Greater Patagonian Trail : El Calafate to Tres Lagos

Kilometres this section : 142

Kilometres completed : 775

I don't get off to the best start in El Calafate, after checking into my hotel and putting my phone on to charge, I attempt to find the centre of town, and fail. Lots of empty lots here... But there is in fact a centre, grown up around the kind of sheltered creek I tend to camp in, and yes, a nice bar with a variety of tasty beer. Of course I have a day off here, washing, shopping - wow, Argentina is expensive, like, three dollars for 100g of own brand chocolate. 125g of Nescafé Gold Blend is twenty dollars! Good thing I am mostly living in a tent then... Sightseeing continues, I pass the polo club, then Laguna Nimez, where there are, in the far distance, flamingos. Back to the tourist area, and indeed the same bar - lots of foreigners here, much as with Puerto Natales, there is glacier trekking here. Better bring dollars with you though - I figured out the ATM issue, apparently you are legally limited to a withdrawal of 2,000 Pesos a day here. Perhaps enough to buy a packet of crisps... In the end I find a place to change my Chilean Pesos for Argentine ones resulting in a thick, heavy stack of bills.

From El Calafate I walk back to the east, on various gravel tracks, or sometimes just gravel. To my left, Lago Argentino, and for a while the town's airport, honestly it isn't too exciting. Good then to reach the bridge over Rio Santa Cruz, the rushing blue water is most picturesque, I am surprised to see it flows out of the lake - and indeed all the way across the country to the Atlantic. My route takes me along the river for a short distance, there's a beach and I can't resist a paddle. Thankfully it also goes through my filter well enough to produce drinkable water. From here, well, I can't help but notice I am now walking across a desert, I keep stopping to empty sand from my shoes, then camp on sand. It's not one of those cold deserts either, the next day is baking, the sun blazing down, my chocolate melts in my pack, water is gone by mid afternoon. Something of a disaster then to reach a river near the end of the day and find it completely dry - my water for the remaining 70km to Tres Lagos is meant to come from here. OK, a kilometre back was an Estancia, there's a guy there, can't understand a thing he says, but he lets me fill bottles and even gives me another one...

I am rather relieved to wake up to an overcast sky, looks like it's raining not far away in fact. This makes for easy going along the dirt track I've been on for a while - actually a public road, provincial route 21, I have seen precisely one car. I pass through some rocky terrain, then leave the road for a few hours straight across the desert. Time to think about camping, but of course it is too windy, I keep going, join a road with actual tarmac running along a winding valley, and now the wind is absolutely crazy. No choice but to keep moving, until in desperation I pitch the tent in the small sheltered area leading to a channel under the road, I guess at some time water runs through here but it is dry now. And I am sure the three skeletal sheep, still with wool, huddled in the channel won't bother me...

Next day I make a coffee with my last water, and emerge from the tent, if anything the wind is even worse, thank heavens mainly from behind, but I can barely stay upright. I stagger along, using my poles held in front of me as if descending a steep slope rather than a gently inclined road. At least it isn't far now, I get through it, and in Tres Lagos people tell me the wind was up to seventy km/hr. Wow. Well, I am early enough to take in the whole town, it is not big. There's actually an albergue here, but the people there say I need to go to a nearby office which is of course shut. To the lone hostel, nobody answers the bell, OK, the campsite it is. Very nice place except for the wind. Indeed, Tres Lagos is cool, kind of a trail town in search of a trail, as well as accommodation there is a cute museum, and many little stores, most of them sell granola bars. Of course I take a day off, the wind doesn't stop, but I manage to walk a little way, to see La Piedra Clavada - an implausible, 20m high diamond shaped rock, perched on one of its points. How the thing doesn't just blow over confuses me. Back to the campsite, and a large plate of spaghetti bolognese, excellent.

