MY WALKING WORLD  David Preston

 Backpacking across the Knoydart - Inverie to Shiel Bridge 2008

 

On the 16/04/08 I travelled up to Scotland to explore part of the Knoydart, the plan was to walk from Inverie to Shiel Bridge. Photographs of my walk are below together with details of my route and my equipment

I had  always wanted to visit the Knoydart Peninsula on the West coast of Scotland, it is a mountainous area with few inhabitants, very few roads and stunning scenery. My plan was to walk across the Knoydart using tracks and paths and walk along the shore of Loch Hourn which has been described as one of the best coastal walks in Britain. I wanted to start my walk at the village of Inverie which although on mainland Britain is cut off from the national road network, you can only reach it by boat or by a long walk. After a lot of planning and studying timetables I decided to drive from Macclesfield to Forth William, park at the railway station and take the train to Mallaig. Then the ferry from Mallaig to Inverie

Travel Summary

Wed 16/04/08

Macclesfield to Fort William by car (340 miles) left 04.15 - arrived 1115hrs - there is a long stay customer car park at the station - no charge

Train - Fort William to Mallaig dep 12.12hrs arrive 13.30hrs - Single fare £9.20

Bruce Watts Ferrry -  Mallaig to Inverie dep 14.15 hrs arrive 1500hrs - Single fare £9.00

I stayed the first night (Wed) at the Knoydart Foundation Bunkhouse on the outskirts of Inverie - £14.20 per night

Evening meal at the Old Forge Inn in Inverie

Thursday 17/04/08

Walked from Inverie over Mam Barrisdale to Barrisdale and then along the Loch shore to Kinloch Hourn.  Left Inverie at 0900hrs  in glorious weather and after lunch on Mam Barisdale I arriver in Barrisdale at  1345hrs, I had originally planned to camp here the first night but as I had plenty of time I decided to carry on to Kinloch Hourn, an extra 4 hours and with hindsight I might have been better staying at Barisdale and continuing to Kinloch Hourn the next day. However I eventually arriver at Kinloch Hourn at 1800hrs quite tired and ready for a good rest. - Camp Site fee £1.00 - The camp site is about ½ mile from the farmhouse where there is a tap ( you need to boil this water) and a toilet in an outhouse which I used. I used water from the river the next morning which I boiled several times

Friday 18/04/08

Set off from Kinloch Hourn at 0900hrs in excellent weather and for the first few miles followed excellent paths and tracks, however eventually the track peters out and its a case of finding the best route through the tussock grass and boulders on the banks of the Allt Coire Mhalagain up hill to the pass. The route then follows a drystone wall crudely made from very large boulders along the mountainside before dropping down over the summit of Meallan Odhar. After a lunch break I continued down the mountainside and followed the banks of the Allt a'Choire Chaoil for several miles before heading north along the banks of Allt Undalain to Shiel Bridge. The path takes you straight into the campsite which was excellent. Pay at the garage which also has a shop attached. £5.00 for the night. No charge for the excellent showers. After cooking my evening meal I walked up the road to the Kintail Lodge Hotel for a celebratory drink or two.

Saturday 19/04/08

Caught the 0934hrs bus to Fort William from the stop just down the road - Single fare £13.20 - arrived at Fort William, collected my car and after a cup of tea I set off for home. A superb adventure in glorious weather and I am looking forward to going back

Kit List

Rucksac - Lowe Alpine Walkabout 35 litre Waterproof trousers and jacket
Tent - Vango TSB Micro 200  - 2 man Cagoule, fleece and microfleece
Thermarest Prolite 3/4 Sleeping mat Ron Hill track suit bottoms, hat and gloves
Pocket rocket stove Windproof trousers and one pair lightweight trousers
Mug, pans knife,fork and spoon Spare shirt,underwear, spare socks, 2 spare tee shirts
Flask, Sigg bottle, Head torch Soap, towel, tissues, plasters, sun cream
Camera, binoculars and Leki pole Survival bag
Maps, whistle, compass and GPS Food for three days
   
The total weight was around 28lbs (12.8kg) and I am sure that this could be reduced, I took everything I thought I would I would need for a 2 to 3 day backpack through remote mountainous terrain  on my own. I was prepared for all eventualities - My rucksack was not really big enough but it made me consider carefully the equipment I took with me.  A  list of useful links, maps and websites is at the bottom of the page
 
A view from the train on the way to Mallaig from Fort William

   
 

The Ferry from Mallaig to Inverie

   

 Inverie in the distance

   

 Approaching the jetty at Inverie

   

 Looking back at the Ferry moored at Inverie while it loaded passengers for the return trip

