Knoydart again.........so soon!

Revisited within a month with the same glorious weather ❤️

Introduction - Knoydart

I truly can't believe how lucky I am!

Back in Knoydart, within a month of my last visit, and the weather was forecast to be stunning. After a slow easy drive from Stirling I jumped on the 6.00pm ferry from Mallaig to Inverie. This time I had two nights in the bunkhouse so no rush to climb and return for the last ferry, and that's good, as I wouldn't have made it!

As mentioned in my previous Knoydart blog, the bunkhouse is a wonderful asset for Knoydart and provides much needed income for the foundation and community. It also brings together like minded people. New friends are easily made, experiences shared and memories made.

You're likely to meet people who know people you know, and more incredibly people you know! It really is a very small world, and remarkably, on this trip both of these events happened. What's more remarkable is I a shared a dorm with 6 guys and no-one snored! At least no-one else did, and nobody complained about me?!

When I mentioned to my neighbour on my return home about the improbability of meeting people who knew him in such a remote location, he suggested to me that is exactly where I would meet these people. Like moths gathering at a flame, where the flame is the beauty and isolated rough bounds of Knoydart.

So, I would like to start the blog by thanking my new friends; James (whisky connoisseur and my sense of humour twin), Pat and Dave (fell runners and friends of my neighbour), and Tomas (Munich born with a zest for adventure), for their company, chat and laughter. Nate and Naimh for their wonderful service at the Old Forge, and Callum (also from the Old Forge) for the best and most tender venison madras I have ever tasted.

Finally, thanks to Isla and Rhona, sisters who own the Knoydart Pottery and Tearoom, their breakfast rolls are legendary, and the coffee is amazing. An early visit and blether before I caught the ferry back to Mallaig revealed a shared past and a cascade of memories and emotions. A few years apart we attended Lochaber High School and all lodged at the school hostel in Camaghael. We stayed in the same dorms and almost certainly the same beds. The reminiscing triggered thoughts of times long past and friends remembered. However; retrospection is a double edged sword, and laughing we acknowledged that our experiences could always be treated with therapy!

Onto the main event then, below you'll find my stats, the route, and information you will hopefully enjoy and find useful.

Stats and stuff - munros; maps & timings

Munro number: 44

Munro name(s): Ladhar Bheinn 1020m (3346ft)

Area: Knoydart and Glen Quoich

Maps: Knoydart, Kintail & Glen Shiel Map (harveymaps.co.uk); OS Map of Loch Alsh, Glen Shiel & Loch Hourn | Landranger 33 Map | Ordnance Survey Shop

Distance: 17 miles

Ascent: 1344m (4411ft)

Moving time: 8 hours

Total time: 11 hours 15 mins

Ratings

Effort 😅😅😅😅😅

Navigation 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

Bogginess ☹️☹️

Enjoyment 😍😍😍

Local information

Eating: VISIT | The Old Forge Community Pub | Knoydart, Scotland; Knoydart Pottery & Tearoom (no website but can be found on Facebook and X)

Accommodation: Knoydart Bunkhouse - Knoydart Foundation; B&B Accommodation | Visit Knoydart

Facilities: Home | Knoydart Brewery | Inverie, Knoydart; Knoydart Foundation - the SHOP - Knoydart Foundation; Knoydart Foundation Ranger Service - Knoydart Foundation

Ferry: Knoydart Ferry Timetable | Western Isles Cruises

Please take cash with you if possible as the card machine charges for each payment and this is passed onto the vendor. There is no cash machine on the peninsular. There is a post office in the shop.

The route

There are a few ways you can climb Ladhar Bheinn, none of them short, but some are more straight forward than others. I decided to do a circuit taking on the ridge to the summit with the best views of the mountain. One of my new acquaintances had mentioned whilst breakfasting, that the route was excellent and had some lovely easy scrambling sections. Excited I set off at first light without any time constraints.

The day dawned clear and cloudless. A gentle breeze kept the midges at bay and the autumnal chill was refreshing. The route up to the col at Mam Barrisdale was familiar to me as it's the same start as the climb to Luinne Bheinn which I had done on my previous trip.

The most amazing sound accompanied me. In autumn in the highlands the stags start their breeding season. Don't mistake this as romantic in any sense, it is quite aggressive, and is always associated with incredibly loud bellowing and head on battles between competing males. They are most vociferous in the first few hours after dawn, but can, and did, continue throughout the day.

Their plan is to be the strongest male, see off all opposition and then mate with as many females as possible. The rut (from the Latin rugire, meaning "to roar") as it is called, only lasts around 10 days so I was very lucky to experience it. By the end of the rut the stags are exhausted and younger bucks can be seen sneaking in to the hareem to chance their luck. The display is magnificent and the forlorn echoes of the rut are one of the most captivating and fascinating sounds in the wilderness.

There isn't a path to speak of when you leave the col up to your left towards Stob a Chearcaill. It is hard going and the route is not entirely obvious. However; if you head up roughly north west you will enter Coir a Phuill.

