragViaColedaleHause

we seemed to have got the best of the weather which was good - and the arrival of a gentle breeze made the ascent up Eel Crag not too bad. I was still struggling with distinct lack of energy - can't believe I used to fell run hills like these - but once on top the energy did come back a bit as we tackled a lovely descent. Sail was first  - with lovely views down quiet valleys (unlike the hills which were pretty busy with a lot of DofE types out), before we swung away from Causey Pike and descended a lovely valley before crossing a col and dropping into Braithwaite. From there it was up to Claire to take Suilvan home - which she did with aplomb (not bad for the first time she has driven him).

Not much of a walk - but probably all I can manage at the moment - need to get some fitness up through the holidays.

Suilvan...

no it's not a misprint....Claire and I have brought a campervan; after a brainwave of Claire last weekend when were having lunch at Rheged. The van is lovely and cosy and has a surprising amount of space, a fridge and gas and electric hook-ups.

 We found the van from an advert on a second hand website and went to see it on Monday. I then test drove it Thurs and we put an offer in which was accepted and we got the van on Friday.
The van is a conversion but was done professionally and clearly with some eye for detail and common sense.

We have sussed out a fair bit about it already and will be taking it for its first test run next weekend to Scotland. Not entirely sure what we'll get done give our fitness levels - I have been so focused on preparing for my final assessment that I have barely seen the sun in weeks and the weather  - but we'll

 see.

Re the weather - Thurs was horrendous with 3-4" of water in the cellar - which then receded pretty rapidly when it stopped. Tomorrow has a reasonable forecast - need to drag my carcass on the hill somewhere and somehow.

Seana Bhraigh...an overnight trip with Claire

Magoo's Bothy

 Wednesday was originally a rest day for us, recovering from our exertions in Inverlael; however the promise of a good day weather wise on Thurs, and then a change in the weather spurred us into action.

Over a lovely breakfast at the Ceilidh Place, we decided on a plan of campaign. A trip to Tesco to get some supplies and then we'd drive to Oykel Bridge and drive the 7 miles into Corriemulzie Lodge - on an estate road that has a mixed reputation. From there we'd shoulder overnight packs and walk into Coiremor bothy which is an excellent jumping off point for the ascent of Seana Bhraigh, which is one of the most remote of the Munro's. I drove the track - incredibly slowly it must be said - and we parked up in the rain. The rain stopped pretty quickly which was good, and we had a bit of a chat with two lads who were biking out having climbed the peak in one day (we had seen their car at the Oykel Bridge Hotel), before heading on towards the bothy. The walk in was about 5 miles in my guess and we got to the bothy to find there were in fact 2 - next door to each other as well. Magoo's bothy - the new one - was the one we elected to stay in. It was built by some RAF people in memory of one of their friends killed in Kosovo. It was lovely, with candles, benches, a table and some cutlery etc. It's not maintained by the MBA (who do look after Coiremor), but maintained by friends and family of the guy killed (whose call-sign was Magoo hence the name.) Supper was two rounds of minestrone soup and noodles, as well as some shortbread. Bed was a lovely lie out in the bedroom with some candles. It got a little cold for me - revenge for  Claire's  for winter as her summer sleeping bag is better than mine :-) The feeling of peace and solitude at Magoo's is  tangible - and a reminder of what bothying is like. It has been a few too many years since I was last in a bothy - must go back soon and do some more overnighters...

Waking up to a lovely morning we found we had a slight challenge - the milk had gone off. So, we had two choices; either water on our cereal or Tabasco Sauce. Claire; despite being a daughter of Howard (a man SO hard he has Tabasco Sauce on his toast!) elected for water - so water it was. Actually it was quite nice and a good fuelling session as what was clearly a steep ascent waited for us.

Having tidied the bothy we packed our kit and retraced our steps to the head of the loch. Fording the outflow, which can be quite an epic, was easy given the recent hot spell and was simply a quick boulder hop. We then pulled up into the corrie before slanting left with a steep ascent onto the ridge. From the ridge, we pulled onto point 760m where a widening vista revealed itself. Most of the pix can be found here: https://picasaweb.google.com/102361192587557786751/SeanaBhraighViaMagooSBothy

Looking to An Tellach.

the one's below are two of the examples from the rest of the day.

We were both amazed to find someone on top - who had come up from Inverlael in about 2 3/4 hrs. The line of ascent towards the rest of the Beinn Dearg range was clear - with the clouds lifting and swirling around. After a second breakfast on top we set off on the descent - taking a nice ridge down towards pt 592m; from where we planned to descend to join one of the network of  stalkers paths that serve this area. Our walk-in had actually started on this main track - it is easily ridable although the section we walked back on was not totally flat!

Having had some food at the top of point 592 we descended towards the path and were soon on it. The return leg seemed quite long in the heat - although the fantastic views all around more than made up for this. This is a really empty quarter of Scotland, even by the standards of the NW Highlands, and the peace and quiet was lovely.
Re-joining the main track we had been on the night before as it wended it's way along the Strath there were several tempting pools to bathe in. However, I suspect that my ankle would have tightened up had we stopped, and we still had the drive-out to do; so with regret we passed on. Claire, by the way, did the drive out to the road and was a little! more confident and quick than I was ....oh well

Lovely sculpture on the drive out..

