I arrived in the smirr of a rapidly improving highland morning as the others were getting ready for a day on the hill. I soon worked out that the earliest help could come would be four hours, but with the low cloud a helicopter probably wouldn’t make it. Frank’s snoring was a great comfort, a kind of normality. Ben Alder has an awesome presence! You’ll follow the River Pean valley on the north side but from the forestry access track higher up. By unzipping his overtrousers, it was possible to see and feel the location of the fracture – the break was simple (no blood, protruding bones and/or gross misalignment), so we splinted him up by tying his legs together with a combination of broad elastic and triangular bandages. of vibram on wet track , and by a series of curses prompted by a couple of ten foot fences which had to be wearily surmounted. It's the highest peak in a remote and rugged massif slap bang in the middle of the Scottish Highlands. Had I died I would have been famous. Midge bites are itchy and usually painful. Met three people coming out the bothy. This was familiar territory for us both, so as the loch came into sight, with the forest fringing the shore up to An Grianan and the huge bulk of Ben Alder behind, we knew that the view was deceptive, and that it would be quite a plod before we crested the final brow to see the Bothy, nestling at the side of Alder Bay. You hear it go. Approaches are long from any direction; Corrour Station gives the nearest access from the west, whilst it is possible to approach from Loch Rannoch in the south. The Key-Stone of the Bridge, a novel and audiobook by Craig Meggy, is part homage to Robert Burns, set in Ben Alder Bothy. From Culra Ben Alder looks magnificent, with two rocky ridges - the Short and Long Leachas, enclosing a … Therefore, no matter how long the trip is to reach and stop at a bothy in the Scottish Highlands, you need to be self-sufficient and ready to handle adverse and unpredictable weather. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. The bothy is from 1848 and with the adjacent ruins was a crofting community. Both shores rise gently, and the woods give way to sparse clusters of trees, the spruce’s pointy tops distinguishable now. The isle’s name comes from the ubiquitous hue of dark red color given by the iron ore present in the rocks. Boots clumping on the ground outside meant that we would not be on our own, the new team being a mixed group of fishermen and walkers, tired after trekking in from Corrour and with blisters to prove it. It’s a long, narrow, one-story building in two parts. Layers can be peeled off as needed although it’s never really warmer than 70°F (21°C). The Walk. And so the long wait and much thinking. The track ends but there is a clear trail to continue ahead, until you turn inland at a rocky knoll, or a small hill standing amidst flatter surroundings, called An Grianan. We set off at about 7am and followed the path. It seemed that the message had been relayed around the force as they decided who’s patch the incident was on. After scoffing a cracking meal, knocking back the plonk and making a fair sized hole in the wood pile (and the whisky) our best laid plans ganged agley at a hell of a rate! I wanted to savour this bit. Culra bothy is closed due to the presence of asbestos so it is necessary to carry a tent and camp nearby. For our group, circumstances meant that on the day we divided into two parties, Johnny and I going in mid-afternoon, with Frank, Bill and Donald starting three hours behind. The hike was simple but the reward is the south view towards Suilven, a contrast of dark shadows and bright grassy fields, as it’s always against the sun. The perhaps monotonous island makes for even greater contrast upon reaching the small bothy as this place is a meeting point of completely different views and natural features. The last few miles passed in a dream. Head north. If the bothy is full then there is good camping ground either outside it or in the wood across the river. I assume they were walking Ben Alder and Beinn Bheoil because they were heading across the bridge and I met them again on the summit of Beinn Bheoil. Fort William in about 15 minutes, me trebly floating: airborne, euphoric, and on laughing gas. It requires an initial walk or bike ride on an off-road track of some nine miles from Dalwhinnie to Culra Bothy. The older, gray stone structure dating to 1871 is always open to the public while the dark timber addition is reserved. But at midnight, they added: "'Injured' walker remaining at the bothy with his friends. Time to get your luggage down but too late to tell anyone you’re arriving. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out /  This was Saturday night Sunday morning in a Scottish town. Quickly, you work out that it’s going to be a long night. 14. The walk follows the only road on the isle, which eventually splits into north and south directions about halfway through the walk. It should be noted that the Mountain Bothies Association website says the lovely Culra Bothy is currently closed indefinitely due to asbestos. Difficulty: Easy to the bothy, hard to Suilven mountain. By definition, bothies are reachable only by foot, cycle, or boat, and they’re typically located near running water. I left the car at 0550 and returned to the car at 1850 having completed the round. Check for the insects’ presence on or around you before picking a resting stop. This makes for a constant roar — or “tumblin’ burn” as some call it — and in fact Guirdil’s name comes from the Norse Giùadal meaning “deep chasm.” On the horizon, the outline of the Isle of Canna stands high over the sea. That’s the point. 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