Days 15 – 18 – At Glenbrittle

A few days without phone signal or wifi in a beautiful place at the campsite in the shadow of the Cuillin hills, with the beach and views of Rum and Eigg, not so bad at all..

The weather improved considerably after a very wet morning, fit only for a pier walk, and a visit to the Distillery shop.

The camping site at Glenbrittle has been considerable upgraded over my years here. It does have a quite superb backdrop, and the afternoon became sunny and clear. It even has a laundry, so the first task was cleaning the van.

The late afternoon and evening, until dark at just after 10.30 pm, we’re with Skye and it’s Cuillin at their very best.

It became evident (visually) that the dog’s malady was that he had eaten unsuitable grass, I recalled it from the morning at Glen Nevis.

It’s a stark reality that Skye has changed so much. The profusion of second homes and AirBnB rentals has steadily grown. It was all telegraphed when the bridge opened. To bring this amount of tourists was what was intended. Day-tripping buses, and in the last 12 months, the many thousands who would otherwise be on ‘all inclusives’ on Europe’s beaches. Next to me was a rental campervan, so many of them around, and an accompanying tent, by chance a Wild Country Zephyr 2, like I had for many years. It was a young couple with shiny white trainers and other expensive designer-type clothes. They didn’t look happy. The tent was flat; such tents are usually good in the wind, but rely on the guy ropes at either end to keep the outer rigid and dry. That hadn’t happened here. Just as a heavy shower rolled in off the ocean at around midnight, they were off, in haste, no doubt to a £100+ a night hotel. I don’t think they’d been more than a couple of metres from their van.

This site now has 38 pitches, each with lots of room and unrivalled views of the ocean, the Small Isles of Rum and Eigg, and of course, the Cuillin. It’s £11 per head, hook up extra, and as a cafe gift shop that the many visitors other than those at the site, stop off at. On a half full day such as today, they average takings in excess of £2500 a day. Not so bad with no bathroom facilities open. That will be doubled in the summer months.

But the weather changes fast, and there can be some really rough days here, anytime of year. Last night the winds gusted at above 40 mph, and there were frequent heavy showers of hail and sleet. This morning though it had blown itself out, and was clear again.

It was more sun than showers after that, really excellent conditions.

The pictures above are from a day out at Rubh’ An Dunain, the southern headland formerly held by the MacAskill clan. Distant relative Danny is a renowned Trails cyclist. In 1601 the MacAskill’s fought the last clan battle, and turned this area into a fishing and farming community. In the 1800s about half the property owners emigrated in the Clearances, but 20 or so families remained until 1883. Now, there is nothing but the ruins.

A storm passing through that night.

The following day into the Cuillin towards Sgurr Dearg.

The Cuillin. I see people headed up for long mountain days, and there’s a tinge of jealousy. I’ve been up several of these routes, to some pretty hairy places for just a hiker and grade 1 scrambler. One particular week at Easter 1996 with my old friend Colin Wadey, we had 5 long mountain days, including an ascent of Sgurr Alasdair from Sgumain. There was a memorable exposed bit just before the summit, then down the Great Stone Chute and a dip in the lochan at its base.

My favourite ascent though was the much easier Sgurr Dubh an Da Bheinn, with its long walk in, and the quite spectacular approach up the Coir a Ghrunnada. I’d done this a few times, before leading an experienced group of kids there (from KES); twice, once in 2002, and most memorably in 2004 when I took a spill of about one and a half metres, and hobbled extremely slowly down, with my head well and truly between my legs..

Another route I used to lead kids on was from Sligachan, to Bruach an Frithe. Once with a very capable group up its north-west ridge, the others up Fionn Choire, then north past Am Basteir picking a descent through the boulders. It is a superb route. I’ve a painting of Am Basteir, actually done by my dad, in the front room at home.

It’s one time though when I can’t quote that Dylan line.. “I was so much older then..”.

These routes are serious and require things I no longer have, flexibility and most of all, the confidence to take them on. Besides, these are not routes to be done alone, or for a dog; a thought with which I comfort myself..

For the 10 years I worked at KES I brought groups of about 16, usually 14-18 year olds up here every second year, always at Easter, alternate years with Assynt. We varied where we stayed, sometimes camping, sometimes in hostels, certainly once at the Youth Hostel here in Glenbrittle.

As often I quoted, as well as heard from others on my courses, when lecturing in my latter years of consultancy work on Safety in the Outdoors, several of the young people I took away have gone on to accomplish far greater things in the outdoors than I ever did, and I’m fortunate to be still in touch with many of them. And for the greater number that didn’t, and those for whom it was their only such experience, it remains one of their strongest memories, the battle, often, through adversity.