Phantoms in the mist
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
THE Torridon mountain path that starts from the Coille na Glas Letire car park on Loch Maree-side is a challenging circuit for walkers not used to steepness. It has the added benefit of providing access to Meall a’ Ghiuthais – a fine, pathless Corbett with a stunning Torridon panorama from its twin-topped summit.
Twice before I’d climbed the mountain path to find the Corbett clagged-in. So it was fingers crossed for third time lucky as I drove out of murky Inverness towards the promise of a sunlit west. Dropping down from Achnasheen to Kinlochewe my spirits lifted when I saw the Torridon peaks piercing the cloud in a temperature inversion.
Eager to get up high I left the car park and walked under the road into a quiet woodland in the early morning. With a clockwise circuit of the trail in mind I bore left, climbing on the well signed and surfaced path through the pines. The chatter of small birds kept me company but not much else was stirring.
After a bridge over a small gorge, a sign warns "steep path" and the angle increases. Rocky steps and sections where hands as well as feet have to be used all add to the fun.
Mist was still rolling in and visibility higher up deteriorated. My hope of views from Meall a’ Ghiuthais began to evaporate.
But as I reached Conservation Cairn at the top of the path the sun burst through. Meall a’ Ghiuthais rose into a clear blue sky and below me was a sea of cloud. I couldn’t resist a cheer and a shout: "Yessss!"
Spectacular spectres formed on wisps of mist in front of me, created by the bright sun behind.
A quick bite to eat and a cup of coffee from my flask and I was away again. The path descends to twin lochans, the nearer one named Loch Allt an Daraich. A short way beyond it I struck out across slightly soggy ground for the Corbett.
It’s pathless and quite steep, so progress was laborious as I zigzagged over grass and scree. Nearer to the north top there are faint paths through the scree and I was glad of them for the last 100 metres or so.
The top brought a view to die for north along the blue of Loch Maree. Another walker had beaten me to it and I wondered why I hadn’t seen him on the way up. He explained that he’d started at the Torridon Visitor Centre, approaching on a different path.
We both agreed this was a fantastic day to be out and made our way along the ridge to the higher of the Corbett’s twin tops, marked by a large stone shelter and more amazing views.
I headed back the way I’d come, down to the dip between the two tops and stayed right of the north top on a bearing, now that mist had rolled in again.
On the way up I’d noted some prominent land forms right of Slioch, on the opposite side of Loch Maree, and used them to aid navigation.
My bearing was pretty much due east down to the Lunar Loch, which sits alongside the mountain path.
The mist had cleared completely by the time I reached the stone shelter above the loch and I sat for a break admiring Slioch before the final descent to the car park alongside the impressive Allt na h-Airidhe gorge.
I reached the car reflecting on what had turned out to be a wonderful day, and at last a proper acquaintance with Meall a’ Ghiuthais.
