Back to Loch Glascarnoch to tackle the boggy one!
Introduction - Am Faochagach - "the heathery place"
Aye, the boggy one! You're not joking!!
The munro book suggests that this munro is climbed after a very long dry spell or after weeks of hard frost to avoid an extensive bog trot. I can confirm that after one of the driest summers for a long time, it's still a bog trot. I can't imagine crossing the moor when it's been consistently wet.
I constantly surprise myself that I can spring spritely between heather clumps, bog myrtle and couch grass at the start of a walk, expertly keeping my feet fairly dry. The return is a different story as I trudge head long through the bog, sapped of energy and the will to live. Therein lies the bog, it's a juxtaposition, such a wet thing that drains you so easily!
I stayed at the Aultguish Inn at the south east end of Loch Glascarnoch beyond the dam. I've driven past the inn many times and never stayed. I have to say it was excellent and the food was tremendous. It closes in the winter between October and April. Would highly recommend this as a place to stay. Make sure you have everything with you though, as the closest shops are in Ullapool 25 miles away.
The Aultguish Inn is an old Drovers Road Inn and is mentioned by ARB Haldane, in “The Drove Roads of Scotland”:
"Pennant in 1772 noted that in the Loch Broom district the sale of black cattle to drovers from as far south as Craven in Yorkshire was the chief support of the people. For these the only practicable route to the south was by Strath Garve to Muir of Ord. From Braemore the beasts were driven east to Garve and Dingwall but two deviations from the main road were used by the drovers……one of these turned due south from the main road near Altguish and crossed the forest of Corriemoillie to Garve so shortening the distance and keeping the beasts on the soft ground where grazing was available."
The first map showing a dwelling at Aultguish is in 1807 and was documented by Aaron Arrowsmith (1750-1823) an English cartographer.
In previous blogs I have mentioned the establishment and expansion of Ullapool by the British Fisheries Society between 1788 and 1790 as a fishing village. The old drove road described above was useless for the transportation of anything other than cattle, on foot. A better road was built in 1790 along the line of the old drove road and was called the "fish road" travelling east from Ullapool, through Garve to Contin and eventually to Inverness.
By the mid 1830's this road had fallen into disrepair and was again unsuitable for use. At this time, Robert Telford, was employed to build a new road, completed in 1840, and the old "fish road" disappeared, eventually forever, under Loch Glascarnoch when the damn was completed in 1957.
The new road and old drove road can be seen together in the map below under the waters of the new Loch Glascarnoch.
The Aultguish Inn is a great place to stay. Comfortable rooms, relaxing atmosphere, excellent location and great food. Give it a try.
Onto the main event then, below you'll find my stats, the route, and information you will hopefully enjoy and find useful.
Stats and stuff - munros; maps & timings
Munro number: 35 to go!
Munro name(s): Am Faochagach 953m (3126ft)
Area: Beinn Dearg & Loch Fannaich
Maps: Fannichs: Seana Bhraigh & Ben Wyvis (harveymaps.co.uk); OS Map of Beinn Dearg & Loch Fannich | Explorer 436 Map | Ordnance Survey Shop
Distance: 9.85 miles (15.85km)
Ascent: 1047m (3438ft)
Moving time: 4 hours 10 mins
Total time: 6 hours 10 mins
Ratings
Bogginess ☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️
Effort 😅😅😅
Navigation 🤔🤔
Enjoyment 😍😍😍
Local information
Eating: North Coast 500 Accommodation Ullapool | Aultguish Inn Ullapool; Home | Mysite (seafoodshack.co.uk); The Ceilidh Place - Ullapool Rooms, Restaurant, Cafe & Bookshop; Restaurant - The Seaforth
There are loads of places to eat in Ullapool but having sampled the wares from these three I know for sure I can recommend them.
Accommodation: North Coast 500 Accommodation Ullapool | Aultguish Inn Ullapool; The Ceilidh Place - Ullapool Rooms, Restaurant, Cafe & Bookshop - you need to contact the Ceilidh Place directly to book both rooms and the bunkhouse.
Home | millviewbnbullapool - contact direct to book, brilliant B&B.
There is a lot of accommodation in Ullapool. Most is represented on Booking.com. I have stayed at the above facilities, neither of which are on Booking.com but I would definitely stay again.
Facilities: Tesco; Petrol; climbing shop; various galleries; museum and many more! Visit this site for lots of information Welcome to Ullapool - Accommodation Highlands of Scotland
Don't miss: Corrieshalloch Gorge | National Trust for Scotland (nts.org.uk)
The route
The start of this climb is on the A835 a little after the end of Loch Glascarnoch if travelling west. There is a small parking spot just past the bridge over the river Allt an Loch Sgeirich on the left hand side of the road. Having stayed at the Aultguish Inn I was literally a 5 minute drive to the start. Breakfast started at 7.30am and was self service so I was able to get a nice early start.
