The Strathfarrar Quartet

There is really is something wonderful about the vast area of wild land that lies between Inverness and Kyle of Lochalsh. The roads, and railway lines don't take a direct route between these two places, but splay to the North and South - leaving a huge area with no East-West route, containing great lochs (Affric, Mullardoch and Monar) interspersed with ridges of mountains in chains, with complex Gaelic names. Years ago we relied on Sorley MacLean's contributions to The Munro Show, that terrific little TV show about hillwalking presented by the equally terrific little Muriel Gray - to pronounce and translate the hill names. Now we have walkhighlands, and the little arrow you can press to achieve the same result.

Glen Affric can be driven down a bit, Mullardoch is blocked by a vast dam, and Glen Strathfarrar is all within a private estate - who only let a few cars drive down every day. When we arrived at 8:30AM a small queue was already forming in the little carpark, as there is a strict limit of 25 cars/day allowed in. I asked the woman at the gate if there was anywhere I should park in the glen (ie to avoid getting in anyone's way) she bluntly replied, "If you don't know where you are going, don't come!" Interesting!

The glen is uttserly beautiful. I suppose I resented the gate and the rigmarol and not being able to make an early start and get up onto the ridges before the sun got really hot! Nevertheless, my wife and I found a lay-by just after Loch Beannacharan and took the path North into the hills. The path is wet and slimy, once the track ends, but it curves N/E and leads all the way to the summit of Sgurr na Ruaidhe (the Peak of redness). In escalating temperatures - and with heavy packs, this was a gruelling ascent! We were carrying too much kit for the weather - but after our misadventures on Lurg Mohr the previous day, we weren't taling any chances!

Once on the first peak, what opens out in front of the walker is a magnificent lofty walk over four wonderful peaks, four of which claim Munro status. On a clear day no real navigation is required, the hills in front of you look exactly as they ought to, on the OS map! Paths are not clear though, especially across boulder-fields where it would be easy to get lost in bad weather. We didn't face that obstacle however - but the threat of dehydration and sunburn! Sgurr Fuar-thuill, Sgurr a'Choire Ghlais, Carn nan Gobhar are a great walk, with the highest peak, Sgurr a'Choire Ghlais, being the finest of them.

The fact that the wretched gate closes at 8PM in June meant that we couldn't hang around on the tops for long but had to keep moving - a little frustrating on such a beautiful day! Beyond the final munro a good stalkers path leads off the ridge and all the way back to the glen floor and a very long wakl back along the tarmac road to the car.

At which point it occured to us that the wretched gat emight not have been so bad after all. Open access would have meant a stream of cars, picknickers, litter and noise. As it was, we had the place to ourselves. The day was a long, hot slog - but sitting with boots off, at the car, brewing up a good coffee on the Aeropress - was a grand feeling indeed!

Lurg Mhòr and Bidein a' Choire Sheasgaich, from Attadale via Bendronaig Lodge

As Munroing expeditions in Scotland go - this is one of the most awkward. Not because it contains any technical scrambles, unfordable rivers or somme-like bogs; but because it is just so far from the road. we did the traditional route, from Attadale where the entrance to the gardens contains a walkers car park, all the way to the lonely Bendronaig lodge. The rather brutal looking bulldozed track makes for speedy access to the hills too.

"Never leave your ruacksack at the bealach!" were words I wished that I had heeded on our first evening. After pitching our tents on a lovely grassy platform by the river we went for a quick blast round the two Munros in glorious weather. Heading east to the loch, then turning North up to the bealach between the two hills we dumped our packs at the bealach and took minimal gear to the top. Big mistake! Tired from lugging big packs all the way into the wild we were perhaps a little too keen to shed weight. We were caught first by hail, then by rain which lashed us constantly.

The rest of the walk back to the tents was a bit miserable. I got really cold, but thankfully my walking companions threw hot food and coffee down me and sent me to my sleeping bag!

The next morning we had a wonderful walk out in glorious weather - pleased to have gained these remotest of summits. But also thinking we might have learned a lesson about mountain safety. And my wife is right - I need a warmer sleeping bag.