The last few days Jen, Ray and I have been aboard the yacht Mystic Sun with Bruce and Dave. On the way up from Edinburgh on Friday Jen and I stopped off and stretched our legs on Carn na h-Easgainn near Tomatin. This hill gives excellent views South and West and is a quick outing from the A9, particularly given the new tracks which go via the summit and allow for a pleasant circuit suitable for mountain bikes.
Jen, Ray and I then met up with Bruce and Dave, who are on an amazing trip which started in Loch Linnhe and has taken in lots of the West Coast, out to St Kilda, Cape Wrath, The Orkneys, Shetland and down the East Coast to Inverness. After seeing dolphins upstream of the Kessock bridge we took the boat in to the Caledonian Canal and on to sail in Loch Ness.
The next day whilst the rest of the team dealt with the locks at Fort Augustus I nipped off for a run up Carn a’Chuilinn descending via the Blackburn bothy to Bridge of Oich to rejoin the boat.
On Monday after going through Loch Oich and Loch Lochy we were delayed by up coming traffic at Neptune’s Staircase. This allowed me to sneak off again for a run up Stob a’Ghrianain (Druim Fada). This is a long ridge North of Loch Eil and gives great views to Ben Nevis.
This morning after exiting the Caledonian Canal at Corpach we headed up Loch Eil before Ray and I were dropped at Fort William to catch the bus back to Inverness.
Generally dry weather with only light showers over the last few days and the hills are relatively dry.
