Matt Pomilia's Cape Wrath Trail Adventure

In September last year (2010) we were joined by Matt Pomilia on one of our Tuesday walks. Matt is a friend of my son's from the time when they studied together at University of North Carolina. As you might guess this places Matt in the junior division of the Dotcom walkers. On that occasion we took Matt on a gentle walk around Croston as a taster of the British countryside before he commenced his masters course at Leeds University. Two months ago Matt set out on an entirely different walk following the Cape Wrath Trail from Fort William to Ullapool. It is hard to imagine a greater contrast to walking the fields of West Lancashire. On a scale of one to ten if Croston is one then the Cape Wrath trail is 11. Here we are pleased to publish the diary Matt kept during those damp days of late September and early October.

Cape Wrath trail - part 1 - Fort William to Ullapool (117 miles)
 by Matt Pomilia


Having just completed an MSc degree in Biodiversity & Conservation at the University of Leeds in September, I was feeling that familiar itch… the itch of an outdoorsman in English captivity, of a man with an incurable case of wander lust, of an adventurer looking for an adventure.  That's when I came across the Cape Wrath trail. Touted as a challenging and beautiful hike through some of the most remote parts of the UK, this little-travelled route seemed like a good fit.  Setting out from Fort William, I was both nervous to be doing my first solo long-distance hike and excited to be taking on one of the most difficult trails in Europe.

Day 1 - Kinlocheil train station to Strathan - 13 miles
Having already done the road walk from the ferry at Camasnagul to the trail head two days prior, I took the morning train from Fort William to the station at Locheilside and set off from there.  The going was straightforward for the first seven miles on paved roads and 4x4 trails.  From there, my navigational skills were put to the test during a tricky off-roading section at elevation.  Unnerved but determined, I managed to find my way around the peaks of Gualann nan Osna and descended into the wide valley of Gleann Camgharaidh. The second of two major ascents of the day was exhausting and progress slowed nearly to a standstill.  The going was very rough throughout, which, by the end of the day, had taken its toll on my knees and ankles.  I finally arrived to Strathan around 5 pm, a couple of hours later than expected. Mentally and physically drained, I found no one in Strathan and set up camp for the night.

 

View of Gleann Camgharaidh

Day 2 - Strathan to Sourlies - 8 miles

This was a shorter day than I would have liked, but I decided to take it easy and relish my first-ever bothy experience.  The day's hike was not difficult, but extremely wet and slow-going. The final descent, however, rewarded with a brilliant view of the remote sea loch, Loch Nevis.  This was a glorious (and very rare!) afternoon of sunshine so I took the opportunity to relax and enjoy the silence and solitude. 


                            Lochan a Mhaim                     

 

Sourlies bothy

Day 3 - Sourlies to Barrisdale - 8 miles
I was not alone in the bothy, as a fellow named John arrived to Sourlies just before sunset and bunked up for the night. John was also doing a portion of the CWT so we decided to make today's hike together.  The plan was to arrive to Kinloch Hourn by the end of the day; Mother Nature, however, had other plans, as driving rains and hurricane-force winds severely hampered our progress.  By 3 pm, I was frozen and soaked to the bone and John had nearly been blown off the mountain, so we decided to call it a day a full six miles short of Kinloch Hourn at Barrisdale.  We entered the bothy to warmth and good company and passed the night in chatter and high spirits. Still, our focus was on preparations for an early rise and the long and challenging day ahead.

 

 Foot bridge over the River Carnoch

Day 4 - Barrisdale to Morvich via Kinloch Hourn - 15 miles
We were out at the break of dawn and were greeted by the customary driving rain and blustery winds. I knew we needed to make good time so set a blazing pace, much to the dismay of John and his sore body. The trail was solid, but had many ups and downs and ankle-high water throughout.  Nevertheless, we arrived to the farmhouse at Kinloch Hourn at a decent hour, which gave us time enough for scrambled eggs, toast, and coffee.  The climb up to the "Saddle" was fairly long and we were met with extreme winds at the top of the pass. This would be the highest point of the trail, at around 700m.  To save time (or so we thought…) on the descent, we deviated off of the "definitive" route, instead heading down the nearest valley.  This plan was of only modest success, as the nearest valley was narrow and uncomfortably steep.  Just a few hundred metres to the north, however, we were able to pick up a beautiful path which took us down to the A87.  There, we found ourselves in the company of two delightful older couples who proceeded to bombard us with tea and grapes.  They were even kind enough to offer a lift to the campsite at Morvich, which I reluctantly (but obviously) accepted.  A painful (damn feet!) but worthwhile trek to the Kintail Lodge for dinner and a couple whiskeys was a fitting finale to the day.

