Friday 12th May

33km

433m ascent

A slightly damp and overcast morning greeted me but the visibility had improved giving great views to Rum, Eigg, Muck and Skye from the path and then road to Ockle.

The way then becomes a path again over the rocky hills that divide Ardnamurchan from the rest of the Mainland before descending to Kentra bay.

Unfortunately the tide was out and mudflats are not as scenic as sparkling water making the track feel even harder on the feet for what seemed a long way to the sign out point at the Acharacle Hotel.

After another reviving Guinness and a chat with Colin Tock and Pat Dean who were also signing out I set off in the evening sunshine to pick my way across to the Claish Moss and up beside the Dig a' Bhogha towards Beinn Resipol. In wet conditions this would be an 'interesting' route but as this was before the 'May Monsoon' started it was relatively dry but still tough going over the tussocks and round the wet holes.

I was quite happy to find a dry pitch on Cnoc Ban beside the forest with views to the sea and up Loch Sheil all looking wonderful in the late sunshine.