Thursday 14/10/04

So I thought I'd go hillwalking today. Beinn na Caillich is the nearest hill of some proportions, couple of miles west of here, altitude 732m. It features quite prominently above Broadford, you can't miss it. Unless it's wreathed in cloud of course. Early in the morning, wisps of cloud were drifting along its summit, at an altitude of 500-700 metres. At 9.15, I set off along the Portree Road, and after 2km branched off into the road to Old Corry, or more correctly: to Coire Chat-achan, the Valley of the Wild Cats. No wild cats there, they were hunted to extinction long ago. I followed the instructions from the guidebook to the letter, and went wildly wrong on them. I went past the farm and then across a stream, along the wall and subsequently up the slopes. Only to find, in retrospect, I'd gone up the slope at the wrong blinking stream. Impossible and kneewrenching to climb up, tussocks of heather, oh my god. By the time I reached 300m I was knackered. It was 1pm and I was never going to make it to the summit and back before nightfall. Remember, that is only just after 6 at the moment. So I turned back, and swore the devils out of hell when I came upon a perfectly decent path, along the banks of another stream. Oh hell. Never mind, returned to the farm and dawdled down the Marble Line Path. I took my time getting back to Broadford, returning just before 5. All in all, not a very successful day. On a more positive note, the weather was glorious. Once again, Skye defied the forecast. The new gear? Hmpf, still need an extra fleece I reckon.