Munros 2024 : Lairg to Ullapool

Munros this section :

Ben Klibreck

Ben Hope

Ben More Assynt

Conival

The Broch.

I depart late from the campsite, wasting time trying to solve the mystery of the missing cheese - this is my lunch for a couple of days, but of course the solution turns out to be that I simply forgot to buy it, oops.  Not ideal, this is a long day, with 15km of road just to start, through bleak surroundings, bog and forest, and little sign of humanity, barring traffic on the road, including numerous cyclists on their way to John o' Groats.  The weather is horrid, constant driving wind, against me of course, and yes rain.  It's a long climb up Ben Klibreck, at least it warms me up, not much fun though, and my camera doesn't like the weather either, I need to dig my phone out for a photo at the top.  I finally emerge from the cloud on the other side of the summit, and there's a fantastic view, the empty land stretching out below me.  Back down then, to a loch, and camp by a river at 8pm, no problem with still two hours of daylight remaining.  More oops though, seems I left two tent pegs in Lairg...

Ben Hope summit.

Another day, and much like yesterday, there's cloud at ground level, a strong wind blowing it into my face, and a long road leading north through bleak and uninhabited terrain.  Eventually the cloud rises and it is actually sort of dry, though still windy.  I pass a track heading west, I will be going this way tomorrow, but first I have to get up Ben Hope, the most northerly Munro, then retrace my steps.  In fact, I reach my planned camp spot around midday, it is by the remains of a 'broch', a two thousand year old stone tower that must have been an impressive piece of engineering.  I may as well put the tent up and leave it here, and lacking cheese for lunch I cook up a spare pack of noodles.  From here the road runs north along a dramatic narrow valley, then I turn right to take a steep track up the mountain, the first 200m alongside a series of awesome waterfalls.  But from then on the ascent of this isolated mountain, from which no doubt there are views out to sea on a clear day, is a grim, relentlessly wet slog to see a trig point in cloud.  Everything I have with me is wet now, I hope this gets better...

Camped by Loch Cam.

Another long day, this one is 42km, I am not really in the mood to walk along a road in wet shoes and socks, but it is what it is.  At least I am going south now, the wind may be blowing from the arctic but it is behind me, and even more or less dry.  That turn off leads to a well made track, courtesy of the water company I think, unsurprisingly it goes past past many lochs, this is easy going through bleak but beautiful country.  Then more road, oh wow the sun is out, then an electric company track that is basically a road, my feet are actually drying and I am getting to the end of the long distance, it wasn't so bad.  I can see a Munro, Ben More Assynt, and that could be nearby Conival behind it, well they can wait 'til tomorrow.  To end the day I walk alongside a massive concrete pipe, an aqueduct feeding a hydro power generator of course, and camp near it.

With Peach (centre), and Horne.

Emerging from the tent, I can see clouds high in the sky, and the rocky summit of Ben More Assynt not far away, let's do this. I get a fair way up on a decent gravel track, then the climb is easy enough until 200m or so of boulders before the summit.  There are fantastic views from up here, I can see Ben Hope to the northeast, my phone works well enough as a camera, and it's not far to Conival, but the insane wind blowing over the saddle on the way makes it exciting.  I reach the summit OK, from here the plan was to go south, but it is a knife edge ridge with a cliff to either side, I don't fancy it.  Instead I follow a well used path north, this is a lovely walk, the sun comes out, and I can see the sea, not far away from the looks of it.  After a steep descent I follow a stream east to reach a road, returning to my route from here would be a long way, but can just road walk to Ullapool, it's not too far, and I planned to get there tomorrow anyway.  I have time to get some of the way, then leave the road on a handy path to camp by a loch.

Rather pretty on the approach to Ullapool.

It is not too far to Ullapool now, road all the way of course, it is too busy with traffic for my liking but very scenic. There is interesting geology in these parts, I read many informational plaques, and pose with statues of Horne and Peach, whose survey of the region helped to explain its complex geological history.  It's a nice day again, there seems to be a marked contrast between here and the east of the country, the landscape is green, cows and sheep graze, it's even warm.  I cross a high point, and wow what a view, out over Loch Canaird to Isle Martin and the sea.  I walk along a gravel beach, then a bit more road to Ullapool, where there is a campsite, a pub, and even a curry house in close proximity.  Ullapool is nice if a bit small, a fine place for a rest day anyway, I of course shower, wash my clothes, and shop, and there's phone signal, I get to contact the outside world.  Before long it's evening, so back to the Arch Inn, there are cairngorm ales, and they let me bring in a pizza, from an enterprising bunch with an oven set up in a nearby lorry - pepperoni with hot honey.  And, there is even live music!

