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Morar, Loch Morar, Glen Pean, Glenfinnan,
Callop, Cona Glen, Corran Ferry,
Gleann Righ, Glen Nevis, Fort
William, Scotland. Extract from an old diary.
(5 day back-pack)
Sat 22 Jan - Wed 26 Jan 1983 |
Friday 21st January 1983
After work I drove home then made
final checks on Gear I packed for Dean, Charlie and myself. The
arrangement was for us all to meet at my house between 6 to 6:15
pm. Dean was very early and Charlie very late. We were off by 7
in Dean's car, his Ford Escort. We went a bit wrong in Glasgow
and missed the chip shop but pressed on to reach Glencoe about
12:30 a.m. we threw Dean's 'The Tent' up and all crawled in at 1
a.m. to a sound night's sleep
Saturday 22nd January 1983.
We were all up a little after 8 a.m. and without stopping
for breakfast packed up and drove to Fort William. Our plan was
to catch the train to Morar near Mallaig but the first one out
was around 10 a.m. which we wouldn't have made so we decided to
go for the 12:55 train. After a look around Nevis Sport shop in
their new premises we returned to the car to pack our
backpacking gear for about 4 days. After leaving our proposed
route at the police station we shouldered our sacks and braved
the Saturday shoppers to stroll to the railway station. We
reluctantly parted with £3.20 each for the single journey then
dragged our sacks and ourselves onto the train looking forward to
what is supposed to be one of the best train rides in Scotland.
The weather had been improving all morning and when we left the
station the sun had started to break through. We wound slowly
through the mountains, Crossing under the road, then over it,
stopping occasionally at rundown stations. The scenery was nice
and I enjoyed the journey but I must admit I thought the Rannoch
Moor line was more picturesque. I'd been in it on a previous
trip. We left the train at Morar, and what a one-horse level
crossing it was. Dean made a phone call then we were off up the
narrow road to Loch Morar. The road started off a bit dreary and
I began to wonder what I'd let Dean and Charlie in for. At
Bracorina the surfaced road finished and we then followed an old
track along the north bank of the loch. |
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A strange glow at our first camp by the loch |
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The track was obviously of some importance in years gone by as
it was very well made where it was built up on stones. There was
no deterioration of the stonework. The sky cleared and we
watched the sun dip behind the hills leaving a warm red light
filtering across the loch. The day was very mild and it was
unbelievable to think that this was January. Our intention was
to camp near Swordland but as we approached the light faded fast
leaving us traveling by moonlight as we reached the track to
Tarbert. By now the wind had got up and we were struggling to
find a suitable pitch in the dark. After a while we retraced
then down a track to the water's edge where we left our sacks to
look for a pitch separately. I managed to find a step in the
hillside which was just big enough for the tent. We put it up
under a canopy of stars. Before long we were snug inside while I
cooked a meal. The mild weather continued and we all found it a
bit warm during the night. |
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