Ullapool and Rest and Onward

I decided to stay an extra night in Ullapool, clean my mucky, smelly clothes, get my mega-blisters sorted out, get stocked up for a night or two in the wild, rest and recuperate. It sounds like I’m a pansy from this ‘oh how cold and tough it is’ malarkey. Well I’m not, just a bit delicate that’s all. Honest, they say it’s the toughest walk in the UK; if there’s a tougher one I’m not interested. 

The extra day was a great decision. I got everything done and sent some things home, saving a couple of kilos on my load. It had crept up above 20 kgs at least with stuff getting wet and having to take food on those legs where you can’t buy it.

Ullapool is nice. 

So what are the best 5 albums of all time Dave?

5. The Maccabees – Given to the Wild

4. Beach Boys – Pet Sounds

3. Van Morrison – Astral Weeks

2. Velvet Underground and Nico

1. Incredible String Band – The Big Huge

No surprises there. Four from the sixties and one from 2013.

I had time to eat. Haddock take out – £4.75 for the biggest, freshest in the world from the ‘Radio 4 Best Takeaway in the UK’ by the quayside. I went back that night for a huge bowl of a kilo of fresh mussels, straight off the coast down from the quay. Small, sweet (it’s me) and cooked in cream and shallots. £11.00 including bread and a feeling of euphoria. 

I packed the next morning, had double haggis portion with my cooked breakfast and set off southwards down the loch. On setting off the ferry to Stornoway was in and looking back In the sunlight Ullapool was lovely. 

I was heading to Inverlael, where I would turn west over the mountains, cross a river and another main road, and then go up into more remote mountain country for the night before taking a high pass over to Kinlochewe tomorrow. The weather was kinder, but still with a cold wind. I made reasonable time but the walk up from Inverlael was a very steep one, then the path went missing and I veered off course costing me an hour. The views from the top were great.

Looking down the glen on the far side of the hill the sea was in the distance and the Outer Hebrides were just visible on the horizon.

I dropped down the hill passing this delightful little waterfall before climbing back up the far side into a high mountain valley where there was Shenavall bothy.

From the top I looked down into the valley, but I’d made good time so I decided to pass Shenavall and put Wilson up higher up.

I dropped down into the valley and two guys came just about running down the hill – young blokes (lucky buggers). They were setting up their tent and were ok with me pitching Wilson in their camp. We built a bonfire but the wind was colder than the fire could compensate. Rupert and Ollie from Salisbury and running property businesses in London. Good lads for posh boys. Climbing snow capped mountains. Fair play to them. Plenty of guts.

I woke up at 5.30 with ice on the outside of Wilson.

A cold tin of beans for breakfast and the hills were magical in the early morning sun.

I set off to cross a high pass round Beinn Bheag and down Gleann na Muice to Kinlochewe. 

I was staying at a famous bed and breakfast. The weather clouded over and my feet were really playing up so it took me longer than it should have. I finally piled into the Kinlochewe local for a couple of pints of local lager before finally walking another mile to Tom and Liz’s place.