Witches trail '09

Rich's first visit to the Witches trail at the Nevis Range at Fort William...apologies if video is slow to load...

--Matt

Salmon Fishing on the Garry **Guest Blog**

Back in May, I had my first experience salmon fishing. I'd been fly fishing for trout plenty of times down in Yorkshire, however I'd never had a chance to try for a salmon, so my friends Matt and Jenny at Invergarry Lodge invited me up to fish for a day on the River Garry, as a present for my thirti... twenty-fifth birthday. Sadly, I didn't manage to hook anything at all, except for clothing, nets and various plants, trees and weeds. Thankfully though, others present were more successful, and I saw proof at least that there were some big salmon in that river.

In August I tried again, this time on the Esk in North Yorkshire. That day was even less fruitful, with three of us working the river for over 12 hours with not even a nibble. So after two unsuccessful salmon fishing trips, I decided it was time to call in the big guns - I invited my Dad, Phil Parrish, up to Invergarry to see if we could catch one of those fish I'd spied back in May.

We arrived with a car boot full of various rods, reels and lures. We had everything ranging from antique Sharpe's reels and Hardy cane rods, to cheap modern rods and spinning reels. Surely with our vast arsenal, we'd be hauling in the fish?

Well it was a slow morning - we started early at the end of the Garry near Loch Oich, and worked our way up river. By early afternoon we were starting to tire and so stopped for a bite to eat, and to curse Poseidon for our bad luck so far. Thankfully, things started to pick up after that, and we each hooked a pike which provided us with some fun for a while. Thinking that the weather was about to take a turn for the worse, and noticing Matt appear with a six-pack of lager, I retreated to the fishing hut for a break with Matt whilst Dad continued in his search for a salmon.

Suddenly, we were alerted by shouting, and a string of expletives that would make a sailor blush. Running down the bank with the landing net, it appeared Dad was struggling with a fish the likes of which had not been seen since the première of Jaws in 1975. After a bit of a struggle to direct it into the net, we soon had it on the bank - not a shark, but a decent size salmon, and one very happy Dad.

Glenfinnan/Corryhully Horseshoe

I managed to escape the hostel duties for a few hours today for a quick trip round the Glenfinnan Horseshoe, a steep and rugged circuit taking in two fine Munros, Sgurr Thuilm and Sgurr nan Coireachan.
The approach is on a private tarmac road so a bike comes in very handy for much of it. Then it's a steep (and quite boggy) slog up to the 600m mark where it eases towards the summit (963m) and gives great views across to Ben Nevis.

Then across the ridge, over four minor summits to Sgurr nan Coireachan which although slightly lower at 956 m provides great views across to the Outer Hebrides, Skye and Knoydart. It took some effort to pull myself away from the views and head back down to the bike and Glenfinnan.


--Matt

A Snowy North Shiel Ridge

I'd been given a half day pass out for good behaviour (I've decorated one of the bathrooms in the hostel) and what with the recent dusting of snow I'd spied on the tops on Sunday there was nothing else for it but an early start.

I pulled up in glen shiel a little before 6am and things were looking promising. The sky was clear and lit up by a full moon, I set off up the Allt Coire Tholl without even needing my headtorch. By the time I was approaching the south east ridge of Sgurr An Fhuarail, however, the sky had clouded over and light rain was following me up the hillside. I kept skirting further and further eastwards in an attempt to catch the sunrise at the other end of the glen, but unfortunately luck was not with me today - cloud was!


Despite this the ridge did offer some atmospheric views across to Ciste Dhubh, A'chralaig and Mullach Fraoch-Choire as the cloud danced around their summits.


I followed the narrowing ridge over Sgurr An Fhuarail and then made my way onto the snow-covered summit plateau of Aonach Meadhoin, which despite its cloud covering had a real wintry feel to it. I hung around for a while hoping the cloud would clear but I soon got rather chilly so decided to head off towards Sgurr A'Bhealaich Dheirg, the next Munro on the ridge. Again the ridge started to narrow and I enjoyed a few short scrambly sections before starting on the long slog up to the summit, accompanied all the way by a soundtrack of rutting stags. The summit cairn actually lies beyond an easy but exposed ridge, made more interesting by a good smattering of snow. As I sat eating my sandwiches (cheese, sausage and redcurrant jelly if you're interested!) I was treated to a few glimpses of the summits I'd covered earlier on as they poked through the thick cloud.


Back on the main ridge I continued westwards, dropping sharply out of the cloud before tackling another short scramble leading to the bealach. Onwards and upwards I went, up the grassy slopes of Saileag for a well-earned rest at the rather pathetic summit cairn and another sandwich. The early start was starting to catch up with me, so I took a breather here for a while before backtracking down over Sgurr a' Bhealaich Dheirg and forking south down the broad ridge to Meall a' Charra. I was soon back at the van and made it back home in time for lunch!

--Matt