Monday 15th September 2008
I was late starting this walk because I was getting a problem sorted on my car first so it wasn't until 10.30 that I was walking out of the car park on the A830 to start the walk up to the fabulous ridge of Streap. The beginning of the walk involved a long trek along a forest track through the valley, Gleann Dubh Lighe, as it slowly climbs beside the stream through a dense coniferous wood, eventually crossing the stream and continuing to climb past a bothy and out onto the open country. A landrover track continues to climb beside the stream high into the hills and took me along with it until after crossing the stream again it disappeared. I decided it would be a good idea to stay on this side of the stream, but that ultimately proved to be the wrong thing to do and I had to somehow cross the rather full stream, without a bridge, which I eventually managed to do but not without getting my feet wet.
The weather for this walk had reverted to form as it rained almost all day which made me realise that I should have been more appreciative of the weather the day before when it was sunny and dry. What the stream had not managed to do to my wet feet the grass and mud finished off. Wading through the wet grass and mud brought me to landrover tracks that were obviously a continuation of the earlier tracks. I followed this for a while but ultimately I had to leave the tracks and climb up the steep hill to my left, but I didn't want to do this as it seemed to be impossibly steep and I would much rather walk along the track, but that was going in the wrong direction. Ultimately I had to make that climb and soon I found that it was indeed virtually impossible. That climb was murder as it was absolutely excruciating trying to get up the hill, so much so that I contemplated giving up and going back down as I thought I would never make it. I was really not thanking Ralph Storer for making me go up there, however while later reviewing the route as described in Ralph Storer’s “100 Best Routes on Scottish Mountains”, which I always use in Scotland, I discovered that I had actually gone the wrong way round. I should have descended that steep hill, not climbed it!
The weather for this walk had reverted to form as it rained almost all day which made me realise that I should have been more appreciative of the weather the day before when it was sunny and dry. What the stream had not managed to do to my wet feet the grass and mud finished off. Wading through the wet grass and mud brought me to landrover tracks that were obviously a continuation of the earlier tracks. I followed this for a while but ultimately I had to leave the tracks and climb up the steep hill to my left, but I didn't want to do this as it seemed to be impossibly steep and I would much rather walk along the track, but that was going in the wrong direction. Ultimately I had to make that climb and soon I found that it was indeed virtually impossible. That climb was murder as it was absolutely excruciating trying to get up the hill, so much so that I contemplated giving up and going back down as I thought I would never make it. I was really not thanking Ralph Storer for making me go up there, however while later reviewing the route as described in Ralph Storer’s “100 Best Routes on Scottish Mountains”, which I always use in Scotland, I discovered that I had actually gone the wrong way round. I should have descended that steep hill, not climbed it! Somehow I finally managed to reach the small outcrop of rocks that had been in my sights for almost the whole of the climb and collapsed against the rocks utterly exhausted. After eating my lunch I found renewed strength that enabled me to complete the climb to the top of Streap Comhlaidh, which was by now enveloped in clouds as I would stay until I dropped back down into the valley. Heading off along the ridge I made my way towards the top of Streap. This connecting ridge was quite fun as it was quite narrow but that was nothing compared with Streap itself which is a long narrow ridge all of its own. Walking south along this ridge was a sheer pleasure that was easily the highlight of the walk as it was so deliciously narrow. It wasn't too rocky so as to make it exceptionally challenging, it was simply a high narrow ridge with little undulation. I can understand why Ralph Storer suggested doing this walk in the other direction as in good weather this ridge would be better appreciated when you are able to see the summit ahead of you rather than having it behind you. It made no difference in my case as I couldn’t see anything, but I was still able to enjoy the wonderful ridge underfoot.
Unfortunately this didn't last long enough as the ridge widened and began to undulate which made it a little more tiring and less interesting. Continuing along the ridge I reached Stob Coire nan Cearc, where a steep descent led me down to the Bealach Coire nan Cearc. Ralph Storer suggested descending from this point (actually climbing up to it) and I was too tired to argue so I dropped below the clouds following a stream down. This was a fun descent that I really enjoyed as I picked my own route down around the small moraines and beside the streams all the way down to the valley bottom. Eventually I reached the metal bridge at the end of the landrover track which I now crossed and followed all the way back to my car. After this tiring walk I was keen to get back to the car as quickly as possible but it seemed to take me forever as I slowly descended the valley, past the bothy and through the forest until eventually I reached the main road and the car park. This was not a great walk as the weather was against me and that climb up Streap Comhlaidh was just too difficult and exhausting, but the walk along the narrow ridge of Streap was brilliant and well worth the agony. Once I’d had my lunch the walk got better and better so it was just a pity about the weather.
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