THE FAR NORTH WEST – A HIKE UP CUL MOR

Parking: on A835 just north of Knockan Crag Visitor Centre.There is room for a few cars, not many.

Distance: 13.5 km or 8.5 miles Ascent: 800m

Time taken: 5 hours including breaks and dawdling. Could be done in far less.

Rating: Fab

Assynt holds a special place in my heart because we spent many happy summer holidays up near Lochinver when my two boys were young. But of course also because it’s the most magnificent and unique area.I always feel huge nostalgia when up in Assynt now with memories flooding back and that sense of time having raced in.

Chris had never been up Cul Mor and I was keen to revisit it after a 30 year absence, so on a sunny April morning, off we set along the excellent stalker’s path near Knockan Crag. Only one car in the parking area and in fact we never saw its occupant all day as it turned out.

A much later start than we’d meant, too…11.30am!  …after travelling up from an overnight stay at beautiful Bunchrew House Hotel (costing all of £85 B & B for both of us. The joys of off peak prices.) That said, I hate starting so late and always prefer to be on or near a summit by that time. It already felt that half the day was gone plus we had the family to meet up with later in the afternoon.Time pressures – never a good way to start a hill walk!

Aside from fretting about time (I think my alter ego must be John Cleese’s character in the film Clockwork) amazing Assynt was soon laid out before us in all her gneiss – dotted moorland and inselberg mountain glory, As ever, being out on the hills worked its magic and I began to relax. Larks were singing their hearts out above us, the air was cool and crisp, the sky cloudless, just the sort of day you don’t want to be doing anything else but heading up a hill. Actually that’s not quite true…the forecast was so good I’d wondered if we should just spend it on Achnahaird beach which I love but we had a few days based in Lochinver and today was definitely the best forecast re weather. A beach can still be enjoyed in a bit of windy weather and low cloud, not so easily a hill! Onwards and upwards!   

It really is a great path, with an easy incline before it branches off at the 320m mark and heads up the broad shoulder of Meallan Diomhain. Cairns now marked the way which was also useful and the ground was very dry.
The twin tops of Cul Mor lay directly ahead although they didn’t seem to be getting any nearer!

We stopped often just to look around and take in the views…north to Ben Mor Assynt and Conival – 30 years since I’d been up those too, on a solo outing, nearly blown off by the gale force winds.Forecasts never used to be as detailed back then, as I remember, it was a case of checking the BBC the night before but of course, there wasn’t any adjustment for hill conditions! It was only when I climbed towards the ridge that I noticed a waterfall blowing UP the way and realised the ‘fresh wind’ might be an issue.

To the south beyond Ullapool, An Teallach reared its spectacular head and also beautiful Beinn Ghoblach.

But it was the ‘star’ of Assynt that I was most keen to see and suddenly it reared into view as we rounded a corner…mighty Suilven. What a mountain…other-worldly! I’m not sure how I’d feel about climbing it now given its slightly exposed final section but on another family holiday I was on its roomy, flat summit at 8am one sunny July morning, not a soul met on the way in or the long trek back. But the mountains were quieter overall then I think.

Non-Suilven type, wide easy slopes today though…

A steady plod found us reaching Meallan Diomhain at the 600m contour though I was slightly shocked when I looked at my phone and realised we’d taken 90mins to reach here. It still felt like we had a lot to do!

Cul Mor’s final slopes reared ahead, with a big dog leg right to come to avoid rocky ground and gain the ridge itself and what I knew was another 250m or so in ascent to go. Another hour would do it, I thought which turned out to be fairly accurate. 

My spirits soared again as we reached the ridge itself and walked out to the north a little , admiring knolly, lochan strewn Assynt lying below us with its famous giants standing proud all around.

What a view! 

Suilven from top to base above Fionn Loch and Loch Veyatie. Foinaven visible far to the north.

Quinag further north, another favourite in this area of superlative, ancient mountains. Canisp, a special place in my heart as my 8 year old son, nearly three decades ago, decided he wanted to climb it with me, a bit of a miracle because he was never all that keen on hillwalking! No views for us at the top as the mist came in, but it was ultra special, doing it together.I used to enjoy solo walking, as no one I knew was into hillwalking and I’d always been a bit of a loner, but as the family started to get involved that seemed to spoil me for going out on my own; I loved the company and that sense of sharing the experience together.