Greater Patagonian Trail : Puerto Natales to El Calafate

Kilometres this section : 258

Kilometres completed : 633

I totally deserve a rest day in Puerto Natales, a couple of nights in a hostal it is then. Interesting place this, a pretty substantial town with a ski resort vibe - lots of hostels, lots of bar restaurants with tourists sitting in warm jackets and hats. The difference is, these people aren't here to ski, but rather trek on glaciers and look at penguins - there are many options for one or more day excursions. As for me, well, I think there is an actual GPT section to the northwest, not far from here. Unfortunately as with many of these sections, particularly in the south, it's a dead end unless you are prepared to take to the water. Apparently the thing to have is an inflatable boat... well, I do of course, but it is way too heavy for me to carry on trail. OK, spend much more money and you can get a lighter one, but honestly paddling across and walking like that seems... challenging. Not least we're talking regions that are completely uninhabited, so how do you get food? Well... the route from here would be through the Torres del Paine national park, it does look awesome, but other than taking to the water on the other side of the park, I'd need to cross into Argentina, and I see no evidence for a border crossing at the spot in question.

So... from Puerto Natales, I am walking northeast, on a road again. Not that exciting, but easy, a lovely day, and pretty country. This way, there definitely is a crossing into Argentina, I get my exit stamp from Chile OK, walk 5km of scenic no man's land, will Argentina's border control let me in? Well, the big 'Las Malvinas son Argentinas' sign is not encouraging, but I have no trouble, then a lovely woodland path takes me down to Rio Turbio, a little town that I think is a small ski resort, no snow now though. Also no cash for me, the ATMs here don't like my cards, I might be stuck paying with the credit card here.. well, it works, I get beer, odd pizza, and find some woods to camp in just out of town.

From here, a lot more road walking. It is easy of course, and the surroundings are majestic in their way, endless deserted grassy slopes, clumps of forest here and there, and to the northwest snowy mountains. I aim for 40km a day, a decent pace but not too much. Wow there's not much here, it seems hospitable enough, sheep and cows graze, I spot another rhea, and many cute little foxes, but no human habitation until near the end of my second day in Argentina. There is some kind of provincial police building, and next to it I think a restaurant? Or maybe not, I think it must be accomodation attached to the office, but the guy there not only gives me water, but even some bread and churrasco! Such hospitality, I am liking this part of the world.

From here I turn off the main road onto one with a gravel surface and few cars, good, this is more like real hiking. Clearly this is not a road much used by locals, over a day a few campervans go by, one van stops so they can give me a banana, most kind. A couple of cyclists struggling with the gravel, then two more, spending the night at an abandoned police station, while I camp by the nearby river. I must come here and cycle some day... Lovely weather now, it is genuinely hot , during the day at least, and I keep to my 40km per day. North of that police station, a minor road on the map, but a nice gravel track with zero traffic in reality, I am out in the wild now. I do revisit the main road briefly, and as usual have to persuade people that no, I don't want a lift. Then back into the wild, by now the surroundings seem pretty dry, sand, gravel and sparse clumps of grass, though plenty of dry mud too, it must rain, or maybe snow, some time.

I make my way down into a broad, windy valley and camp in a dry creek bed. From here, a glorious, if windy, section. The land grows increasingly dry, I walk over packed sand and pebbles, almost no plant life around. Then to the shore of milky white Laguna Sarmiento, I planned to fill bottles here, half a bottle of brackish water is all my filter can manage. Up over high moorland, then a stunning gorge opens up before me, Rio Bote sparkling at the bottom - fresh water is most welcome. Up again and I finish the day walking down to the road with more great views, this time of Lago Argentino, and maybe even a glimpse of sunlight glinting off glass in El Calafate in the distance. Not too much distance though, 25km or so, easy walking along the road and I am there by mid afternoon the next day.

Greater Patagonian Trail : Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales

Kilometres this section : 265

Kilometres completed : 375

I enjoy a day off in Punta Arenas, this involves shopping of course, plus sightseeing - there are many monuments and statues, including Mahatma Ghandi, and Luis Pardo, who captained the Chilean ship that rescued Ernest Shackleton's stranded crew.

And, back to the trail, north into wooded hills, without difficulty this time except the weather, can't be good every day I guess, there is a cold wind and persistent light rain.  Still a fine walk, then down on gravel tracks to a windswept plain, it is impressively bleak.  I make good progress, but camp a little early in a somewhat sheltered spot by a stream - I have a lengthy section of shoreline coming up, doesn't look like there'll be shelter there.

Sure enough it is bleak and windy by the water, which I think is a substantial inlet.  Fine walking though, as is the whole day, grassy heathland, then up on to a moor, sometimes on gravel tracks, sometimes just turf.  Rather glorious, although the constant wind is biting cold - at least, mostly sunny today.  And many animals to see, sheep of course, also wild horses and alpacas, and at one point I think a pygmy armadillo!  So a good day, and a long one, over 45km.

