TGO Challenge 02/05/26

Allt Aigeinn to Gleann Beag 

The cloud was covering the tops and there was a cold wind as I packed up and started trudging up the hill.

Looking back to the lochan and camp

It was wet underfoot and slow going through the heather and tussocks but at least the rain stayed away as I kept climbing into the cloud.

First top

After I reached the top the weather started to clear making the route down easier but the trouble with these obscure hills is there is no path to follow.

Lots of up and down 

I had intended to climb the next one but it looked impossibly steep and rocky the way I had hoped to go, it would have been possible by contouring round and climbing the east face but I'd had enough heather bashing and decided that I was on holiday anyway.

Descent to Kylerhea 

There was a lot more heather anyway as I made my way down to the Kylerhea ferry making the mistake of going too far to the left on the descent from Being Bhuidhe onto some extremely steep heather.

Bluebells on the descent to Kylerhea 

The sun was shining by the time I got to the ferry where  a seal popped up to say hello before the ferry arrived.

Kylerhea ferry 

This is one of the last turntable ferries in the world that is still operating. Built in 1969 for the Ballaculish crossing at the bottom of Glen Coe, the ferry was in operation there until 1975 when the bridge was opened. I remember using it!

Loading the turntable 

A walk then to Glenelg village past the ruin of Bernera Barracks built about 1722 at the end of General Wade's road from Inverness. A lunch stop at the rebuilt Glenelg Inn where Johnson and Boswell stayed in 1733. Before continuing on the road up Gleann Beag.

Bernera Barracks 

There are three brochs up the glen, the first one Dun Telve it the best preserved but it is 

thought that a lot of the stones were taken for the barracks and other building works.

Dun Telve Broch 

There are lots of theories about brochs but no-one knows why they were actually built.

Not much left of this one

I was rapidly running out of camping options when I spotted a nice dry and nearly flat grassy patch between the track and the river and managed to get everything sorted out before there was a bit of light rain.