Knoydart

[Paul_B]

Where is the best place to start from for a week of wildcamping fun? You can drive to Kinloch Hourn and there is a carpark there. Is that a save place for a car to be left? Wass thinking of Mallaig to Inverie ferry but would prefer to use a car in case of bug out. Harder to do if you have to wait for ferry timetables.

Also as an alternative I could do something around Glenshiel area. Is there somewhere safe to leave a car on the A87 road for a week unattended? I suspect I could split the week up and do one half then back to the car for re-stocking then off for the second part of the week on the other side. IIRC there are seven Munros on the southern side and something like 3 on the northern side in the Five sisters.

Also what is the terrain like for carrying a pack? Is it all scrambly? That applies to both areas. I have the BMC map for Knoydart which has both areas so I can do either.

Any ideas of what to do out that way? Going up next saturday/sunday/momday not decided yet.

Any advice will be gratefully received.

 

[Limaed]

Kinloch Hourn is fine Paul, there is lots of space and it is safe as the carpark is next to the farm. I think they do food in summer but also ask £1(?) a day for the car. Its a three hour walk to Barrisdale on a rough path. As we discussed before there are lots of good hills from here. Ladhar Bheinn is a whole day and a the circuit around of Coire Dhoricail is a grade 1 scramble. From here you could drop into Inverie then the next day do Meall Bhuidhe and Luinne Bheinn and back to Barrisdale / Kinloch Hourn. Most of the terrain is rough but only Ladhar Bheinn is a scramble.
The Glenshiel hills are a bit easier going and more well travelled/paths. Both the south and north ridges are classic west coast walks, it can be tricky getting back to your starting point unless your going to do a circular route. I wouldn't recommend trying to walk along the A87 or hitch though there is a bus through here a few times a day. You could possibly leave your car at the Clunie Inn it has a big park out the front.
Glenelg is worth a visit for the Iron Age Brochs right next to the road, the hills here give great views into Knoydart and on to Skye (sometimes!). The weather was awful on Skye this weekend however the forecast is looking up for this weekend coming.

 

[Paul_B]

Thanks for the tips on route from Kinloch Hourn. I think it could be the easiest way into Knoydart. Got the BMC map fo the area and it has both Knoydart and Glen Shiel on it. TGO has a piece on glenshiel hills. I had the idea that you could walk the southern ones and walk back over the northern ones. I did wonder if those hills were a bit of a scramble.

I suppose I really should pick an area and work a route out. My original idea was to just get there and walk gto the top of a hill. Take a look around and walk on to the next place that takes my fancy. Might be better and safer (in case of accident) to have at least an approximate plan. I can always modify them as I fancy up there.

The benefit of Glenshiel area is the greater number of Munros. I'm not ticking them as I know they are beyond me completing. I don't fancy starting a list i am unlikey to finish. The Wainwrights have been annoying me so that'll be my only hillbagging list. But still there are 3 Munros close to where I am going in Knoydart compared to 7 on one side and 3 on the other side of the A87. That is drawing me. You don't usually get to bag quite that many Munros as quickly as you could around there. I had a long weekend (4 days IIRC) last year in the highlands and only managed 4 Munros. I reckon at a push you couuld do more than that in one day around Glenshiel.

I think next week is going to be kind of rain and light rain or showers. With the odd less wet or even dry day. However forecasts do change the closer you get to the time so I am always hopeful. One site I saw had daytime max temp of 15C and a min of 10C!! That seems strange to only have a 5C temp range in the 24 hours. Still it might happen.

 

[Limaed]

Both are great areas IMO, however Knoydart is very special. It has quite a wilderness feel yet there is a real sense of a place that was once full of people as there are many shielings and signs of former settlements. You won't be dissapointed by the Glenshiel hills though and you can knock quite a few off in a day.