A cold night, thanks to the wind seemingly straight from the Antarctic I guess.  It is still blowing as I walk, briefly on a road with actual cars, then a gravel track heading north.  It is flat, straight and easy, good walking but for the constant wind.  To my left I pass Laguna Blanca, it is pretty big but I keep on, as does the wind, cold enough that I have all my layers on.  One point of interest is La Cueva de la Leona, a rocky gorge that apparently has centuries old indigenous art.. I continue around the Laguna, finally climbing a bit to pass the substantial Estancia Laguna Blanca, and on to a magical grassy plateau.  Still too windy to camp, I finally spot a grove of stunted trees, shelter enough.  A little over 50km today, and another interesting animal sighting - this time a rhea - South America's answer to the ostrich.

Another day, and the wind still blows, as I follow more gravel tracks over the bleak landscape.  Not that I need them, an off piste section later is easy going on springy turf.  After that I join the highway between Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales, the only substantial settlements in this isolated bit of Chile.  It's still only a single carriageway with not much traffic, easy going except for the wind.  One benefit to being on a road, I pass a roadside restaurant!  Not exactly haute cuisine but I get soup, stewed beef and mash, protein and carbs for the win, and even a couple of beers to wash it down.  So what if it is nearly 8pm when I get the tent up among some scrubby trees near the road...

I am very glad to have some sunshine, and even better, rather less wind, the next day.  All on road too, easy then, I march along, a range of snowy mountains getting closer, that will be the Patagonian Andes.  I'm not going there, pretty sure they're on various islands for one thing.  I stop at another cafe for a late lunch, the meat and cheese sandwich turns out to be a vast thing, disk shaped, it contains melted cheese, and huge quantities of steak in gravy.  Good though, I eat the lot, then struggle a bit with walking a further 20km.

Another 20km or so of road, and then some relief from it, I take a gravel track to the left, of course climbing a gate to do so and swiftly reaching a substantial estancia.  Here there are friendly dogs, and indeed a local, he doesn't object to me being here, but is a bit confused by my plan to walk to Puerto Natales.  What, it is only another 20km!  Well, to begin there's a lovely grassy track, this is more like it.  Sadly the next bit is 4km or so off piste, and rather than the grassy pastures I've been walking past, I get bog, then dense forest I can barely squeeze through.  I am glad to find quite substantial paths made by cows, they get me through this, then an easy last section into town, and a proper bed, yay.

Greater Patagonian Trail : Cabo Froward to Punta Arenas

Kilometres this section : 110

Kilometres completed : 110

From Punta Arenas I take a bus south, as far as the small settlement of San Juan.  From here it is a... challenging 45km walk to Cabo Froward, but I do make it in less than two days.  The trail begins at a giant cross, with fine views across the Strait of Magellan towards the snowy mountains of Tierra del Fuego.  Now of course I need to retrace my steps, at least I know the worst.  Well, the cross is of course up a large hill, the descent is easier than the climb was, then a bit of pebbly beach - I'll be by the sea all the way to San Juan.  Sometimes of course there's a cliff where sea meets land, obviously this means a steep, muddy climb and descent.  It gets worse, a section of beach covered with fallen trees to climb over... well, that will do for what is left of the day, time to camp, and even make a fire.  I am probably not going to get fined here.

So you may be wondering, what is this 'Greater Patagonian Trail' then?  Well, it isn't any sort of official path, I don't know if I will see any signs.  Rather the whole thing seems to be the brainchild of one guy,  a German named Jan Dudeck.  Fair play to him, he's clearly spent an awful lot of time exploring Patagonia, and I hope to walk many of his routes - but that is the thing, 'routes'.  There isn't a continuous line, and not much at all here in the south, so for a while I will be following my own plan.  What can go wrong?

First full day of my route north, and I am still retracing my steps.  Lots more clambering over rocky coastline, and two rivers to cross - I had to swim both to get to Cabo Froward, not ideal this close to the Antarctic!  Today I swim the first, then for the second the tide is out, it's 'just' a waist deep wade.  At least the sun is out, in fact it is warm, t-shirt weather, although I was glad of all my warm gear in the tent last night.  The rest of the day is easy enough, a climb over a hill with actual bog, sandy beaches and pleasant paths through the forest.  With the lovely weather and fine views of the sea and mountains it is all rather splendid.

