Kinlochewe week
6th - 13th June 2010
By Sandie
My writing desk looks out onto a mass of azaleas above a well-kept lawn. Birdsong and the swish of the river fill the evening air. A pine marten scurries by. Time to reflect on our week here at Kinlochewe Lodge in Wester Ross.
On arrival on Sunday the flower-lined drive and white-washed house pleased the eye (last year’s Sallachy set high standards). The interior has two Agas ('nuff said about cuisine quality) and there are sitting rooms for morning, noon and night, one with a Bechstein grand. Happy campers scampered to choose from the many pretty bedrooms. Hostess Chantal served up a heavily meaty dinner (to help carnivores through the vegan week to follow) just as the cyclists arrived fresh off the Achnasheen express. Standing orders were announced and we made plans for a sunny week.
On Monday we discovered that this area offers everything: five set off to cycle the lovely single-track road down Loch Torridon to Diabaig The loch sparkled and the sun shone but the route climbed so steeply that all but Sylvia had to push up the pass to Sithean Mhor [Sidhean a' Mhill? Ed.]. The consolation was ice-cream and beer on the way home and a swim off Torridon jetty. Rave reviews for Diabaig. Others checked out Letterewe on Loch Maree. Jim n’ Sarah paddled round the Loch’s nature reserve and then portaged their boats onto an island on the loch where they paddled on another puddle (“a loch on an island on a loch on an island”…think about it). Ben Eighe and Slioch were climbed. The day was topped by a delicious sweet potato curry, and a lovely sunset pouring into Jim n’ Sarah’s master bedroom. As our pic shows it was best viewed from their emperor-sized four poster- after they got in there was still plenty room for all the lady campers [Ah, actually, the photo has been embargoed. You'll just have to imagine the goings-on. Ed.].
Tuesday - another fine day while it rained back home. Some rested legs, some went to Inverewe, "Britain’s best garden" of 1996. Sue and Mark did Meall a’ Ghiubhais, hope I spelled that right. Jim, Sylvia and Claire did a wonderfully hairy day on Liathach (silent "t") - the Northern and Am Fasarinen pinnacles. Word had it that the famous Gairloch 10 k was on, so Mike, Ulrike and Sandie shot off to join in. Their feet scarcely touched the ground the views were so lovely, but all three broke the hour - and Mike won (38 minutes). They returned for a late dinner laden with booty - Ron Hill tee shirts. Sandie warmed down with a plunge off Gairloch jetty - perfect for tired muscles. Fabulous Italian risotto and walnut salad for tea.
Wednesday - time for a low key day - more sun, Inverewe gardens and swimming in Loch Gairloch (guess who). But we still bagged: Meall Gorm, An Coileachan and Maol Chean Dearg. Alan cleverly combined main course and pudding with his impromptu leek crumble. Mark gave his traditional after-dinner Gaelic class, during which Chris asked several times whats Gaelic for "sleeping deeply".
Thursday - the sun just won't stop shining, so perfect for cycling, this time a girls’ trip along the south shore of Loch Gairloch past sleepy hamlets to Redpoint beach, a classic northwest Scotland beach of white sand and (today) azure sea. Like McTaggart babes we lunched sprawled on a carpet of flower-sprigged grass overlooking the sea, and dipped toes in the chilly briny. On the way back Sarah and Sandie hunted down a tiny inviting lochan for a balmy swim midst the reeds. A pot of tea at Shieldaig then home for Caroline’s tasty rock buns. Chris and Chantal had done Slioch, Jan and pals Ben Alligin, Bidein a' Choire Sheasgaich and Lurg Mhor. So we had earned the great Tex-Mex dinner with cocktails, followed by Claire’s meringues.
Friday - some proper Scottish weather, cloud and rain, did not stop the hardies - Chris, Alan, Clare and Sandie climbed Moruisg and the neighbouring Sgurr nan Ceannaichean. Jim did Fionn Bheinn. Sadly the Famous Achnasheen station tea shop was closed. Others shopped at Torridon and got a roaring log fire going. We dined on Mike’s peppers stuffed with haggis followed by berry fruits.
Saturday saw a reduced band determinedly exercising on through the rain, cycling up Glen Carron and claiming two more Munros. On Sunday campers turfed themselves out early, heading south to a rendezvous for coffee in Aviemore, to round off another fantastic ESTC summer holiday.
Lost and Found: found- a great new outdoor shop in Aviemore (south end); lost- Sarah’s favourite fleece, Sandie’s silk pillowslip, and one of Alan’s veneers.
Apologies to Mr Munro and the Gaelic language.
Our modest accommodation. (Photos Mike and Ross)
Mountain Goat (James) on the northern pinnacles of Liathach.
Ulrike having a paddle at Redpoint.
Jan on Ben Alligin. (Photo by Ross)
Ruadh-stac Mor, with the mighty Beinn Eighe in the background. (Photo by Mike).