Photos to go with this post can be found here.

Munros 2024 : Dingwall to Lairg

Munros this section :

Ben Wyvis

Back in Scotland.

What, more walking?  Well, this should be rather different to Spain, I am in the Highlands of Scotland, spending a month climbing more Munros, should be good exercise and given it's June, maybe there'll even be nice weather!  I start with a flight to Inverness, then a train to Dingwall, where I camp next to Ross County's football stadium.  The walking starts with a climb of course, on roads at first, then a track, which after a while abruptly disappears.  For a couple of km I struggle through some really nasty bog, at one point my right leg sinks in up to the hip.  It is a great relief to find a path again, and it leads up Ben Wyvis, the first Munro of the trip, with a fine view, out to the sea one way, and more mountains the other.  I take a stony path down, down, then follow a river for a km to my planned camp spot, but oops, seems this is the heart of the Wyvis estate.  Well, I am OK to walk a bit more, to camp up on a saddle.

Loch Glass, probably.

There are two days with no Munros now, well, the first is still very scenic, I walk past lochs, up into proper wilderness, with descents to more estates, Kildermorie, then Glencalvie, I'm not sure if I'm technically allowed to walk past the palatial buildings but nobody stops me.  My route follows the very pretty River Carron, rushing through its rocky course, sometimes on the banks are great boulders of quartz.  I camp beside the river, near one of many fishing spots.   It's nice, but the next morning I am beset by midges, well it makes for a fast start, indeed this should be a fast day, all road, and I am 6km ahead of my plan.  More lovely surroundings, I follow the river down to the sea, a substantial inlet of course, on one side Ardgay, then Bonar Bridge on the other.  From here I follow another river, the Shin, upstream for a fair distance, past the scenic Falls of Shin, where salmon will be leaping in a month or two's time, and on to Lairg.  This was meant to be my camp tonight, at a little past 2pm I have made great time to it, but sadly the campsite here is no longer taking tents, so I am booked into a place fully 6km further.  I was vaguely thinking of buying something to cook there, but an evening in a campsite in the middle of nowhere doesn't really appeal, so, I walk there and then back to Lairg.  Worth it for a nice pint or three of Black Isle Blonde, and a highland hotdog - yes, it has haggis on it.

Snug in the snug.

I take a day off, after only three days of walking, so lazy.  Well, yesterday was a bit of a slog in the end so nice to relax, wash stuff and yes, go to Lairg again.  Not a big place, but nice views of Little Loch Shin, and the dam holding back Loch Shin, which surely should be Big Loch Shin.  On the little loch is a small island with a charming Wee Hoose - allegedly a successor to a full size house and distillery, located on a rather larger pre-hydro power island a century or two ago.  As is often the way in Scotland there's a woodland walk with carved wooden animals, and I even find a second bar, the Nip Inn in the Highland Hotel.  Then back to where I ate last night, the very comfortable snug in The Pier, and a plate of tagliatelle.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.

El Camino del Norte : Sobrado dos Monxes to Santiago de Compostela

Kilometres this section : 61

Kilometres completed : 845

Not far to go now.

It really is not too far to go now.  Not wanting to go hungry again, I wait for shops to open in Sobrado, and buy some bread for lunch - I already had some chorizo, it has been sitting in my pack for a couple of days in fact - I wasn't hungry enough yesterday to eat it with no bread!  There is walking to do of course, the way keeps on southwest, through woods and fields, I am feeling a bit tired for some reason and don't pay much attention.  At least today I get to eat lunch on time, and shortly after that the Camino del Norte joins the Camino Francés, at Arzúa, lots to see here as I recall but I have no time to waste.  Well, that said I do find time for a beer a little further on at the Casa del Horreo, in my defence I need a stamp, being into the last 100km on which supposedly you need two per day.  Onwards, to Salceda, there is really not much here, and indeed most of it seems to be shut, well, my albergue is open, and I manage to get a bacon and cheese bocadillo from the bar next door.

Massive albergue on the Monte do Gozo, the music festival can be seen in the background.

