Shaw and Judith were on their seemingly annual Highland climbing bike tour, and again they brought fine weather with them. I was at work on the Sunday, but had a short window of time to head NW to see them. Loz and Gemma were also heading up for the whole weekend so it was very social.
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| Shelter in Hamish |
We met at the Sheigra campsite by the sea, surprisingly given the weather in the rest of the Highlands it was baltic in the wind when we arrived and Shaw quickly hid in Hamish to get some shelter! In the end all 6 of us spent the evening in Hamish keeping warm and chewing the fat!
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| The walk in |
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| First views of the beach and bay |
Saturday morning we walked in to Sandwood bay with frisbee and climbing gear. Loz and I had a vague yearning to climb Am Buachaille (the shepherd) another sea stack out this way, but Shaw requested a dingy to cross the tidal sea channel which we couldn't supply at such short notice. I could of lent him swimming trunks, but I don't think this would have been satisfactory.
Interestingly Jack (friend from work) informed me the day before that he was going for Am Buachaille on the Saturday too! Days later I heard that he had quite an epic on it, taking a big fall (luckily just scratches and bruises) trying to avoid a 3rd fulmar being sick on him!
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| The lovers and Am Buachaille |
The walk into Sandwood bay on the good track is quite quick (3-4 miles) and when you reach the point of being able to see the long golden beach it is pretty mind blowing and incredibly beautiful. Interestingly Loz had warned us all that it might be 'crap', not sure why, but even he was pleasantly surprised by it.
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| The gang |
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| Bit of yoga to embrace the sun |
Even though there were a few folk around it seemed quiet and still remote as we set up camp at the far end of the beach near the climbing. It was beautiful, sunny and hot and we enjoyed many hours climbing, playing frisbee and at the end of the day swimming in the surf of the sea.
None of us wanted to leave at the end of the day, but leave we must as it was getting late, we'd pretty much run out of water and Abi and I had to get back to Inverness. The walk out was long and arduous! Funny how that happens! Not helped by being thirsty and tired.
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| The crag |
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| Liz, I mean Loz modelling |
We eventually got back to camp and had cups of tea and snacks. The campsite was now full and we had seen umpteen people walking into Sandwood bay on our walk out, people with BBQ's, surf boards, pop up tents, carrier bags (no rucksacks!).
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| frisbee time |
Unfortunately Shaw realised that he had left his camera half way along this track when we stopped to get water from a stream so he hot footed it back again while we made the long drive home, getting in at midnight. A very magical day!
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| Abi running in! |
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| Gemma enjoying the surf |
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