CWT Day 5 - ditch near Camus-luinie to near Achnashellach 14 April 2010.

The Cape Wrath Trail - Day 5
ditch near Camus-luinie to near Achnashellach Station
Distance 29km Climb 400m
Wednesday 14th April 2010

Today was another long hard day with many highs and lows, not just physically but mentally.  This is a hard walk and I keep reminding myself that was why I chose it.  I ended the day camped approx. 1.5-2 km from Achnashellach Station.  It was 20.00 hrs when I stopped walking.  I could have went down into Achnashellach Station but decided to stop on the hills above.  I thought it would be best to stay up on the hills as I was afraid that the same would happen to me as the previous night.  Were no where would be open and I would have to stay in a ditch again.  The side of this hill I thought would be better, the weather was great I was so happy about that, but what about deer? I had heard that sometimes deer stumble into tents at night.  Today I had covered approx. 29km with approx. 400m climb in about 11.5 hrs.

My day had started with a breakfast from my rations, more food which I had planned to keep for later, I was still smarting from last nights disappointment.  Leaving the ditch I set off North along the road.  After crossing a bridge over a stream I arrived at a crossroads.

Instead of turning left as I had planned I turned right and left my bag out of sight behind a tree and headed towards Kililan where the map showed a phone box.  I thought I would take this opportunity to ring home and wish my daughter a belated happy birthday, unfortunately my daughter had left for college so I still could not wish her a happy birthday.

After my call home I returned to pick up my bag and started walking again.  Once back at the junction where I had turned right I now moved straight ahead back onto my planned route.  After about another 700m I took a track to my right travelling North East towards Nonach Lodge.  After passing a small wood and the farm buildings the footpath I took headed up Glen Ling according to my map.  I was walking next to the stream when more deer crossed my path. All these deer, deer were now starting to become the norm and no longer causing me any excitement.  During the day I also saw loads of lizards, this was interesting as I could not remember seeing any lizards in Scotland before?

The footpath continued North towards a large forested area.  On the way I passed a man working on repairing one of the footbridges that crossed the many streams that were in this area.  At the forest the path headed down hill and was pleasant.  It was now a very warm sunny day and it was nice in the shade.  At the edge of the forest there was a forest track junction.  I turned right onto a track that headed in an Easterly direction.  A short distance from the edge of the forest the track twisted and turned a little up a very steep rise that I found very tiring.  Once passed the rise the going was easier and I was covering about 4 kph.  I passed Bendronaig Lodge and continued along the track.  Looking behind it looked like they were burning off the heather.

As I was passing the Eastern side of the Loch an Lanigh this was where the route took me off the track and I had to follow the edge of the loch in a Northerly direction.  The area was noted as marshy and I had to take care.  Being marshy I was no longer moving as quickly as I had previously however I was still making good progress.

  

There were times I had to jump deep marshy features and I was glad of my walking stick as I could check the depth of some of the bogs.  Moving round those I thought I could not cross or thought too wide to jump.  Not easy going, jumping with a big bag, but for some perverse reason I enjoyed it, perhaps this was because I was off the track.  I headed towards a bothy that my map showed was where I would join another track.

From bothy looking South

From bothy looking East

I decided to stop at the bothy for a quick rest.  I would have liked to have stopped here longer and enjoy the view as I thought the views were stunning but the beast in my head would not let me stop, so after my quick rest I had to push on.

Looking South

The track headed directly North and up then up and up some more.  On reaching the top you could see for miles.

Looking North

Eventually when the track started down it twisted and turned a lot more than shown on the map and eventually I could look down on the area of Achnashellagh Station.  This was where I decided to pitch my tent and stop for the night.  Here I could get a signal and after some food rang home.  Through the day I had made a couple of silly video's and cheered myself up by watching them over and over.  It may have been silly but I could not help but laugh, I thought them so funny.

The writer of the route I was following took 6 days to get here and this was my 5th day.  No wonder my feet, legs, back, and shoulders ache.  According to the route I was following I had covered a total of 136 km.  Over the next few days I think I am going to be off my target but hopefully I will make the distance up and the time back.

View from my tent

More to follow


Boz North
Details correct at time of walking.

If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done on The Cape Wrath Trail or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.

Follow link to previous - Day 4 Camban Bothy to Camus-luinie
Follow link to next - Day 6 Achnashellach to Grid NH 065 675