Canisp directly opposite, a tougher ascent, I recall, because of the terrain…

Cul Mor’s cliffs were tremendous from this spot, the perfect place for a short break.

Looking south below the final slopes…

The way ahead looked quite steep and I could see the boulder field which looked impossible to avoid, a deep band of dark stone just below the summit.  However, looking at the photo there seem to be less bouldery sections at either side…

In fact, the path wound it’s way very easily up those final slopes well away from any edges so it didn’t feel like hard work at all and fairly quickly we reached the boulders.

I must admit I gulped a bit because I’d describe them more as large, awkwardly lying, steep slabs rather than boulders which you can simply scrabble your way over.

My hips these days are as stiff as boards, mainly (I’ve been told) because I’ve always been a regular (plodding) jogger which shortens the tendons apparently. There’s aye somethin’!   Clambering onto one wobbly slab and trying to find the next one which might offer a stable spot to place my foot, felt really awkward with hips that don’t stretch very easily any more!  I never even recalled a boulder field all those years ago.

Chris is more nimble than me and soon announced that he’d already reached a grassier section, making for easier going. Thank goodness because I made a complete meal of that wee bit. Fine views back down the way we had just ascended…

A short bouldery section certainly which didn’t last long and soon we were walking up the final few metres to the summit cairn.

The moment I saw those amazing 360 degree Assynt views I knew this was a mountain I would have to revisit again and again. Why on earth did I leave it so long??   Magnificent, a Lord of the Rings landscape, ancient, unique and beautiful.

Suilven, as ever, drew the eye in particular…Quinag behind…

Cul Beag looked enormous, peeking out beyond Creag Nan Calman, Cul Mor’s second, lower peak. Stac Pollaidh looked impossibly steep and it’s much lower height (600m) was very clear from here.Beyond lay the ethereal Summer Isles.

Stac Pollaidh zoomed…

Ben Mor Coigach was visible behind Beinn an Eoin. Here, zoomed to pointy Sgurr an Fhidhleir, to me its finest viewpoint…

Away to the north, Arkle and Foinaven were very distinct and we reckoned we could just make out Ben Loyal and Ben Hope and – possibly – Ben Klibreck though the latter is not seen well in the photos.

Ben Hope here (I think)…

Pleased to be here…

Further to the east again was what may have been Morven , north of Helmsdale
.
Torridon was clearly visible too…

What a day for those on An Teallach…

The clarity was terrific though a slight haze on the western horizon prevented a view of Harris or Lewis or Skye.
There was a very chilly northerly breeze but I was really reluctant to sit inside the large cairn and lose the superb panorama.Thankfully, we were able to get a perch outside on the sheltered side of the cairn, enjoying some oranges and homemade tiffin.

My mind was already thinking ahead…being up here in autumn, when Assynt turns that amazing tawny, auburn and gold? Or even in snow, using the corrie route to ascend? Plans, plans….

A difficult summit to leave but leave we had to and there was only time to head part way out along Sron Gharbh given we were meeting up with the family at our accommodation. The pancake rocks just below the summit were spectacular , so typical of Assynt and Coigach summits.

Down the lovely, relatively grassy corrie we went, the standard descent route. On that first outing, there must have been around 100 red deer hinds grazing here, racing off together as I made my way down. All quiet today however, on this unusually soft part of Cul Mor, a contrast to the rougher quality of the rest of the hill.

It’s a straightforward descent , skirting a little narrow gorge, the slopes easy, then across boggier ground and a short ascent up onto Meallan Diomhain again and the main path.There was actually a bit of a path on the left side of the little gorge/ river which we eventually found, having descended on the right.

A final stop to admire the mountain once more with the thought that ascending via that grassy corrie would be a good alternative to the normal route, avoiding the slabs though sacrificing that early great view of Suilven. I can certainly see why the corrie is the descent route , as reversing the broken rocky band wouldn’t be pleasant.

Nice to reach the stalker’s path again which meanders so gently over that final 300m or so. 

A couple of handsome stags were grazing near the parking area, presumably used to us hill walkers and barely looking up as we approached.

It won’t be another 30 years before climbing this beauty of a hill again as I probably ‘willnae be here!’ as they say.  But hopefully plenty of autumns and early winters to see it in other colours and light. A beauty of a mountain though it often seems that they all are in Assynt. A final view of ‘The Great Back” from the main road to Lochinver, a handsome profile by any standards and perhaps deserving of a lovelier name though certainly, from here, very apt.