Friday 11 – Sunday 13 July 2025
Oh dear, another meet spoilt by the weather! By far the best day was Friday with sunny dry conditions and, above the glens, a very pleasant temperature for walking. Lena messaged that she was on the summit of Sgurr Ban at 7am. Andy, Lianne and Emma had a full day on the Dearg four with lots of sunbathing and the required waterhole swim. Greg and Chris started walking at midday and did a circuit in the Fannichs with a long but interesting walk out from Sgurr Mor around the corrie of Loch a’Mhadaidh. Yasmin eventually escaped her work for a quick hike up Ben Wyvis, sacrificing the tops to get to the Contin chippie before it closed.
Consequently, with Scott and Beck taking in the folk music at the Dundonnell hotel, all that were staying at the Smiddy arrived at much the same time, at about 10pm. The hut is deceptively small and soon filled up. It was not a particularly comfortable night as the heat built with little ventilation. There were no midge nets on the windows. With more big days ahead, an early start was planned and achieved by those wanting to get going before the sun got high. Beck accompanied Scott for his sixth attempt to bag the remote Ruadh Stac Mor; Yasmin and Emma headed for the pinnacles and a maximum scrambling circuit of An Teallach; Chris headed there and back for a minimal scramble of An Teallach; and Andy came to the hut to explore beaches with Lianne and Greg. From his roadside camp, Iain set off to trot to Poolewe via the Fisherfield Six. Lena was again the first to summit reporting stunning views from A’Mhaighdean just after 8.
It was a stunning day with most of the planned routes achieved, but the afternoon heat was relentless with little breeze and little relief. Yasmin had a busy evening driving around to pick up Lena from Corrie Hallie and a broken Iain from Poolewe. 49 km had almost proved too much with the added disappointment that the hills climbed did not include the two that he wanted the most. This left Emma and Lianne to prepare the meal. Is there a reason why Emma kept clear of the garlic?
With the size of the hut, it was one-to-bed all-to-bed and with everyone tired, this was well before midnight. The night was even hotter and even more uncomfortable and the combined toll of the previous twenty four hours resulted in no big plans for Sunday. The Western Fannichs were abandoned.
- Report by Chris