Ahead the steep face of Stob a Chearcaill rears above you and it isn't at all clear how you get past this obstacle to gain the ridge. Once at the foot of this peak you can identify a scramble section through the rocks. It is exposed and I can testify that I was a little unnerved by the experience. Soon after the scramble an obvious path can be joined skirting around the top of Coir a Phuill and onto the main ridge. At this point Ladhar Bheinn shows itself for the first time and it took my breath away. Bill and I have seen this mountain from the tops of other mountains and always commented that it is, to us, one of the most beautiful mountains in Scotland. It didn't disappoint and I admit to having a wee tear to myself at the site given Bill wasn't with me.

The way ahead is now very clear but also very far. Lots of ascents and descents. More scrambling made harder by the shortness of my legs! I mentioned in my welcome blog Naismith's Rule for calculating the time a climb will take. Another erroneous factor that adds to that calculation is fear! It is exhausting and certainly slowed me down on my traverse to the summit.

The rock formation in these ancient mountains also contributed to the complexity of some of the scrambling. Ladhar Bheinn lies on the Moine Thrust. At up to 3,000 million years old, these Lewisian rocks are the oldest rocks in Scotland. They’re also among the world’s oldest rocks. The landscape was formed through a mixture of burial, heating, compression and folding of both molten rock, and much smaller volumes of muddy, sandy and rare limestone sediments.

It is particularly the folding, the vertical extension of the rocks, that makes scrambling here so tiring. Not only are you navigating a flat cliff face, but also one with vertical fissures making for slow going.

Finally, I came over the last few ledges and the summit ridge lay before me. The views out to the west to Skye were incredible; only to be matched by the views to the north and east. The majesty of Scotland's finest mountains laid out as a map, one you could stand in, marvel at and recognise the finest peaks and old friends.

As ecstatic as I was on reaching the summit, I knew I had a 3500 feet descent to sea level and a 7 mile hike ahead of me, damn that fear that exhausted me so much.

If descending in mist or snow it's worth taking a bearing from the summit. The ridge is gentle but broad and it would be very easy to get disorientated. Descend north west initially and then south west. The descent eventually merges into a clear path to Folach and the bridge across the Allt Coire Torr an Asgaill.

The path is so obvious here because this descent is actually another ascent route for Ladhar Bheinn. The views would not be as good, and the "fun" of the scramble would be missed, but with the use of a bike on excellent forestry tracks up to Folach, the length of the day would be reduced considerably.

I had not met a soul all day and was surprised to hear a sound behind me as I began my descent. From a distance the person in question appeared to be wearing white trousers. As he approached me it was clear he was actually wearing white Y fronts, and quite loose ones at that, and had bare white legs. He was running and appeared to be in a hurry. A quick exchange of pleasantries and definite eye contact, so as to avoid looking elsewhere, and he was on his way again.

Whilst still mulling over the encounter and having a chuckle to myself I heard another sound and the silence was broken by the voice of a young man saying "I bet you're glad to see someone with his trousers on!". The explanation was almost as unbelievable as the apparition. He had seemingly caught the first ferry, climbed all three munros and had to get back for the last ferry out. An amazing achievement in itself, but made more impressive by the fact that he had been struck down with cramp in his calves. He had explained to my new companion that the best cure for cramp was cold water, and, vis a vis, removing his trousers would cool his legs down and thus eliminate the cramp. Each to their own. He did actually make the ferry. Quite an adventure.

The forest track seemed to go on forever. As the sun dropped lower in the sky on my right I knew at least that I was heading south and must be nearing the village. An encouraging text from Bill following me on Strava, confirmed I was close. The sun had set as I made my way down that last of the track that surprisingly exited the forest right next to the Old Forge.

My reward was suitably wet and refreshing. No local beer on tap this time so I resorted to a good Scottish staple. It was accompanied by the most tender and tasty venison curry. I tried not to remember the wonderful sounds of the rutting stags!

I was so tired that I'm not sure I remember the last mile back to the bunkhouse. Showered, fed and in bed I slept like the proverbial log, and my companions never made a noise.

Next morning I made my way to the Knoydart Pottery and Tearoom and filled up on the most amazing sausage rolls and fresh coffee.

Friends I had made joined me, and on realising they were getting the same ferry and then planned to wait for a bus to return to their car in Glenfinnan, I offered a comfy and quick return to their car and had company onwards to Fort William, with another new friend who was heading for the train. It's nice to be nice, and I enjoyed every second.

Thank you Knoydart, I will be back, you are a beautiful place with so many people who make it very special.

Claire's top tip....

Is it safe to drink water from the hill?

Having been raised in the highlands, drinking water from a water tank that took water directly from the hill, I've always drunk water from streams when out walking.

The rules are fairly simple. Only drink from a running stream, the larger the better, and avoid water sources which are muddied, still or where there are lots of livestock. If in doubt use water purifying tablets, a water filter or boil the water.

Running out of water on the hill is a nightmare. As you climb streams dry up and become less safe to drink from. I always carry two water bottles and fill them both from the last good running stream I pass. The water just needs to last until you start to encounter running streams on your descent.

The types of infections you could encounter include E. Coli found in water affected by sewerage. Also, Hardjo, a leptospirosis, transmitted to humans from cattle. These are rare and can be avoided by following the basic rules.

Coming next......

Ninja attack in Gleann Choinneachain....A' Ghlas-bheinn

Thank you for reading ❤️ xx