Durness weekend meet. 5-7 July 2024
Eleven club members made the trip north to stay in the Lazy Crofter Bunkhouse at Durness, with prospective member Jeannie joining us for days out. Despite the horror stories of nose to tail tourist traffic and crowded accommodation, the roads were reasonably quiet and we had the bunkhouse to ourselves apart from three Italian ladies on one night. Perhaps the spell of pretty awful weather may have had something to do with it.
Arthur decided to climb some of the clutch of Marylins near Kinlochbervie to break the journey to Durness. From the Bacall peat road he splashed across waterlogged moor to ascend the lowly An Socach (362m). A change of wet socks and Glas Bheinn (all of 331m) completed a soggy afternoon in the clag. Glimpses of sunshine along the north coast from under the cloud gave a portend of better things and sure enough Mike and Fiona visited the remote seacliff at Port Vasgo. Mike comments “Its a spectacular venue and we climbed three routes before dodging the rain and meeting up with everyone in Durness”.
Saturday didn’t dawn much better and plans for Sutherland’s northerly Corbetts were quietly dropped in favour of more modest objectives -
…..Talamine - visiting friends if we can find them (Peter and Marion)
…..Hot chocolate from hostel and wander, maybe to beach if it dries up”(Fiona, Mike, Jeannie, Martin and Lucas)
…..Balnakeil and Fariad Head and then on to Smoo Cave (Michael)
….. wander towards Sango Sands and beyond (Sharan)
Modest objectives they may have been, but the beaches and sea cliffs give great walks with lots of plant life and sea birds. Mike comments, “(we) walked up to Faraid Head via a disappointing stop at Cocoa Mountain. At least the sea cliffs didn't disappoint with a large variety of birdlife spotted (including puffins and bonxies) with our resident expert Martin pointing out the large variety of seaweed along the coast.”
The cloud was just touching the summit of Meall Meadhoach and Robin, Helen and Arthur decided to pick off another Marilyn and then walk round the coast from the ferry pier at Keoldale to Balnakeil. We didn’t climb the smaller neighbouring Beinn Ceannabeinne, which is a properly featured mountain in minature. For another day.
Sunday saw a group of seven walk out to the spectacular Sandwood Bay from Blairmore. Peter and Marion went to Faraid Head.
Robin and Arthur continued their Marilyn campaign, climbing Ben Hutig on the A’ Mhòine peninsula west of Port Vasco. Part of the reason for choosing Ben Hutig was to look at the site of the Sutherland Spaceport on the A’ Mhòine. From the A838 and from the summit the works look fairly unobtrusive. I had forgotten that Ben Hutig was the most northerly of the Colby Camps built in the 19th C. during the first survey of Scotland by the OS. So we were pleasantly surprised to find the stone shelters and walls protecting the surveyors camp on the summit.
Jeannie stayed on until Monday and the weekend weather continued for her. “Ben Klibreck turned into Ben Stack as the weather didn't play ball until later in the day!”
This was an excellent sociable weekend with some excellent lower level walks and hills with interesting beaches and sea cliffs to keep us entertained. But beyond dipping toes into the water, no-one chose to venture into the rather chilly and choppy sea.
Taking part: Marion, Peter, Micheal, Martin, Arthur, Robin, Sharan, Lucas, Mike, Fiona, Helen and prospective member Jeannie.
Words and Photos: Mike, Michael, Jeannie, Helen and Arthur