The last day, this is probably a good thing as I need a rest.  And, only 26km to Santiago, this will be easy, haha.  I follow a familiar route, through O Pedrouzo where I started the last day a year ago, past the airport, to reach my albergue for 1pm.  Because, as it turns out, it is fully 10km from Santiago - well, it was the nearest I could get, I didn't realize it was so far out though.  It would be nice to at least check in now but of course it is not open yet, OK then, I schlep on to Santiago, and the reason for the lack of accommodation becomes clear as a music festival is happening on the Monte do Gozo on the way into town. I make my way to the centre, and it takes 30 minutes to get my certificate, pretty fast really as there's a big queue - nearly two thousand pilgrims have arrived already today.  I get a photo by the cathedral, then of course walk 10km more back to the albergue, which is now open and very nice.  And of course there is a bar, well, time for a celebratory cigar which I have been carrying from Bilbao, and tonight I get a burger, and even treat myself to a dessert, appropriately enough it is Santiago cake.

With my Latin certificate.

Well this was very cool.  Despite finishing in Santiago once again, this route felt quite different to the Camino Francés, wilder and hillier, although certainly there was a lot of road walking, particularly in the first two weeks.  Sure, there was a bit of rain but I really don't mind, not least a warmish bed every night helps.  Well, almost every night, that one of sleeping rough wasn't great - clearly this is not a route on which you can just assume there will be an albergue.  And, whereas last year many of my days were too short, i think I may have erred the other way a bit this time, not least there were a bunch of places like Avilés which I could have spent more time in.  Well, maybe some other time, or indeed there are still many other ways to get to Santiago, and incorporating the Libaniego route seems an idea too.  Now I know to avoid French trains, what can go wrong?  No issues with Spanish police this time anyway.  For now though, I should probably go somewhere else.  I wonder where?

Photos to go with this post can be found here.

El Camino del Norte : Ribadeo to Sobrado dos Monxes

Kilometres this section : 131

Kilometres completed : 784

This path has been here a while.

So far the Camino del Norte has largely hugged the coast, but of course Santiago itself is inland, so the route heads southwest from Ribadeo.  It's another short day, I take it easy through forest, on various gravel tracks and minor roads, and as far as the weather goes, there are plenty of clouds today, but still no rain in Galicia.  I am sharing the way with many pilgrims now, and there are not many places to stop, it's not exactly wilderness but civilization is limited to small villages, I don't see so much as a cafe until after lunch.  Today's stop is Vilanova de Lourenzá, it is pretty small but has an impressive church and tower, and a rather classy albergue.  I eat so much food, a menu with spaghetti then grilled pork and chips, and bars give me chorizo, cheese, empanada...

Hórreo!

Another day, and it is easy again, although the last such I fear, after today things get more strenuous.  It is still not raining, it seems Galicia has better weather, and it's also nice to see skinny Galician horreos, although around here they are crazily high, Asturian style.  Nice walking too, more forest tracks and minor roads, to Mondoñedo, which must have been an important place once, judging by the big cathedral.  Then a lovely walk contouring along the side of a valley, a climb up to 500m, and then down to Abadín where I check in to another nice albergue.  It occurs to me that I should book something in Santiago, and wow there are hardly any beds to be had, I end up near the airport,  well not a bad thing given that I need to go there anyway.  As for tonight, yes it is yet another pilgrim menu, this one has 

cauliflower cheese with ham, merluza a la plancha, and a bottle of wine, yay.

Into the wild country.

Time to stop taking it easy and do some serious walking, for a couple of days anyway, 40km each day in fact.  Well, the weather is good, and it's flat, time to power on.  I can see this has been a popular route for a long time, as I walk over ancient bridges and paving, then a nice path through woods.  I make it to Vilalba by midday, time for lunch then, a nice place this, and it feels like proper Galicia, just as with many towns last year the route runs along a medieval street with decaying houses.  Back into the country, there are green fields, with interesting boundaries formed of thin, flat, standing stones.  Tonight I am stopping at Baamonde, the last place I don't have a reservation, but I've heard heard the albergue is big, and yes it has 70 beds, plenty of room for me.  No menu tonight, oh no, I will have to eat pizza again...

Monastry at Sobrado dos Monxes.

The second long day then, I make an early start at least, on a misty morning that turns into a nice day.  I walk on forest tracks, out  into proper wilderness, moorland and rocky outcrops, very pleasant it is, the only problem being that I go a long way with no food, I am not carrying lunch, and the occasional tiny villages have nothing in the way of shops or cafes, even when there's an albergue.  I climb up to 700m, and finally find a bar at 3pm, for a late lunch of empanada de atún.  It's really not too far now to today's stop at Sobrado dos Monxes, where there is a monastery of course, but not much else.  I do get another menu, macaroni to start, I pick out the pasta and leave the lamb, honestly it was way too much anyway, then the main is a really nice bit of fish.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.

