34A - FISHERFIELD
A' Mhaighdean and Ruadh Stac Mor from Beinn Tarsuinn. Photo tms.nickbramhall.com
16.6 miles 2760 metres
Start Wednesday 18.25
Slioch 19.40
A' Mhaighdean 21.18
Ruadh Stac Mor 21.37
Beinn Tarsuinn 22.39
Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair 23.04
Finish 23.13
Squres: green - start, yellow - changeover. Circles summits: green - this leg, red - to do. Map Colin Matheson
Time: Estimated 6.19 Actual 4.48
Mark writes:
Rain all day, time is slipping from the schedule again. I have had a long rest in preparation for this big leg but Steve has had a terrible night and everybody seems in sombre mood. Tom is back, talking nonsense and generally doing his bit to keep everybody geared up.
After a quick reccomoitre of the lower reaches of the Kinlochewe river I opt for the alternative start – a little longer but swimming is not required. As we are driving along from Glen Torridon the rain reaches epic proportions and I was wet through in seconds.
A bizarre scene occurs as I set off up the Abhainn an Fhasagh; three men in a boat are fishing at the end of the loch, with all the mists swirling around, I have a strong sense of deja vue – it is a picture, a famous scene with the man standing at the back, casting the line, slihouetted against the greyness of the surroundings. Quite what they though of me running off in shorts into the middle of Fisherfield at 7 p.m. On a wet evening is anybody's guess. On the way up Slioch, the deer don't even bother to run away, they just stand, yards off the path staring and dejected.
One day I will go back to Fisherfield, I hope it is soon. From this visit I have images of a wonderful big and empty place, water appears as lochs and rivers at different levels, flowing in the wrong direction. I remember the seemingly perfect symmetry of Beinn Tharsuinn Caol at the western end of Loch Fada, perfectly horizontal, knife edged and with alternating bands of grass and rock up the sides. I remember before that the muddy northern flank of Slioch, especially initially when I attempted to descend almost direct from the north top.
The day's rest had refreshed me well and I felt strong all the way round, with the added imperative of the encroaching darkness. I was able to hand over to Ifor just as night fell. He, for his sins was off to traverse Beinn a' Chleidheimh and then An Teallach before dawn.
Walking out from here takes three hours but it was an entertaining time – huge slabs of bare rock, hundreds of metres wide on the descent to Lochan an Nid bear testament to the erosive power of nature and flash floods in this area – reminding me of the tree avalanche scars we had seen in the rain forest clad slopes of New Zealand the previous year.
Peaks done 253 Hours elapsed 256 Peaks to do 24
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