For our Mum, who never got to see us do this together, RIP 14/10/2024

Saturday May 3rd 2025
Day: 9 Kinlochewe to Strath na Sealga Approx: 17 miles

Rain in the night and this morning meant wet tents. I feared it would be a grim day with terrible river crossings and saturated paths. Days like this will definitely make you want to call your mother – if only I could!

There were also quite a few of us at the campsite, so it could have been quite a bottleneck if we all made it to Shenavall Bothy. Too many musings this early in the day. Shenavall is one of Scotland’s most iconic and remote bothies, maintained by the Mountain Bothies Association (MBA), offering basic shelter for hikers in the wild Fisherfield Forest.

We headed for the laundry/drying room to cook porridge in the warm. Our clothes were nice and dry, but there was a panicked 30 minutes when I discovered my Montane trousers were missing. Someone had picked them up by mistake, thankfully realizing their error and returning them.

Coffee back at the Gorse Bush before packing away wet tents, as the rain was easing. Posted some stuff home to lighten our loads a bit, then hit the trail. Its the first post office we have seen since being on the trail. Mail services in these remote areas are often crucial for residents and hikers alike.

We were joined today by Simon, the extra company made the miles go faster. Now in Wester Ross, the landscape is quite different and pretty cold. The ancient Torridonian sandstone mountains, are among the oldest rocks in the UK. But the cold meant we could crack on without getting too hot.

Some road walking initially, then onto a 4×4 track for some miles. Spectacular views of the mountains and some of the many old sheep pens in Scotland.

Turning east at Lochan Fada, don’t go to the Loch, you will have gone too far. There is a small track; follow the small cairns up to the left of Loch Meallan an Fhudair.

Most maps direct you across Bealach Ban, but that is a world of bog, ravines, and a waterfall to cross. If you walk straight down from Loch Meallan an Fhudair, it’s easier just to hop across the river and contour the base of Beinn Bheag. “Bealach” is a Scottish Gaelic term for a mountain pass, often indicating a low point between peaks, while “Beinn” means mountain.

From here, it’s a long, long boggy walk down the valley. It’s rocky and quite scrambly in places. Keep going to the right of Loch an Nid, then follow the river. There is a path; stay on it to avoid bog. This area is part of the “Great Wilderness” or “Fisherfield Forest,” one of the most remote and untamed regions in Scotland, known for its challenging terrain and stunning isolation.

In bad weather, you see how water would pour off the sheer rocky sides, making the terrain formidable

Three became four, as we were joined by John and his dog Lucy, who are walking the CWT for charity. Seeing other hikers, especially those undertaking challenges for charity, adds to the shared experience of the trail. He was walking some phenomenal miles with his little dog who seemed quite happy and nimble. He was raising money for cancer

Once on the 4×4 track again, you have a choice: head for Shenavall Bothy and hope there is room, or take the shortcut on the higher 4×4 track to Oykel Bridge. Shenavall Bothy is always busy, this area contains the remotest Munros in all Scotland, and it was a bank holiday. We opted to camp by the river and cut across to Oykel Bridge in the morning.

Wild camping by rivers like this is a classic CWT experience, remember Leave No Trace and don’t poop in the river … The bonus of it being a cold day is that there are no midges. Light rain came in at 7:30 pm, and it was best to just hunker down in the tent and keep warm.

I’m not sure my brother is too chuffed about the location. All I can hear from his tent is muttering, “it’s a bit wet out there, it’s cold.” It’s now gone quiet…

There are four of us camped here, and I just heard another group pass as the rain started to get harder. The cuckoos are still calling