Friday, 17 June 2011

Knoydart

I travelled across on a glorious day, train to Inverness, then bus down to Fort William and train again to Mallaig. From there a small boat to Inverie on the Knoydart peninsula. I immediately set off getting some nice views back to the village:


Looking south from the beach where I camped the first night.


Sunset
Sandaig
The walk the next day along the coast was easy going and very pleasant. Views of the islands including Rum, Eigg and of course Skye.

Rum and the Point of Sleat (Skye)

Sleat with the Cuillins looming behind - a view I never got in all the years there.


In the settlement of Airor I had a nice chat and cup of tea with a bloke repairing some solar panels. A lot of folk from Skye settled here in the nineteenth century after they were cleared from the island.

Creels at Airor

The road ended at Airor and became a footpath leading to Samadalan and Inverguseran where a track comes in from Inverie through the centre of Knoydart.

Eilean Samadalan and farm at Inverguseran. Looking north to Skye and Sandaig of Gavin Maxwell fame.

Fancy haircut or punk sheep.

Shadowman was there too!

Looking down onto Croulin on the north side of Knoydart










































































Enjoying a cuppa soup and reading about John Muir.
At Croulin, where there are no roads nor even a track, I talked to a prawn fisherman who lives in one of the two houses there. Some lovely views towards Skye.

Sleat and the Cuillins
The next day was not so sunny but still pleasant. I had planned to walk inland around Priest's Rock but had been advised by the fisherman that I could clamber around the base - not easy with a rucksack!
Priest's Rock - Creag an t-Sagairt
Found out that Taggart means priest!

Fishfarm on Loch Hourn at Scamadale

Holly tree and ruin at Ceum an Doill

Beach rope
Heading south again there were great views to Arnisdale and the hills behind the village across Loch Hourn.

Eilean a Phiobaire (piper's island) with Beinn Sgritheall above Arnisdale
There was more hospitality, this time from a 77 year old gentleman who regularly holidays here, canoeing in from Kinochourn and making camp by the sea - I left with 2 muesli bars!

Lichen
I camped for the last night at Inver Dhorrcail - it finally rained a lot that night. However I was dry inside my new tent, weighs only 1.3kg!


It rained a lot the next morning too as I trudged through Barrisdale and over the Mam Barrisdale to Inverie.

Loch an Dubh-Lochan from ruin at Torcuileainn
However as it had dried up by the time I reached the loch I left most of my gear and headed up onto the ridge. There wasn't the time (or the energy) to tackle the 1000m of Ladhar Bheinn, but the views were good.

Skye from Mam Suidheig

Luinne Bheinn with Loch an Dubh-Lochain and ruin
I didn't quite realise how Rum dominates the view from the edge of Inverie:

Rum from Inverie
The community buyout 12 years ago led to the creation of the Knoydart Foundation. I stayed in their bunkhouse on the last night. The 10th anniversary was celebrated with this totem pole. A new pier with grass roofed 'terminal' has made Knoydart more accessible.

Totem pole and pier

Inverie
The Od Forge, Britain's most remote pub, was packed, a favourite haunt of yachties.
Old Forge pub

Communications
The phone box only takes cards but a handy sign tells you these are not for sale here, however you can use the phone in the post office when it is open!

signage
Back in Mallaig we passed the Western Isles. A new wheelhouse but the same boat that we moved to and from Rum on all those years ago.
The Western Isles
So all in all a 100% successful mission! Definitely worth a visit. Have a look at their website for details.




4 comments:

  1. Cool story and pictures, great seeing those shots of Rum, and to top it all with the Western Isles!

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  2. Brilliant photos. I always wondered, from Kinloch ... what was over there! If Eilean Samadalan had been in Shetland there would have been a broch there.

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  3. Looks like a most excellent adventure!

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  4. Looks fantastic, can't believe how light your tent is!

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