Torridon Triggers

Shieldaig Island

Towards the end of the wet week at Loch Carron, we made a couple of tours through Torridon, one of my favourite places. We had walked up Carn a' Bhealach Mhoir above Plockton in the morning and Gregor had wanted a trail run when the rain relented in the afternoon so I suggested the Coulin Pass from Achnashellach to Glen Torridon, I could drop him off and drive around to Kinlochewe and park at the end of the trail by Loch Clair. He needed little persuasion and it gave me the opportunity to reprise all the times I had visited these parts to climb the magnificent hills or on visits with Aileen who loved the area and browsed photos of it most mornings to offset the gloom of UK news. Just a year ago we had an early morning stroll on the shores of  Loch Maree, a longer walk to Loch Clair before a late morning coffee at Shieldaig, Aileen's favourite village. I would be able to relive the wonderful memories of that day. 

I parked at the start of the track to Loch Clair, usually full but with just one car today and a group of three retired walkers returning to the car. They commented on the walk and asked if I had done it before. Without thinking I said that my wife and I had walked it a year ago on a perfect March day, they looked bemused, why do it again on such a day as today? I explained that my son was running through the Coulin pass, and we were having some time away from home as my wife had died recently. The woman began to cry and asked if that was why I was revisiting. I realised that there would be a stack of memories on the walk to trigger thoughts of Aileen all of them good as this was her idea of heaven.

I had reached the shores of Loch Coulin before Gregor appeared, it was time to turn back whilst he made a detour to explore Coulin Lodge and beyond. We drove back through Glen Torridon; the nearby mountains Sgurr Dubh, Beinn Eighe, Liathach and Beinn Alligin were all out of the cloud. We passed the start of the walk to Bad Callda at the end of the peninsula north of Shieldaig, a walk we frequently made when we were in the area. On the last occasion watched an otter frolic on the beach below. We recalled as we drove through Shieldaig that every day Aileen had looked at photographs by stevecarter, a local photographer. Shieldaig was her go-to place in the Highlands and the photographs merely amplified her appreciation of it. 

Two days later Emily was with us and Gregor wanted to show her the beauty of the area so we repeated the trip but this time the three of us made the complete circuit of Loch Clair and Loch Coulin on a grey but dry Saturday. We stopped at Shieldaig for a fine lunch and watched an Eagle circle over Shieldaig Island and thought of Aileen. A couple of days later and back home, I sent Steve Carter a thank you for the photos he had shared and which had given Aileen some solace during her final days. I immediately received his heartfelt commiserations, she would have been absolutely delighted by his kindness.

G on Carn a' Bhealaich Mhoir

Retracing last year's walk alongside Loch Clair

Beinn Eighe from Loch Clair

The track to Loch Coulin

Liathach and Beinn Eighe across Loch Clair

G & E speed walking

Beinn Alligin and Beinn Dearg across Loch Torridon