KYQ4: Canisp

Saturday, 1 May 2021

Canisp

Suilven from Canisp

Friday, 30 April 2021

Ascent: 750 metres
Distance: 12 kilometres
Time: 3 hours 31 minutes

Canisp 846m 1 hour 57 minutes

We were leaving Oldshoremore and travelling home after 4 nights in the Airbnb, the forecast was cold with winds, showers and snow predicted on the Mountains, my hopes of climbing Canisp were likely to be foiled. As a result, we dallied a little before leaving at 9:30am. I was attacked by the alsatian that escaped from a nearby caravan as I was loading the car and the apologies from its owner were the usual "it's just trying to be friendly". With its paws on my shoulders and its nose in my face, I was less certain.

The drive through Scourie, past Badcall Bay, under the triptych of peaks that is Quinag was a delight, although we noticed that there were far more motor homes on the road now that we are approaching the first weekend after the easing of travel restrictions. We passed Inchnadamph with the snow cover on Conival down to 700 metres. But it was still dry and below the mainly grey skies, visibility was excellent. I parked at the layby east of Canisp at Loch Awe on the A837. Canisp looked nearer than it really was in the sharp light. I decided to go for it whilst Aileen would drive over to Lochinver for a couple of hours.

The boggy path crosses a footbridge and then provides a squishy cushion for the first kilometre as it traverses the numerous peaty watercourses. Eventually, it begins to climb and some quartzite provides a harder, sharper footfall. There is a small hillock to climb over and the path drops slightly to a burn that runs directly towards the summit along an exquisite quartzite pavement. A large but fragile-looking cairn marks the end of this at 400 metres and then there is just the long pull up rocky slopes towards the shoulder of Canisp. I had been walking easily despite the exertions of the last few days and the benefits of the first break for 7 months seemed to be working.

The shoulder of Canisp provides that special moment when Suilven appears in all its primaeval glory. Ever since 1970 when I spent the summer working in the area it has been a totem for the craving to climb the mountains. But there are another 120 metres to climb and the summit is half a kilometre away, why is the highest point at the far end of the mountain? I blame the creationists! The weather had stayed dry but on arrival, there was a short shower of snow. I took a few photos and turned to make the descent, I had said I would be down by 2pm and despite keeping a good pace on the ascent, there was no time to hang about.

I decided not to put on my waterproof and it proved the right decision, there were occasional short flurries of snow or sleet but nothing to worry about. I was down for 2pm and after changing, we managed to make it to our friends on the Black Isle for tea and scones before 4pm. The evening drive down the A9 was remarkably quiet, in contrast to the traffic travelling north that was heavy as people headed to the north for the May weekend. I dread to think what the roads will be like in the summer as the motor homes head to the Mecca that is the North Coast 500.