The path leaves directly opposite the car park north west towards Loch a Gharbhrain. Be prepared as the bog assaults you immediately! It was a glorious morning and felt strange yet energising to be back in the hills again. This was my first munro since rotator cuff surgery 5 months previously, it was well needed and a super tonic for recovery.
In spite of the bog there is an obvious path across the moor and you soon reach the banks of the Allt a Gharbhrain.
In addition to the bog, the other potential obstacle on this walk is crossing this river. It has to be crossed to climb this mountain and also if you are heading to Beinn Dearg and Cona Mheall. I managed fairly easily, but still needed to stand in the river at places, and the river was probably as low as I have ever seen it. In spate, you may not be able to cross and will need to head around Loch a Gharbhrain and try and find a safer crossing higher up stream. Alternatively, boots off and wade!
Curiously I found a pair of surfing shoes on the far side of the bank, and I was the first out that day, I hoped the owner was not still up the hill. Maybe they'd just been left for all to use, one way at least!
The path skirted a small promenade on the right and then gradually began to gain height. It was a very gentle start with no real steepness, just a good gradual gradient.
The path continued a little more steeply up to the main ridge where it turned west and over a few gentle tops. All the while the view of Beinn Dearg, Cona Mheall and the impressive Coire Ghranda teased me from the west. Another day you two!
The top was flat but the views in every direction were just impossible to recreate in a picture. My memories, however, are replete.
The return was by the same route and as per my husbands instructions, I took things very easy and simply enjoyed the views and the small things. The reverse river crossing presented no problems and I arrived at the car utterly exhausted, but buzzing and proud.
It seems most of my climbs end in some form of reward, honestly, that's not why I do it, but it does help!
Claire's top tip....
Listen to your husband....
Bill, my husband, had schooled me on the importance of taking things easy and enjoying the day, using it to explore the life beneath my feet. It had been 5 months since my last walk due the surgery and the pain was still excessive. I didn't think taking it easy would come naturally, thankfully, it did. Here are some of my findings....
Ruby Tiger Moth Caterpillar
This caterpillar is not a friendly one, don't touch it as it releases hairs as a defence mechanism. These urticating (stinging) hairs can cause skin irritation, itching, or mild allergic reactions in some individuals. The caterpillars are polyphagous and feed on various herbaceous plants, including heather.
Sexton Beetle
The Sexton beetle is fascinating and really quite gross! As their Latin name suggests, they have something to do with death. Nicrophorus, means "death carrier". There are several similar species. They get their name from the practice of digging a hole beneath a dead animal and then pulling the body down into the hole. Beetles usually work in pairs, and afterwards females will lay her eggs next to the corpse for her young to feed on when they hatch.
The common name of sexton beetle comes from the name sexton and their related occupation. A sexton is an officer of the church and among their traditional duties, one was the digging of graves!
Clubmosses
There are thousands of different mosses and over 400 species of clubmosses that can be placed in the Lycopodium order. Clubmosses are very primitive plants that are found in rocky habitats, and on moorland, bogs and mountains. They reproduce by spores at the base of their leaves.
Common Frog
Common frogs (Rana temporaria) are widespread in Scotland, and can be found at high elevations including mountains. It's not unusual to see frogspawn in small lochans near the summits of high mountains where, unfortunately, they can be subjected to hard frosts and don't survive. However, enough do, as I always see at least a few frogs on every hill I climb.
Ptarmigan
Ptarmigan are shy birds and notoriously hard to see. They are a plump and round game bird in the grouse family. They are endangered and red listed as a Bird of Conservation Concern. They breed in the highest mountains of the Highlands of Scotland. The birds are residents all year round, rarely moving far from breeding sites.
They moult their body feathers three times a year (white in winter, mottled brown in summer and grey in autumn), to maintain camouflage. They are supreme in their invisibleness! I stopped to check my map once and looked down and one was stood right next to me! This walk was in October and the feather seems to be a grey variety as they are definitely moving into their white livery now.
The word ptarmigan comes from the Scottish Gaelic ‘tarmachan’, meaning croaker and it is more likely you will hear them, than see them.
Moss Campion
This is a close up of a fairly common mountain flower, also found in many peoples rock gardens. Pink moss campion is a cushion-like plant with glorious pink flowers which reach full bloom in June and July on the tops of the Scottish mountains. The compact succulent leaves show the adaptation of the species to the harsh conditions of the high mountains and artic tundra.
The plant makes little ground-hugging mounds with only its small leaves exposed to the weather. The flower buds hide between the leaves until many of them pop out at once to cover the cushion with that amazing pink colour. To appreciate its beauty, moss campion needs to be looked at close-up. The individual flowers are only 5 to 10mm across.
Coming next......
Ben Hope - the far away one!
Thank you for reading ❤️ xx