El Camino del Norte : Soto de Luiña to Ribadeo

Kilometres this section : 92

Kilometres completed : 653

Pico Paradiella summit.

I make a late start from Soto de Luiña, it is 9am before I am on the trail, and it's a long day, too.  There are two options, a coastal route or a longer inland alternative involving a large hill, I choose the latter of course.  Up I climb, to find a lovely ridge walk, although a section or two seem very seldom used, most pilgrims follow the coast no doubt.  Up to a 720m summit, worth it for a great view, though of course it is raining, then a long walk down, lots of mud, the path is more like a stream, I don't know about England, this could be Scotland - indeed there's gorse, peat, even thistles!  Back to the sea again, to Luarca, a lovely place nestled in a steep sided gorge, and I find a pilgrim menu!  Scorpion fish mousse, escalope, flan de queso, and some Germans give me most of their wine...

Luarca.

There is of course a steep climb out of Luarca, and this proves to be a pattern, up, a flat bit, then down to a river or estuary.  The never far away motorway crosses these on gargantuan viaducts, then often dives into a tunnel, whereas I have to climb.  I get lunch at a large town on one estuary, Navia, then carry on, there's some rain of course, but it's not too bad today, not that muddy.  And, an easy day, I get to A Caridá before 4pm, and check into a basic albergue, probably the cheapest of the trip at €8.  I decide against getting another pilgrim menu, given the option of artisan pizza with chorizo and local Cabrales blue cheese, this turns out to be a good choice as it is awesome.

Ponte dos Santos.

Another easy day, 26km, I am so lazy.  OK, there's some more up and down, but then back to the sea, a lovely bit of walking along a cliff, then some boardwalk past a beach, with great views all the way.  However, another really big estuary is coming up, and this time the route heads back to that motorway, and then crosses alongside it on a narrow strip of paving, some 600m in length, and a long way above the water, this is the Ponte dos Santos apparently.  I can't honestly say I enjoy the experience much, still I suppose having crossed the Bridge of the Gods in America, I might as well do the bridge of the saints in Spain.  On the other side is Galicia, and the substantial town of Ribadeo, and not far to an albergue, named A Ponte of course.  Whisper it, it has not rained all day.  I am not feeling hungry after yesterday's huge pizza, so once again pinxos suffice.

The Cargadero.

I take a day off in Ribadeo, the last I will have time for before Santiago.  It's not that big a place, but there are some things to see, although the most impressive building in town, the Edificio dos Irmans Moreno, is being renovated.  Still, there are the usual chapels, a marina, and the near the scary bridge is the 'cargadero', a pier that back in the day allowed a small train to deliver iron ore to waiting cargo ships.  There's a fort too, though of course it is locked up.  Well, I have another albergue to get to, some movement west has to be good, though it seems I overdid it, the place is a km out of town in retail park, ah well.  It seems empty when I arrive, well it is not on the trail I guess.  Back into town then, for more excellent pizza, so much meat!

Photos to go with this post can be found here and here.

El Camino del Norte : Villaviciosa to Soto de Luiña

Kilometres this section : 95

Kilometres completed : 561

El Monumento a la Madre del Emigrante, in Gijón.

After the first few days, the way has been pretty flat, but now there's a bit of a hill to climb out of Villaviciosa, up to 450m.  It's not so hard, but certainly a contrast to the Camino Francés.  A bigger contrast is the weather, I get at least some rain most days, today it is more like a constant drizzle, well I can cope.  I walk down from the hills, into a pleasant green valley, although it is a bit damp, feeling more like England than Spain.  Up another hill, with a view of the sea from the top, then down to my stop today, Gijón, a popular place with surfers it seems, there are many at my hostel, a little way out of town - well, only a mile walk to find a bar, beer and tortilla.

Gijón also has trains!

I take a day off in Gijón, or Xixon in the local Asturian, it is really rather awesome, so much to see.  There are many palacios, churches, and statues of course, also a turn of the 20th century coastal fort, and so many museums, wow!   I look at art, local glassware, visit the home of local luminary and, among other things, travel writer, Gaspar Jovellanos, and more.  The highlight is probably the extensive Roman bath complex of which much survives, interesting to see 2,000 year old roof tiles that look identical to the ones still common here.  And still there is more, I make my way west along the route to a pension, and just before I arrive is a train museum, it is very cool.

La Iglesia de Santo Tomás de Canterbury, in Avilés.

