Ben Stack
Video of fun :
I had arrived in Sutherland yesterday after a four hour drive and immediately set about tackling Ben Hee. A grand day on the hill saw me back at the car by dusk and my first task was finding a spot to park the car for the evening. I had spotted a large quiet area and headed for that as darkness fell.
The stove was soon on and I enjoyed a cracking tea and the rest of the evening was spent reading my book and watching YouTube videos in the passenger seat!! Eventually bed called and I clambered into the boot and fell into a long deep sleep.
Waking at a late time of 07.45!! (shock horror !! well it was still dark!) I managed to leave the warmth of my sleeping bag and get my kit ready for today’s adventure. The hill I had chosen was a 3 minute drive down the road and has one of the longest hill names I can remember seeing !! - Meallan Liath Coire Mhic Dhughaill sits above Loch More and before long I was striding along the track beside this northern Loch. The views along the loch to Ben Stack were fantastic and a halo of cloud circled the peak with the top popping out above – how I wish I had chosen that peak today!!
Meallan Liath Coire Mhic Dhughaill was looking a little less inviting with a layer of cloud sitting down from about 500m, and little sign of any protrusions above it! A good ATV track leads up the hillside just before Aultanrynie is reached, but beyond this I knew it was going to be pretty much pathless with rough ground in the clag – and it was.
As I reached the ridge, I as well and truly in the clag! Up and down I went over Meallan Liath Beag and it was not until I started the pull up to the higher ridge between Meallan Liath Coire Mhic Dhughaill and Carn Dearg, that things started to change. The higher I got and I started to notice little breaks in the cloud. I was sitting between some ill-defined layers of clag and every now and again I’d get a glimpse through the clag to see – erm well more clag . Up I went and I soon found myself on the higher ridge and I had to drop a little height. It was probably the summit of Carn Dearg providing shelter, but for a short spell some brightness appeared and I was accompanied by my my brocken with is glories and a fog bow – always a nice sight
However this didn’t last long and as I ascended towards the summit of Meallan Liath Coire Mhic Dhughaill the clag fell about me again! It was now white with ice and the wind was strengthening . I didn’t linger long and started down southwards off the summit. It didn’t take long but soon the cloud started to break so I headed towards the edge of the ridge and I got lucky. For about half an hour, the clouds parted to give me some smashing views over Sutherland and out towards Ben Stack , it was amazing as the sun was lowering to the south and the clouds rolled about the lochans and hills, a fine sight indeed
As quickly as it had dispersed, the clag filled in again and with the sun lowering I descended a little quicker. A section of peat hags had me cursing but after what seemed like an age I found myself back on the ATV track. A quick hello to a few herds of deer and I was soon back at the car and first task was getting a brew on!
By the time I got the car sorted the darkness has won its battle and I was already readying myself for the winter solstice hike the following day.
Ben Stack
Video of fun :
I had arrived in Sutherland yesterday after a four hour drive and immediately set about tackling Ben Hee. A grand day on the hill saw me back at the car by dusk and my first task was finding a spot to park the car for the evening. I had spotted a large quiet area and headed for that as darkness fell.
The stove was soon on and I enjoyed a cracking tea and the rest of the evening was spent reading my book and watching YouTube videos in the passenger seat!! Eventually bed called and I clambered into the boot and fell into a long deep sleep.
Waking at a late time of 07.45!! (shock horror !! well it was still dark!) I managed to leave the warmth of my sleeping bag and get my kit ready for today’s adventure. The hill I had chosen was a 3 minute drive down the road and has one of the longest hill names I can remember seeing !! - Meallan Liath Coire Mhic Dhughaill sits above Loch More and before long I was striding along the track beside this northern Loch. The views along the loch to Ben Stack were fantastic and a halo of cloud circled the peak with the top popping out above – how I wish I had chosen that peak today!!
Meallan Liath Coire Mhic Dhughaill was looking a little less inviting with a layer of cloud sitting down from about 500m, and little sign of any protrusions above it! A good ATV track leads up the hillside just before Aultanrynie is reached, but beyond this I knew it was going to be pretty much pathless with rough ground in the clag – and it was.
As I reached the ridge, I as well and truly in the clag! Up and down I went over Meallan Liath Beag and it was not until I started the pull up to the higher ridge between Meallan Liath Coire Mhic Dhughaill and Carn Dearg, that things started to change. The higher I got and I started to notice little breaks in the cloud. I was sitting between some ill-defined layers of clag and every now and again I’d get a glimpse through the clag to see – erm well more clag . Up I went and I soon found myself on the higher ridge and I had to drop a little height. It was probably the summit of Carn Dearg providing shelter, but for a short spell some brightness appeared and I was accompanied by my my brocken with is glories and a fog bow – always a nice sight
However this didn’t last long and as I ascended towards the summit of Meallan Liath Coire Mhic Dhughaill the clag fell about me again! It was now white with ice and the wind was strengthening . I didn’t linger long and started down southwards off the summit. It didn’t take long but soon the cloud started to break so I headed towards the edge of the ridge and I got lucky. For about half an hour, the clouds parted to give me some smashing views over Sutherland and out towards Ben Stack , it was amazing as the sun was lowering to the south and the clouds rolled about the lochans and hills, a fine sight indeed
As quickly as it had dispersed, the clag filled in again and with the sun lowering I descended a little quicker. A section of peat hags had me cursing but after what seemed like an age I found myself back on the ATV track. A quick hello to a few herds of deer and I was soon back at the car and first task was getting a brew on!
By the time I got the car sorted the darkness has won its battle and I was already readying myself for the winter solstice hike the following day.