Monday 17 September 2012

An Exploratory ATP Walk in Knoydart

Monday 17th September

Distance: 10km; Ascent:150m; Sunny and windy with occasional showers; with Lynsey & Isabel

Today we decided to spend the day in Knoydart.  Lynsey had never been there before and I had only been once previously, on the start of my 2010 TGO Challenge crossing, and I had been thinking of returning at some point.  I remembered that there were a few vehicle tracks around Inverie so we decided to take the pushchair over for some exploratory ATP walking!

Since my previous visit, there was now a much greater choice of passenger ferry options from Mallaig to Inverie so we booked ourselves on the first of the day, leaving at 9:30.  After a swift crossing, we found ourselves on the pier in Inverie just as the heavens opened.  Luckily there was a small shelter at the end of the pier for us to shelter in whilst we sorted ourselves out for a walk, and by the time we were ready the rain had stopped :-)

Sgurr an Eilein Ghiubhais across Loch Nevis from Inverie Pier
Inverie Bay
We popped into the Knoydart Foundation visitor centre and picked up a leaflet about the "Knoydart in a Knutshell" walk; this sounded interesting so we thought we'd see how much we could manage with an ATP!

After ascending steeply from the village we picked up a pleasant narrow path descending through the woods for just under a kilometre.  Here we met the Barrisdale path, which we followed steeply up through more woodland to emerge in a small clearing with good views up towards Sgurr Coire Choinnichean.  Here the "Knoydart in a Knutshell" walk takes an abrupt right-turn down some steps; however the way was partially blocked by a fallen tree, which looked tricky to get round with the pushchair.

The Knutshell Walk
Instead we opted to stay on the vehicle track and head towards the mountains.  After passing through a couple more areas of woodland the scenery opened out in front of us, with good views over to a monument on a hillock above the track.  We continued a short distance beyond here, with good views towards Meall Buidhe and surrounding hills, before deciding it was time to retrace our steps.

Monument near Inverie
Meall Buidhe
At around 12:30pm we were back in the village and headed for The Old Forge for a tasty lunch of haddock and chips washed down with fine ale from the Glenfinnan brewery.  Shortly before 2pm we left the cosy interior of the pub and wandered north-west along the shore-side road for a kilometre or so before returning to the pier to catch the 3pm ferry back to Mallaig after an excellent day in Knoydart.

Inverie Bay
Inverie Bay
Mallaig harbour

N.B. 30/10/12 - Post date updated to actual date of walk, i.e. 17/09/12, (from 19/09/12)

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