Gijón is a big place, it takes a while to walk out of, then things take a turn for the not terribly scenic, a long section past a massive industrial area, mostly steelworks I think.  It is interesting enough, but I could do without the long section along a fairly major, busy road.  Then there's a nice walk along the river Avilés into the town of the same name.  It's another big place, much to see I am sure, but I have no time, on to Salinas by the sea, and another surf hostel.  After the usual wash of myself and today's clothes I walk along a pleasant promenade to a really busy bar with a sea view.  After subsisting on pinxos yesterday evening I feel I should get proper food again, so even though many more pinxos turn up I also find room for a burger.

Another wet day, I seem to have left the mountains behind, now the way is through green, damp hills, it really does feel like England.  The sun does appear for a while, but then the rain really comes down, a shame, I'm on a nice path through woods, but it's currently unpleasantly muddy.  Time passes in something of a blur, it keeps raining, then finally stops as I pass an abandoned hotel.  Into Soto de Luiña, not a big place, the albergue is open but no sign of staff, so I buy a bottle of wine and sit down to wait, and they do eventually turn up.  Tonight I find a pilgrim menu, yay, well, OK, not too impressed by the noodle soup, but the main course is awesome, fried potatoes and slices of sausage that appears to be made of bacon!  There is cake too, and of course more wine...

Bacon sausage!

Photos to go with this post can be found here.

El Camino del Norte : Comillas to Villaviciosa

Kilometres this section : 121

Kilometres completed : 466

Albergue in Colombres.

A new day brings dry weather, and nice walking, I am in the foothills of the Picos de Europa, this means a series of ridges sloping down to the sea, separated by inlets, it seems more like Norway than Spain.  The way crosses one estuary on a long causeway, into San Vicente, it's most scenic. Then more motorway crossing, and more rain, this is not so great.  Still, an easy day today, I reach Colombres for 3pm, to find an albergue full of kids, but it's a big place, there is room for me.  It's cold though, this is not what I expected in Spain.  Well, to a bar, which is also cold, and it is still raining, I do wish they would shut the door.  Never mind, beer and a burger warm me up.

Sea to my right, mountains to my left.

Up to this point, this route really has involved a lot of road walking, I don't really mind but it would be nice to see more actual footpaths.  Well here we are, a lovely path in fact, the sea to my right, mountains to the left, so pretty.  I am taken by the 'bufones' - waterspouts driven by waves forcing water into gaps eroded into the rock.  There are goats hanging around too, cool, I must say I am liking Asturias, another new part of Spain.  I am still close to that motorway, and another easy day, to Llanes, a nice place with a medieval centre, and a beach, where I paddle in very cold water.  Better yet, there's a pilgrim menu!  A stew of big white beans to start, so much, and chorizo too.  Then cod with potatoes, all washed down with a whole bottle of wine.

Poo art.

I start the next day feeling a bit broken, too many beans and too much wine I fear.  Nice walking though, and it seems like a proper Camino now, I am walking on a path, and there are many other pilgrims.  There seem to be plenty of albergues now too, sure the one Colombres was full of children, but it had plenty of spare beds.  So, I'm taking a chance, nothing booked tonight or tomorrow, I'm sure it will be fine.  There are steep slopes to my left but the way stays flat, often alongside a railway line, also I am passing lots of holiday homes, and yes, decaying houses but also renovation and new construction.  And, what is that small square building - it's an hórreo!  Seems they have a square floorplan here, like the ones on the last few km last year.  Interesting design, the things are supported by stone pillars, then large flat stones below a wooden frame, and a separate set of stone steps provide access.   On to my planned stop at Ribadasella, a big place, but it only has one albergue which is sadly full.  I keep walking, OK, there's a municipal albergue on top of a hill, it's in the middle of nowhere, but I find a bar a couple of km away, worth the walk for a plate of chorizo and fried potatoes.

Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores.

It's good to be a few km further than planned, the distance today is now only 33km, easy then.  And it's a nice morning again, I am seeing a pattern, morning sun, then rain later on.  Back to the sea, the beaches are empty, though I see a a few surfers in the water.  What I don't see are many hikers, though I do spot some on the road rather than the trail - actually I have seen a lot going the wrong way, I think many people unwisely rely on the signs...  The route turns inland, this is farm country, more hórreos, some of them huge - apparently the larger ones, resting on more than four pillars, are actually 'paneras'.  A big estuary is coming up, hence the need to get away from the sea, to cross the bridge at Villaviciosa, where I finish the day.  It's another big place, there are multiple albergues and many restaurants, I pick a place with impressive burgers - the 'Fundido' Is indeed impressive, with many crunchy bits.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.