Day seven - Sunday

Been here a week! Absolutely flown by. Lazy morning, did over an hours violin practice, getting better slowly. Raining initially and still pretty windy. Skype then headed to Morrisons to do some shopping, stocked up for the week. Nipped into Cotswold's too to pick up 2 maps, one of Knoydart and the other a 1:25000 of Glen Coe for the run in the afternoon.

On the ridge! Pap of Glencoe behind

Cloudy on the summit...

Two seconds later all is revealed! Spectacular 

Packed up and house and drove down to South Ballachulish, about 20mins, would have been quicker but stuck behind coach and caravan = 35mph on a 60mph road. Got there eventually anyway! Still pretty cloudy when I set off up Sgorr Dhearg (1024m), leaving the car at 1445. Initially following track in forest, but wanted to go up the ridge on the east, so as soon as popped out of the forest I headed straight up to the ridge, about 300m of really steep scrambling on grass/scree to gain the ridge. South along that to the summit of Sgorr Dhearg, got there 1h15m after setting off, occasional moments of clearing but still in cloud.

The route ahead, looking towards Sgurr Dhonuill

Cool ridge in the middle of the horseshoe - potential scramble

The rest of the ridge, my route home, spectacular but hard work! Steep descent at the right hand edge...

Then nipped east to tick off Sgorr Bhan too, before retracing my steps and continuing over to Sgorr Dhonuill (1001m), which I got to 2h7m. Felt good up till there, was in my running kit so had run the level/downhills and fast walked the ups. On top met the only people I saw all day, a couple from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Brief chat to them before continuing on the western side of the horseshoe, which turned out to be really hardwork! No path, and really undulating terrain, energy sapping short descents and climbs, only around 20m ish but my legs were shot! Started to get hungry too, thinking of the sandwidges I'd stashed in the car...

Happy but tired!

Incredible weather around 5/6pm; great views up Kinlochleven, Glen Coe on ridge, Ben Nevis is cloud on left

Birds eye view onto South Ballachulish and the start of the brutal descent!

Took just under an hour to get to the last highpoint, the 758m spotheight. From here there were incredible views up Kinlochleven and into Glen Coe, as the cloud had lifted and was now in sunshine. Also a proper birds eye view down onto South Ballachulish! Took lots of photos then commenced the arduous descent down the northern edge of the ridge, incredibly steep in places = tough going. At one point heard a 'mewing' above me, looked up to see a buzzard circling in a thermal about 20m above me. I sat down on the grassy bank and just watched, as the bird circled 4-5 times overhead before disappearing behind the forest canopy. Incredible moment, the beauty of Scotland is staggering.
Got to a fence, followed it west for long enough to start wondering if I'd got the right fence on the map before, just in time, a hut materialised signalling the start of a forest track. From here I ran the whole way to the car, going out with a bang! Kept expecting a farmer in a landrover to start shooting at me with a shotgun for being on their land, as I'd had to jump a padlocked gate to get onto the track. But there was no other way down, it was thick forest, the kind where you really wouldn't want to have the spend the night anywhere near - a bit creepy!

Back to the car and checked the watch, 4h exactly! Bit more than I'd anticipated, my legs were wasted! Drove back in blazing sun, soundtrack of Band of Horses - Everything All The Time seemed very appropriate. There a some moments where you know there's no where else you'd rather be, and driving over the Ballachulish bridge, blazing sun low in the sky to the west, Glen Coe and Kinlochleven to the east, legs aching with Funeral blasting out the stereo - good times!

Back to the house, collapsed out of the drivers seat and crawled into the shower, after which I felt much rejuvenated. There commenced active rehydration and food - pasta/sauce and sandwidges. Met everyone at the Crofters for a pint at 9ish, was good to compare stories from the day. Brett had done a cool walk up Glen Nevis to a waterfall, and Tom had smashed out Curved Ridge on Buchaille Etive Mor. Definitely a route I want to do before I leave. I was filled in on the rest of last night too!

Sunset over Loch Linnhe - Fort William on top form