 

 Kinloch Hourn

Day 5 - Morvich to Camas-Luinie (Killilan) via the Falls of Glomach - 12 miles
This day came in like a lion and went out like a sweet, little lamb.  I spent the wee hours of the morning "sock-sponging" water out of my now-permeable, soon-to-be-garbage tent, as the rain was relentless throughout the night and into the following day.  I slept little and wondered whether my journey could continue. After some deliberation, I concluded that my best option was to push on, so I packed up the wet mess that was my backpack and was soon back on the trail. More bad weather and growing pack-weight limited enjoyment of the magnificent Falls of Glomach to a fleeting moment of vertiginous awe.  Then, the day's (and trip's) saviour came in the unsuspecting form of a little bunkhouse in a sleepy nook known as Camas-Luinie, about two kilometres outside of Killilan.  For £12.50 we were granted exclusive access to a kitchen, lounge, toasty warm bedroom AND a multitude of drying facilities!  Life was good again…

Day 6 - Camas-Luinie to Achnashellach - 12 miles
After some much needed R&R, we hit the road the following day with a new lease on life and were appropriately greeted by a calm and merciful morning sky. A straightforward beginning to the walk quickly turned into misdirection and confusion: the classic "disappearing path" trick. After zig-zagging and bog-hopping o'plenty, we managed to re-locate the path and were on our wet way, moving through a plantation woodland and coming off the trail on the A890 just south of Strathcarron. After a couple of brisk road miles and a quickie at the shop/post office, we were on the 3:19 train to Achnashellach Station.  After another 1.5 mile trudge (1.5 Scottish miles or 3 miles for the rest of us), we found an empty, locked Gerry's hostel (or so we thought…). After more rain and a tortuous couple of hours of waiting, we were finally graced with Gerry's presence. It seemed he had been inside all along! I now felt justified in my vow to one day kill a man named Gerry.  John's smoking habit managed to get us off the wrong foot with old Gerry, who was as strange as they come, though with a remarkable talent for building wood fires. After another relaxingly warm evening, I coyly disobeyed Gerry by stoking the bedside fire and slid into the comfort of my sleeping bag.

 

 A morning view of the River Elchaig

Day 7 - Achnashellach to the Heights of Kinlochewe - 16 miles
Hiking-wise, this was the most successful day. A pony trail offered a shortcut to the Cullen Pass and from there it was a straightforward up, down, and around before dropping into Kinlochewe at around 2 pm.  After a delightful cappuccino at the local hotel, we quickly moved on to take advantage of a warm, clear afternoon. We also thought it wise to lessen the hike up to Loch an Nid, which loomed for the following day. Apart from a few frantic moments looking for an adequate campsite before dusk, this was a smooth day. Ullapool was now within reach.

 

 Desperate times call for desperate measures!

 Day 8 - Heights of Kinlochewe to Shenavall via Loch an Nid - 10 miles
I managed to have a dry (albeit incredibly uncomfortable) night, as the tent stood up to intermittent showers. It was a still, eerie morning, with low-hanging clouds isolating us and preventing any view of the wider landscape. A solid navigational effort led us up to Bealach na Croise with little trouble. It was a fairly long hike down to Loch an Nid and around to the Shenavall bothy, but the weather was agreeable enough and spirits were high, knowing most of the trail's difficulty lay behind us. An empty and extremely cold bothy at Shenavall provided shelter for my final night in the Scottish wilderness.

 

           The winding river of Strath na Sealga              

  

Shenavall bothy

Day 9 - Shenavall to Ullapool via Corrie Hallie - 16 miles
The rain kindly held off today, suggesting that the Scottish weather god is not as perverse as was previously believed. Today's walk was the usual muddy slog for most of the day.  The final 7-mile road walk into Ullapool felt never-ending and we finally arrived to Ullapool around 5 pm. I felt some relief to have finished up but was mostly tired and sore. I sensed a bit of disappointment at not being able to complete the CWT, but with time running short and possessing only a leaky tent for shelter, I could not realistically push on further. Considering the conditions, just making it to Ullapool in nine days was an achievement in its own right. Over the course of the nine days I gained a healthy respect for the ferocity of Scottish weather while also sharpening some valuable trail skills. I will surely be better prepared for future hikes and will look back on the Cape Wrath trail as a great and worthwhile adventure. A special thanks to Bob Clare for his guidance and support.

Looking out towards Loch Broom

 End of the trail