Another day and a bit more beach, to Faro San Isidro, the most southerly lighthouse on the mainland of course.  From here the route is better travelled, the beach is the same but the trails through the forest are easy now.  Then onto dirt road, for 10km to where I got off the bus, and a few km more.  Lots of holiday homes here, although not exactly deluxe - seems to be a popular idea to tow a broken down campervan here.  Well, onwards, I could of course just stay on this road, but surely I can do better... Well, I do have to climb a fence with 'privado' on it, sure it's fine though - there are certainly plenty of hiker footprints.  And glorious walking through natural parkland, then a steep ascent to an antenna around 400m up.  A footpath through the trees, then logging trails - one worry, my map shows a trail just stopping, the plan was to make my way off piste for a bit, but the trees look densely packed.  Fortunately the trail does not stop!  Time to camp then, tomorrow I'll see where it goes.

Well, the mystery trail takes me a little further, but then turns west, not good - I keep going but it doesn't turn north, OK, back I go, there is maybe a track leading north, looks like it hasn't been used in a while.  Of course a little later it vanishes entirely, I find myself struggling through dense undergrowth and masses of fallen branches, eventually I reach another logging track but it has been two hours and less than 4km along the route.  Next up, a track on my route turns out not to exist - there is just a fence leading into the trees... I see an alternative on the map, definitely showing as a minor road, but it is a fence too, sigh.  OK, decision time, the track I am on leads down to the coast road to Punta Arenas, so that is where I go.

It makes for a quick walk at least, although with endless fencing to either side it is not obvious where to camp - I find a spot by the beach in the end.  From here it is an easy morning's walk back to Punta Arenas, interesting though as I pass the rusting hulks of many large ships.  Good to be back in civilisation, and over a day early too, time for a nice rest then, and maybe some beer.

Greater Patagonian Trail : Intro

Adventure time again!  It's been a while since I attempted a serious bit of walking, well, Covid and then teaching got in the way.  So, where to go?  Well, given the time of year, the southern hemisphere makes sense, and I fancied visiting a country I've never been to before.  A bit of research and I came up with... Chile.  The plan is to head to Cabo Froward, which is the southern tip of the main landmass of South America - yes, plenty more land further south, but all islands of various sizes.  From Cabo Froward I will walk north, I do have a plan but no idea how far I will get.

It is of course not easy to get to such an isolated spot, and starting from Thailand, 'just' the other side of the Pacific, doesn't help.  Three long haul flights, one after the other, via Vancouver and Toronto, gets me to the capital, Santiago, where I can rest for a night.  I am not loving the packed streets around the bus station, market stalls crowd the sidewalks and often fill the road and progress is slow.  It is quieter near my hotel, and general impressions of Chile are good.   I buy a very tasty empanada - they are everywhere it seems.  I also find some tasty beer and of course a burger, and the breakfast at my hotel is excellent.  All pretty cheap too.

Two more flights the next day, wow I am such a jet-setter.  At least this time only one plane is involved, it lands at Puerto Montt, I stay on board and a little later it takes off for Punta Arenas.  The whole thing goes without a hitch, and I am in time for some beer and tonight, pizza.  Punta Arenas is nice, pretty big but with a frontier town feel, lots of wooden houses.  I spend a day shopping, gas for cooking, trekking poles, and of course lots of food.  I will be back in a week, I can do some sightseeing then..

Munros 2024 : Kinlochewe to Dingwall

Munros this section :

Slioch

A' Chailleach

A' Chailleach summit.  I had already decided 'no more' by this point...

My second day off in Kinlochewe, time for a rest, oh hang on, no, for some reason I decide to spend the day making my way up Slioch, the Munro I missed a few days ago - not like there is much else to do here it has to be said.  Well, it's easy enough to retrace my route past Loch Maree, then a long climb, with path all the way, this is not so bad.  It only rains some of the time, and I get one more selfie in cloud with a pile of rocks in the background, yay.

