The Cape Wrath Trail - Day 6
Near Achnashellach Station to Grid NH 065 675
Distance 29km Climb 350m
Thursday 15th April 2010
I knew I was being a bit ambitious planning on being at Dundonnel tonight but I knew I would have to try. Never mind though I should be there tomorrow and there should be time in my plan to catch up.
After packing up my gear I thought I would have a welcome breakfast at the cafe at Achnashellach Station. I had seen it mentioned on various websites, so happy in spirit I re-joined the path and followed it down the hill. Into the Achnashellach Forest, but somewhere along the track I missed the bridge across the stream. I was nearly half way wading across when I saw the bridge so it was easier going back to the road and crossing by the bridge.
I then followed a track to the right to an open area near the major stream. This was a wider, faster stream and although a bridge was shown on the map I could not find it, so I stopped, put on my gaiters and just waded across. By now I was in a hurry to get some breakfast and nothing was going to get in my way.
Across the stream I headed up a track to a building called Lair. For a change I took a photo of some domestic animals instead of wild deer. It was only when I looked at the photo later I realised what they were doing. They were not doing this when I stopped to take the photo so must have taken up the pose when they saw me take out my camera.
At the main road A890 I turned left towards the Achnashellach Lodge and took the path to the left up to the station. Going up the hill through the houses I arrived at the train station. It had a sign showing loads of facilities available but none were there. Apart from a car park 500m away on the road down the hill and a bike stand. The only facility I used was the bin and that was not on the sign. Sitting having a rest on the platform I could see the cafe and a sign hanging off the gate, I should have guessed, the sign said it was closed. I should have expected this, how disappointing.
After a rest and a boiled sweet I crossed the train lines and headed down the forest track that headed in roughly a North Easterly direction which was a steady climb. There was a steep climb through a gap before moving through a small wood. Out in the open the track levelled off heading North. The track skirted the east side of a long wood before going down and travelling next to a stream and going in and out, twisting through small clumps of woods, heading towards Coulin. At Coulin I turned right, towards Torran-cullinn where I took the path in a Northerly direction.
I was careful here as not all the path is clear through the forest, but I was OK as I soon reached the north east side of the wood. It was then easy to find the path travelling North on the westerly side of Carn Dhomhnuill towards another large forest. When I reached this forest most of it had been felled but I could still follow the forest tracks, many of them went up and down. It would have been best if I had stayed on the outside and followed the edge of the forest to its northern edge. From the north edge I followed the track North to the main road, A832. From the road I turned left into Kinlochewe.
On the Trail I was starting to get a little frustrated with the deer gates. Although the idea of the gates being to stop the deer many I thought were also to stop people. With some the opening was very narrow and I had to take off my bag and either lift it through or over them. Even though I was eating some of the rations the bag appeared not to be getting any lighter.
I then followed a track to the right to an open area near the major stream. This was a wider, faster stream and although a bridge was shown on the map I could not find it, so I stopped, put on my gaiters and just waded across. By now I was in a hurry to get some breakfast and nothing was going to get in my way.
Across the stream I headed up a track to a building called Lair. For a change I took a photo of some domestic animals instead of wild deer. It was only when I looked at the photo later I realised what they were doing. They were not doing this when I stopped to take the photo so must have taken up the pose when they saw me take out my camera.
At the main road A890 I turned left towards the Achnashellach Lodge and took the path to the left up to the station. Going up the hill through the houses I arrived at the train station. It had a sign showing loads of facilities available but none were there. Apart from a car park 500m away on the road down the hill and a bike stand. The only facility I used was the bin and that was not on the sign. Sitting having a rest on the platform I could see the cafe and a sign hanging off the gate, I should have guessed, the sign said it was closed. I should have expected this, how disappointing.
After a rest and a boiled sweet I crossed the train lines and headed down the forest track that headed in roughly a North Easterly direction which was a steady climb. There was a steep climb through a gap before moving through a small wood. Out in the open the track levelled off heading North. The track skirted the east side of a long wood before going down and travelling next to a stream and going in and out, twisting through small clumps of woods, heading towards Coulin. At Coulin I turned right, towards Torran-cullinn where I took the path in a Northerly direction.
I was careful here as not all the path is clear through the forest, but I was OK as I soon reached the north east side of the wood. It was then easy to find the path travelling North on the westerly side of Carn Dhomhnuill towards another large forest. When I reached this forest most of it had been felled but I could still follow the forest tracks, many of them went up and down. It would have been best if I had stayed on the outside and followed the edge of the forest to its northern edge. From the north edge I followed the track North to the main road, A832. From the road I turned left into Kinlochewe.
On the Trail I was starting to get a little frustrated with the deer gates. Although the idea of the gates being to stop the deer many I thought were also to stop people. With some the opening was very narrow and I had to take off my bag and either lift it through or over them. Even though I was eating some of the rations the bag appeared not to be getting any lighter.
In Kinlochewe I had a meal at the first pub I came across. I also ordered a meal in a bag for later. At Kinlochewe I took the opportunity to have a look in the local store for supplies to replace the rations I had previously eaten, but I could not find anything that I thought would be easy to carry or warm up. Never mind I did get myself a new gas bottle for my jetboil.
From Kinlochewe I returned back down the main road A832 that I had came in on, and passed the footpath I came in on, on my right and took the minor road to my left. The route passed a mast and along a track to the Heights of Kinlochewe.
Here I took the turning to the left and headed North.
I was now making steady progress and moved on and stopped a little earlier than I would have liked, pitching my tent in the shelter of a large mound. I pitched my tent here in the shelter as there was a very cold wind blowing down the glen and I was trying to use the mound to keep the cold wind from my tent and it worked.
The route writer I was currently following had shown that from Achnashellach Station to Kinlochewe as one days walking, I had pushed on about another 9 km to try and catch up with my planed route. My calculations were that I had covered 29 km with approx. 350m climb in just under 11 hours.
More to follow
Boz North
Details correct at time of walking.
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 5 Camas-luinie to Achnashellach
Follow link to next - Day 7 Grid NH 065 675 to Dundonnell
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