The Great Outdoors - UK (2021-08)

88 The Great OutdoorsAugust 2021

approach with more distance
but less climbing. Iwould
tackle Meall nan Eun first.
e loss of height already
gained forthe big push to Slat
Bheinn was unavoidable. But
instead ofthe seconduphill
struggle I would dropdown
the long, slabby east ridge to
Gleann Cosaidh, then follow
the shores of Loch Cuaich and
finish with a couple of miles of
road walking.My option was
25km but a mere 1300m in
height gain.
I began from the Coireshubh
ruin near Kinloch Hourn, early
mists meltingawayto reveal
blue, cloudless skies.
e descent was hindered
by fields ofbracken and
heather, but atleast there
was no problem hopping
across the river. I got myhead
down and started plodding
upwards again, temperatures

already beginning to soar. e

BarrisdalePath is always a joy

• a twisting, undulating trail
  along the shoreline ofLoch
  Hourn – though in some places
  the rhododendron bushes were
  thriving somuch that it was
  like walking through a tunnel,
  and a machete might soon be
  needed forpassage.
  My initial optimism in
  spottingwhat I thought was
  a path rising towards Meall
  nan Eun was soon dashed as
  I ploughed into more deep
  heather and bracken. e
  reward for a sweltering,
  sweating, constant incline was
  a spectacular360-degree view
  taking in all the peaks ofGlen
  Shiel and on to Knoydart and
  Ardgour. Amongst them sat
  Slat Bheinn, with Ladhar
  Bheinn a constant companion,
  spread across the canvas to
  the west.

I had heard that thedescent

off SlatBheinn could be tricky,

but despite the massive slab

pavements all around it was

easy enough tofind a grassy

way through to reach the

surprisingly wide and green

spaces of Gleann Cosaidh.

e last kilometre or so

to the lochside was more

troublesome, withbracken and

huge, vegetated tus making a

consistentfootfall impossible.

Just as my patience and

energywere fading, I hit a

track; and ,despite a bridge

that had been reduced to three

individual pillars, I managed to

boulder-hop the water and hit

the road for the last stretch. My

feet had taken a hammering.

An 11-hour round tripinto

Knoydartand out again in

blistering heat, with rarely a

path in sight – but I still reckon

it was the best option.

Further information

Maps:OS 1:50,000

Landranger sheet 33 (Loch

Alsh, Glen Shiel & Loch Hourn)

Transport:None to

the start

i

Information:Fort William

TIC (01387 701801),

visitknoydart.co.uk/walking

[Captions clockwise from top]

Ladhar Bheinn and Loch Hourn

from the summit of Meall nan

Eun; Loch Hourn from Meall nan

Eun; The long way back down

Gleann Cosaidh