So, the last section, time to leave Kinlochewe with no hurry to come back, and it is raining of course, but slowly it stops, as I walk an easy ten km along a track.  I've been a little worried about the next bit, 13km of planned route with no sign of a path, starting with climb of Fionn Bheinn.  In fact the Munro is fine, a grassy hill, not too steep, even the weather holds off, though the summit is still in a cloud.  Dropping my pack one km from the top helps too, and I get back down to collect it at 3.30, with only 7km of the day left this should be easy.  I should be so lucky, rather I find my self struggling through truly awful, horrible bog, the rain returns, and my path is blocked by both deer fences and mountain streams swollen into substantial rivers I have no choice but to wade, one of them is waist deep...

Silver Bridge.

I sleep poorly, it may be July but I am so cold.  Next morning there is a Munro, A' Chailleach, nearby, I follow a stream uphill, there is too much rushing water to cross, but OK, it gets me onto a decent route to the summit.  But, this weather really is just too much to bear, relentless, driving, heavy rain, flung at me by a freezing wind strong enough to make walking difficult.  My hands and feet are numb, I can't do this any more.  I do get to the top, and just about use my bloodless fingers to take that so important selfie, the plan was for four more Munros today, but that is not happening.  One good thing, I meet an actual path here, I can follow it downhill, a long way down but in more good news, once I reach a loch I find a power company has built a little hut filled with humming machinery.  Not sure I should be in it but there was one of those combination lock key boxes with the code handily written next to it!  Anyway I grab the chance to sit somewhere dry, eat a big lunch, wring out my socks and generally shed water.  Looks like I can walk a road all the way from here to Dingwall, it is over 60km but I have more than two days, no problem - so, I walk a few of those km over a couple of hours and then camp.

The welcoming Ben Wyvis Hotel.

A genuinely easy last couple of days then.  I am 32km to Contin, seems there is campsite there which sounds good, and dare I say it the weather is actually ok down here, I am starting to dry off.  The road is actually a little busy for comfort, so it's good to find an alternative, the Two Bridges Trail along the Black Water River, then logging tracks to Contin - where obviously I get no response from the campsite.  Never mind, only two km more to Strathpeffer, a nice Victorian spa town, there isn't a pub here as such but several hotels.  One of then, the Ben Wyvis hotel looks super posh, but provides beer, soup and a hearty plate of chilli, and isn't even that expensive. The staff are lovely too, digging out a phone charger for me to use, my own being the latest casualty of the Scottish weather.  And OK, after dinner I have to go and pitch my tent in a wood, I can cope with this...  What is more I have practically made it to Dingwall, my last day of walking being an easy bit of footpath, finishing before midday.  Not a great bit of planning this, I have walked past several train stations to get here - I think I simply defaulted to 'make a circular route'.  Well, nice to be back in civilisation, I get lunch and a phone charger before taking the train to Beauly, a little nearer Inverness, where I have a campsite booked.

A somewhat more laid back walk in Beauly.  I liked the warning sign...

Beauly is nice, well, the name does come from the French for 'nice place'.  There is a Co-op, I decide to celebrate the end of the walk with a barbecue, many burgers ensue, and a few cans, and indeed a couple of beers at the campsite bar - I did say it was nice here!  And that is it, the next day various forms of transport take me away from Scotland.  And what can I say about this trip?  Ugh, well I guess doing this sort of thing you do run the risk of the weather not being great, and it was mostly pretty terrible.  This would happen when I clearly hadn't put enough thought into keeping things dry... Never mind, I did have some fun, saw some remarkable countryside, and that is thirty more Munros in the bag at least.  Well over half way through them now!

Photos to go with this post can be found here.

Munros 2024 : Kinlochewe Loop

Munros this section :

Beinn Liath Mhor

Sgorr Ruadh,

aol Chean-Dearg

Spidean a' Choire Leith

Mullach an Rathain

Tom na Gruagaich

Sgurr Mhor (Beinn Alligin)

Ruadh-stac Mor (Beinn Eighe), Spidean Coire nan Clach (Beinn Eighe)

The little bothy there was a pleasant respite from all the water.