Am Faochagach and exploring Inverlael..

Claire and I had our last night at Forest Way and decided to take advantage of Iain's kind offer to give

View to the Fannich Hills on the ascent.

 us a lift to the start point for the ascent of Am Faochagach - and we could leave our car at Inverlael. The interesting thing here is that Inverlael is actually quite some way from the summit of Am Faochagach - committing us to a substantial re-ascent and traverse to reach one of the two cols which we could use to descend. The another annoying thing was that we would have to walk out on the final stalker's track as the bikes were safely at home...well I am getting a bit ahead of myself!

Claire nears the summit

It was another lovely day - with views very similar to the one in the picture. This was a good choice of hill to do, as all the guidebooks mention that this ascent can be VERY boggy with a very tricky river crossing. However, 3 weeks of no rain rendered the bogs much drier and the river crossing a total irrelevance. The pull up onto the ridge was hot and sweaty, however our pace judgement was quite good and it was not too long before the two of us were on top of Am Faochagach - one of the hills of the Inverlael group that I had not done in my previous visit last year.

After a bite to eat we left behind all the people and headed off in the direction of Loch Pirrie. The descent was quite trying, with uneven ground and no path making it hard to get much of a rhythm going as we descended to the headwaters of Glen Beag. From there - it was a steep and stiff pull onto the long ridge thrown out to the East by Ceann Garbh. This is the subsidiary top of Meall na Ceapraichan (and one I had climbed on my last visit) and was something we planned to ascend before descending to the col.

The going and heat were quite sapping and it was a slow plod up the ridge towards the final bump at 864m, after which the ridge drops before the final pull onto Ceann Garbh. Arriving at the col, it was decided to miss the top out and contour the hill to the col between it and Eididh nan Clach Geala. From there, we could pick up the stalkers path that I had ascended on my visit and follow it down until it met the last path. The contouring was rough, but the altimeter watch was a huge help, enabling me to keep track of the height - and lo and behold we ended up at the correct place.

An Tellach dominates the horizon. 

This being done the day was largely over, and the well made tracks to the stalkers path were a relief for the legs after the rough going of the previous few hours. The view - see the picture - was not bad either!

In due course; we reached the main forest ride - where I had left the bike last time. This last 2 miles or so was not to our liking; being jarring and long and devoid of much interest at all. Given it took about 40 mins longer than the last time I was here -  it was not my favourite part of the day. Eventually however, we reached the car and drove to the highly impressive campsite at Ullapool - more of which later. However, the 6 min shower for 20p was utilised - and then it was the adjacent Indian restaurant for supper...

Pix are here: https://picasaweb.google.com/102361192587557786751/AmFaoghachAndTheInverlaelHills

First married Munro...

Claire and I are in the North of Scotland on a belated honeymoon. We are based at Forest Way B and B until tomorrow morning - and then will probably camp in Ullapool.

Having driven to Edinburgh on Fri afternoon to spend the evening with Dad and Pat, we carried on the drive North on Saturday - on an A9 redolent with holiday traffic and idiots in caravans who refuse to go above 40 mph - until the get to the dual carriageway section and speed up. However, we arrived just south of Ullapool with a lovely forecast and so decided to get out walking the next day - Sunday.

After driving to the parking spot we set up following the stream we followed in ascent of Beinn Liath Mhor Fannich and the in descent on our final day of last year's holiday. This time it was much drier - the benefits of the recent heatwave; and we were able to make sustained progress. A party of FSP (fit Scottish people) whizzed past us and disappeared up Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich at high speed. Regrettably, the two of us have spent far too much time at work and not enough in the mountains so we opted for a more sedate pace as we ambled towards our chosen hill.

One thing that was new was the construction of half a bulldozed track some of the way to the bridge before one starts the trackless section to reach the foot of the corrie under Meall Gorm and An Coileachan. I say half a track as it came and went for no adequately explained reason - however it did make for easy going when it was there. Having used it for a bit we descended to the bridge and began the grunt across country (and up). Given the dry spell this was better than the last time we did it; however it was not the highlight of the day and required us to have some sustenance before the final ascent.

The weather was good - as can be seen from the Picasa site https://picasaweb.google.com/102361192587557786751/AnCoileachan

and the final ascent to the summit of An Coileachan was ok. This was the last of the Fannich summits for me and the last one on the main ridge for Claire, and we found a nice spot out of the wind to have lunch. Although we both felt tired, we eschewed the 'simple' descent down the way we had come and elected to ascend Meall Gorm and go over it to try and descend the steep corrie beyond it and thus pick up the stalkers path where it terminated. It was at this point that the weather became - changeable. As in, we had sunshine, rain, gales and snow within about 5 mins flat! This pattern continued for most of the rest of the walk.

We had got to with 100 ft of the summit of Meall Gorm when we looked at our proposed descent route and it looked a trifle dodgy. We thus decided to descend the way we had come and amble back to the car. This would still leave a walk of a little over 10miles - which frankly is all we can manage at the moment.

The descent went ok - thanks to finding a path for the last third of the descent to the bridge! and we used the new stalkers path instead of our initial path by the stream to speed our way and allow our legs to stretch out a bit. The walk was lovely, however the levels of our unfitness our now painfully obvious and is something we need to think about when planning future walks.