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We did a couple of really great walks the weekend before last, Quinag on the Saturday and Ben Avon on the Sunday.

Quinag

This is actually three Corbetts (hills between 2500 and 3000 feet) but more than that, it is a really interesting hill to walk.

The walk starts from the carpark on the A894 (north of Ullapool), with an easy ascent up a 20 (ish) degree slope over a series of rock slabs to the first summit of Spidean Coinich. This is a wonderfully rocky top, although not for those who suffer from vertigo.

A very steep, but surprisingly easy series of descents and re-ascents over 3 minor tops, took us to the second summit of Sail Gorm. We stopped for more food and admired the view of the Kylesku Bridge, which is a really magnificent structure—deceptively simple in construction, with a very pleasing and natural looking curve along its length.

We then returned back the way we came, skirting around the minor tops and up on to summit of Sail Garbh, the highest of the three peaks at 808m. This ridge had huge numbers of oblong angular boulders, which made ideal standing stones to make the path (not that you needed one).

The descent was straightforward, returning back towards main ridge, before descending South West then South to the lochan in the middle, and following the indistinct track back to carpark. Unfortunately, our brew here was rudely disturbed by someone who decided to sit in their car with the radio on full blast, hardly highland tranquility!

Overall about 13km and 1050m of ascent, on pretty easy ground, although some relatively steep. The views of the surrounding hills would have been fantastic, if it weren’t for the hazy day. But the weather was warm, so we can’t complain too much.

Ben Avon

The following day, not suffering too much, we (foolishly) set out on a bigger mission… Ben Avon (a Munro) from Tomintoul. So we loaded the bikes in the car and set off. After driving through Tomintoul we set off down the estate road, past the Queen’s View car park, down the estate road. Only to find we had to turn back.

Take two: we set of by bike down the track, and down the hill over some loose angular stones… a recipe for disaster! 15 minutes later, after changing a puncture, we were on our way again, and ended up back on the tarmac road which continued on for of the way up the glen, with a nice smooth track for the final 1/3. The only problem was the wind, which was strong and gusting from all directions, but primarily in front, and actually blew us of the track at one point.

We left the bikes at the Linn of Avon, and proceeded to walk up. And up. And round. then we found a very nice path, that contoured along the side of first one hill then another, taking us more or less in exactly the direction we wanted. Eventually we were on the main plateau, and headed in the direction of the summit, which we saw after climbing one final ridge.

A short walk and we were at the base of the 20m high granite tor, which was an easy scramble to the “real” top.

After we had had a bite to eat, a few other people also reached the top, so we left. And walked back the way we had ascended, back to the bikes. The descent was painful on my now tired legs, and I was dreading the long cycle back. I needn’t have been so worried, as I was using different muscles for cycling, and it was a much less jarring motion. Unfortunately, and according to sods law, the wind was still blowing in our faces, so it wasn’t just a freewheel back to the car. We skipped the puncture track on the way back, but my legs very nearly gave out on the last uphill.

Total distance 41km (25km by bike) and 860m of ascent.

This entry was posted on Friday 27th April 2007 in Outdoors and tagged cycling, mountains, panorama, walking. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.