Kinlochewe seems to consist of a hotel with a bar / restaurant, catering entirely to tourists, plus a village shop and a rather nice petrol station plus shop and cafe that do likewise.  Seems the place is a popular stop for people touring Scotland in various ways - cycles and motorbikes, campervans and even supercars are common sights on the roads around here.  Well, I am not the only one turning up on foot, and between the bar and the two shops there is everything I need, and despite my not doing much the day seems to pass quickly.  Next morning I wake to find my tent in a puddle, of course it has rained heavily all night, ah well, I pack it up, and note the strong wind blowing around Kinlochewe - I am sure this in no way bodes ill for the situation higher up - and head to the petrol station cafe for a fortifying bacon roll.  Then off, on a truly awful 'path', muddy and overgrown, no fun at all in the rain.  Of course I could have taken the road, I only didn't to avoid going the same way twice as this is a circular section.  Some respite two hours later, a gravel track, it is dry, there's even a bit of sun.  Then up to a pass, it's getting windy and wet, I walk packless up Beinn Liath Mhor, enduring the crazy weather, and yet again my reward is a wet pile of rocks in a cloud.  Down a bit, then up Sgorr Ruadh, an easy enough ascent but not fun in these conditions.  After that a long descent, it's my own route but it's OK.  Time to camp, of course it is still raining...

Maol Chean-Dearg summit - they will all be selfies in clouds from now on.

And still more of this, I start another day by walking straight up Maol Chean-Dearg, on a good path, but the weather remains grim, wet, windy and horrible.  Down the other side, once again a 'special' route of my own devising, so steep, it's very good to finally reach a well built trail, this is a nice walk although of course it is still raining.  Down to sea level, indeed I pass Torridon, on the loch with the same name, which connects to the sea.  I eat a late lunch here, at 2pm, according to my plan I still have two Munros to do, Spidean a' Choire Leith and Mullach an Rathain, and I decide to carry on, how bad can it be?  Haha.  A little bit of road to the trail head, then up, steps, they seem endless, into a cloud of course, it is wet and cold, the climb keeps coming, it does get a bit dryer, I can even just about make out the sun from the summit.  On the minus side it is 6.30pm, and I manage to faceplant taking a photo with the self-timer.  I probably should backtrack now, but the next summit is only 1km away... of course, there turn out to be many rocky pinnacles in the way, I bypass most of them on a path following a contour line, but that means a terrifying drop to one side.  Somehow I make it, then it's a long way down, I chose this way because it descends over several km, thinking it should be easy, in fact the path is rarely visible and of course there are many crazy steep bits.  I camp at past 9.30, still nothing like all the way down, and my sleeping bag is wet...

The first, and pointiest, of the horns.  I did clamber all the way up.

Ok, an easy day in theory, only two Munros, Tom na Gruagaich and Sgurr Mhor - both part of the Beinn Alligin mountain complex - and a mere 18km, however I make a late start, and then have to descend from the camp spot, there's no path, and the route is still crazy steep of course.  I walk a bit of road, then paths leading up, I have to be careful navigating now, my GPS is not happy with the weather, it is showing the map, my position, and the location of the Munros, but not my planned route.  Well, the way up is obvious, there are more steps, so many steps, although at least it is dry for a change.  I see a lot of people, mostly passing me on the long climb, but still I make it up by 1pm.  From here it's an easy ridge walk to Sgurr Mhor, now I just have to get down - ah.  Various people had mentioned something about 'horns' hereabouts, I was thinking maybe those mountains I climbed yesterday - but no, rather my route down today involves clambering over a series of aptly named rocky pinnacles - well to be fair I find a contouring path to avoid the worst of the second two.  I get through it, am briefly rewarded by the sight of the sun, of course I haven't actually lost much height so there is still a steep descent, but then some good trail and I'm in the tent before 7pm.

Haggis!

Another supposedly easy day, again only two Munros, and this time just 16km, and there's even good trail to start with, though unsurprisingly I then have to turn uphill.  It's a well walked path, but long, and of course wet, and then I get to an insane scree slope, it just keeps getting steeper, eventually I am clambering up to reach a ridge.  I can at least drop the pack here, for an easy enough climb up to Ruadh-stac Mor, then back to get my pack and oh joy, lots of bouldering up to Spidean Coire nan Clach, all the while battered by a brutal wind, it is just so horrible.  All this for two selfies in cloud.  The way down is OK but long, it is 3pm by the time I am low enough that I can pause for lunch.  Then down even more, so good to meet a road, from here it is not far back to Kinlochewe, where I retire to the Stag Highland Restaurant for, well it has to be haggis.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.