Munro Bagging in the Mamores, Day 6.

After an excellent night's sleep we woke with the sunrise and were soon out and enjoying the views.  It was a fabulous morning enhanced by wonderful heath spotted orchids and cloudberry colouring the hillside.  One of the joys of wild camping is that it is possible to spend the night high on the mountainside and, if the weather gods smile, enjoy beautiful sunrises and sunsets.  After the photography we were quickly packed and heading back down to Kinlochleven, where the support team picked us up and whisked us back to the caravan for coffee.

Not wanting to waste such a beautiful day we decided to explore the shores of the loch and have lunch out.  We struck lucky and, although the pub we chose seemed a tad basic the cullen skink was to die for.  A little further along we came across yet more red deer stags by the road side.  They were incredibly tame and allowed for some close up photography.  They were still 'in velvet'; their antlers still growing and covered with velvety skin, which would later be sloughed off leaving the antlers hard and ready for the Autumn rut.

Art gallery and craft shops followed and we enjoyed excellent views of our two mountains from the first day's walking from across the loch, finally with their heads out of the clouds.  Tea and stickies was a must before returning to the van for a welcome evening meal.  To finish the week we were treated to excellent sunset views along the loch.

Munro Bagging in the Mamores, Day 4.

We were up and away early this morning.  Although dry initially, the clouds loomed threateningly as Linda drove us along the Loch to be dropped off at Kinlochleven to begin our three wild camping trip into the Mamores.  We had been up here a few years ago to walk the Mamores, although based to the north of the range in Glen Nevis.  On that occasion both time and weather defeated us and we needed to complete the munros that we had missed to the east of the group.  Consequently we now found ourselves shouldering heavy packs and climbing steeply through the woods above the town passing some superb bright red fungi on the way..

It wasn't long before we came out onto the open mountainside on the main path to Loch Eilde  Mor. By now it was most definitely raining and it was time to don waterproofs, not a pleasant experience in warm weather, because, however breathable gortex fabric is, hard work still makes it feel like walking in a sauna.  Not long after reaching the loch we took the hill path heading up to Coire an Lochain at 2500 feet, our home for the next two nights.  We managed to get the tent up in the dry(ish) and retreated inside in the face of the continuing rain.  A relaxing evening ensued enhanced by two pot noodles each followed by instant whip made with dried milk and water; yum!!  Actually, after a hard day on the hills there is nothing like pot noodles and when all food has to be carried it weighs relatively little.  We did, obviously, also carry up some red wine to accompany the meal!  On the wildlife front the hillside surrounding us was covered with beautiful orange/red cloudberries.

Although we slept well (sort of) we did wake up at one point to find a puddle at the end of the tent.  It has done us good service for fifteen years now, but perhaps the time has come to replace it.