Forging a link on remote bike and hike in Knoydart
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A DAY spent on the Munros of the Knoydart peninsula is never easy. But at least the weather was on our side.
On the cards was a mountain bike ride, then two Munros and a ride back in time to catch our hired boat to Mallaig, with space for a drink in Britain’s remotest pub, The Old Forge at Inverie.
Once on shore we made a sharp getaway on the bikes, John and I and two friends from Oban Mountaineering Club, Bill and Charles.
The road east along Inverie Bay turns into a rough track at a junction, going left up through forestry. A gate gives way to a continuation of the track which heads towards Mam Barrisdale, the high pass between the mountains that leads down to beautiful Barrisdale Bay.
The sun shone and the midges were out in force so we weren’t for hanging around. A juddery ride along the track, passing a few walkers, brought us to the far end of Loch an Dubh-Lochain where we stowed the bikes and set off on foot.
Bill had suggested reaching the top of our first Munro, Meall Buidhe, via a gully he’d climbed before.
Crossing the Abhainn nan Eildean we made our way slowly up the flanks of the gully, which widens out in its higher reaches into Torc-choire. From there it’s easy to reach the ridge path to the summit of Meall Buidhe at 946 metres.
Once on the ridge the whole of Knoydart and much else besides opened up before us on this wonderfully clear day.
Though now on a defined path, there are some rocky steps to weave through on the complex ridge before the flatter Bealach Ile Coire is reached. To the east the craggy Corbett of Ben Aden stands out. Remote, difficult to reach and steep on all sides, it’s a real challenge to any Corbett-bagger.
There was challenge enough still ahead for us, dragging ourselves next over the intervening bump of Druim Leac a’ Shith and a morale-sapping drop to Bealach a’Choire Odhair under our second Munro – Luinne Bheinn.
It looked daunting but there was nothing for it than to grit the teeth and get on with it. John set off ahead with legs less tired than mine. I plodded behind up the initially boggy path, then the sharper incline to the east top with some easy scrambling along the way.
I caught John up at the summit with a glorious view down to Barrisdale Bay. We rested for a while before heading north along the ridge, then down the rather eroded and steep path to a levelling.
Turning west we lost height over steep grass to reach a boggy path alongside an old fence leading to the Mam Barrisdale path and a speedy return to the bikes.
It was a relief to get in the saddle again and eat up the kilometres on the way back to Inverie. We arrived with about 45 minutes to spare before the boat left – ample time to enjoy that pint in The Old Forge.
Only later did we learn that the police had raided the pub the day before and taken away guns and ammunition.
All seemed well when we visited, at least, and certainly the pub is very important to the local economy. Any threat to its existence would not be good for Knoydart.
Our day, barring the midges, could not have been better.
