Knoydart. NB

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Spuddy

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but wet which is limited justification.
I recollect that there a few posters who have knocked about the Hielans. I had a notion to do the overland walk from the east, througfh Knoydart to Inverie and then out by the ferry to Mallaig. Everything below the waist is nearly Kaput through arthritis so this is a last fling. If anyone has experience or suggestions, I'd be grateful.
Most viable route, at a glance, seems to be from roadhead at loch Arkaig up Glen Dessary. Could I get a taxi to drop us up there - how rough a road ?
I want to shimmy round the mountains nowadays so is there any sort of track across to Loch Nevis and then to Inverie ?
Can probably con number 1 son to act as sherpa. Got memory of him with ukelele at Sandwood bay last year and would like to add another image to the bank.
 
Been a while since I did it, but from memory it's easier go up and over the top rather than trying to go along the shore of Loch Nevis, especially as you get further West along the loch (I think there's a sort of path at the south east end of Loch Nevis which unfortunately peters out after not very far). Sorry I don't have a map handy so can't be more specific, but generally would suggest "up and over". Maybe things have changed though.
 
This is how it looked...

The east end of Loch Nevis south shore where the going was still easy:

SCOTLAND 2.jpg


And somewhat further West, looking East along Loch Nevis:

SCOTLAND 1.jpg
 
Re: This is how it looked...

Nice pics Simon. The upper part of Loch Nevis is a desolate place, and rather closed in and unpleasant in dull weather, in my view. Lousy place for anchoring as well - the outer loch's much better.

Not trying to put you off Spuddy, but I've never heard anyone have a good word for the walk from Loch Nevis into Glen Dessary, but perhaps it's better going west as Spuddy intends to.

Closer to the time, why not let us know when you're doing the walk? There's usually one or two of us in that area.
 
Re: thanks

heard that Loch Hourn was even more desolate.
Thanks for looking out the pics, Simon and for your comments Sgeir. I can go up all day; it's coming down that's the killer nowadays.
I'll keep on looking into it - armchair travel if nothing else. Maybe a plan B - ferry in to Inverie and circular jaunt. But the linear route has a draw as a journey - circular routes are more for entertainment. Provisional timimg for August
Is the road metalled ?
 
Re: thanks

[ QUOTE ]
it's coming down that's the killer nowadays.

[/ QUOTE ]
I seem to remember there's a path/sheeptrack of sorts down into Mallaig, so probably not too bad descending from the hills above Mallaig.

There used to ba a nice bothy at Kinloch Hourn, and you could get most of the way to it by car, except for the past 10 miles or so. Then it's quite a very hefty slog over I think it was called something like Luinhe Bheinn ("Loonie Bin") or Ladhe Bheinn ("Larder Bin") to get down to the head of Loch Nevis.

All in all the country is quite hard going, they don't train commandos there for nothing.

Edit: sorry bothy was at Barrisdale, bit further along from Kinloch Hourn.
 
Bill, your bluddy 'ook should have been a Rock Na Crag (or else 'ooked a rock?) - and then it would have hooked at first putt, rather than finally 'ooking Rocs on the 6th putt......

Rocks are guaranteed to hold, as all the exhaustive data posted by learned scholars elsewhere on these forums conclusively proves time and again............

But there again, you wouldnt have earned that beer if it was a Rock.........

Was it a CQure Rock?

(sorry, couldnt resist that one!) /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Spuddy

I'm not a walker - but came across this site whilst looking at Loch Hourn....

British Walks

Example pictures...
P20037185488.JPG

The track up Gleann an Dubh-Lochainn

It's got good pictures and has broken the walk into stages.

Regards
Donald
 
Re: thanks

Road to end of Loch Arkaig should be OK, but its nearly 30 years since I drove there. I also went almost to Kinloch Hourn with a motor caravan. We were going to camp there, but my wife was bitten by a clegg (horsefly?) and we had to drive back to Invergarry to get an antidote to the bad reaction she had to the bite. Take something with you if you are allergic to bites, as well as taking midge repellent.
 
Thanks everybody and some useful links.
Ay, the midges. Now take gloves and a midge net when going up there ( no,no - the net goes over the head; it's not for catching them )
 
There is a ranger service at Inverie. Can't find the leaflet I picked up, but if you try phoning the Knoydart Foundation on 01687 462242, they will probably be able to advise you.
 
Ask to speak to Angie who is the organising secretary of the Knoydart Foundation and tell her Claymore sent you. Then when you arrive get her husband Mark to run you to Mallaig in his Rib. (We used to work together) Be prepared to wait until he is going there otherwise it'll cost. There is another boat does the taxi run
 
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