   

 Walking along the path from the jetty to Inverie

   

The lane outside the Bunkhouse at Inverie

   
The start of the path to Kinloch Hourn from Inverie

   
 

 The gate to open country

   
 

A view towards the sea from the track

   
Looking back towards Inverie which is the other side of the forest

   

The track leading up into the mountains with the monument on the left

   

Luinne Ben on the right in the distance

 

 Luinne Ben from the Loch

   
Mam Barisdale is the lowest point on the ridge

   

 Looking back down to Loch

   

Mam Barisdale looking back

   
 Looking east before dropping down into Barisdale

   
 Barisdale and Loch Hourn

   
 

A closer view of Barisdale

   
 Outside the bothy at Barisdale

 
   
 The Barisdale Bothy

   
Looking along the track from Barisdale. Its only like this for a short way and then it becomes a path meandering along the hillside and the shore of the Loch

   
Looking up the Loch towards Arnisdale on the far shore

   
 

 

Looking back along the track towards Barisdale

 

   

A Deer at the side of the track, they are quite unmoved by your presence if you walk slowly past

   
 

Another view up the Loch

 

 

   
 

Looking back along the Loch to the west

   
 

More deer at the side of the track

   

 The sign says it all

   

Another view up the Loch

   

Looking east along the Loch towards Kinloch Hourn

   

The track gets quite close to the Loch shore in a few places

   

 Looking down on Runival, a deserted building on the Loch shore

   
 Eventually you arrive at a tarmac road at Kinloch Horn

   
 Looking back to the track I had just come from

   

According to the sign I had just walked 15 miles from Inverie

   

The sign at the Camp site
   

The camp site at Kinloch Hourn
   

My pitch for the night
   

The next day I set off up the track from Kinloch Hourn heading for Shiel Bridge
   
Looking down and across the Loch to the track I had walked yesterday
   

Looking down from the track
   

Looking down on Kinloch Hourn
   
Looking west from the track, the path I followed yesterday is along the far shore
   
Looking ahead, the track follows the hillside from the right of the photo
   

The track heading out into the wilderness
   
Looking back you can see the path coming from the right and it curves round halfway up the valley. Thats Sgurr a Bhac Chaolais at the end of the valley
   

Looking south from the track
   

The Saddle and the Forcan Ridge
   

Looking up at Sgurr na Sgine
   
Looking up to the Bealach Coire Mhalagain. It was pathless and it was slow progress through the grass and the ground was very uneven
   
The view from Bealach Coire Mhalagain looking north towards the Five Sisters of Kintail
   
On the Bealach Coire Mhalagain at last, I was quite tired when I reached here. You can just see the drystone wall running along the mountainside on the left. This is the way down
   
The path from Bealach Coire Mhalagain comes down the mountainside behind the drystone wall, deep snow was lying there and it was easier to walk along the steep slope as you kept plunging through the crust sometimes up to your thigh
   

Looking back up to the Bealach Coire Mhalagain
   
Looking down the Allt a Choire Chaoil from Meallan Odhar with Loch Duich in the distance
   
Looking south towards The Saddle and the Forcan Ridge
   
Looking back up Allt a Choire Chaol. The ridge in the centre in the distance comes down off Mellan Odhar
   
Heading down Allt a Choire Chaol, thats Sgurr na Creige in the centre
   

The camp site at Shiel Bridge
   
Walking back from the Kintail Lodge Hotel in the evening after a few drinks to celebrate the peace and tranquility was amazing
   

All packed up and ready to leave
   

Shiel Bridge
 
 
Maps Used  
Ordnance Survey Explorer 413 and 414 - 1:25000
Useful Books
North to the Cape by Denis Brook and Phil Hinchcliffe - published by Cicerone - contains part of the route from Barrisdale to Shiel Bridge
Back Packers Britain Volume 3 - Northern Scotland - published by Cicerone - contains various Backpacking routes including Shiel Bridge to Barrisdale and beyond
Useful Links  
Knoydart Foundation All about the Knoydart
Bruce Watts Sea Cruises Ferry Service to Inverie
Old Forge Inn Mainland Britains remotest Pub - Good food as well
Barisdale Website Barisdale Estate Website - Plenty of Information here
Kinloch Hourn Farmhouse Kinloch Hourne Farmhouse B&B, Teas, Parking and Camping
Other Walkers Websites  
Road to the Isles -  Knoydart More about the Knoydart
The Knoydart Wilderness Maps, photos and History
Knoydart More about the Knoydart from the Barber Family
Peter Groves Knoydart Experience Peter Groves in the Knoydart
   
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