Corbetts and Camaraderie! Kinlochewe, Scotland (May 2025)
- webmasteribex
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
After being kindly collected from Inverness station I was driven the fifty odd miles to Kinlochewe Lodge. This old hunting lodge on the banks of the river Bruachaig was to be our base for the week. Its facilities included two kitchens where I together with eight other Ibexers who had been allocated to the appropriately named Team Slioch (this being the name of a nearby Munro) were responsible for cooking the first evening’s meal.
As with the rest of the week, the next day’s dawn brought with it blue sky and warm temperatures. The maximum temperature that I recorded during that week was 23C and this was (as many commented) untypical for this part of Scotland at this time of year. Several walking groups formed including one aiming to bag the Beinn Liath Mhor and Sgorr Ruadh Munros near Achnashellach.
Like a few others I decided to conserved my resources, my energy and my legs for the following day which it had been decided was to be Susan and David’s “Corbett compleation” day! This term refers to the feat of completing all 222 Scottish peaks so classified. For info, a Corbett is a mountain between 2,500 and 3,000 feet with a drop of at least 500 feet on all sides.
The final Corbett chosen was An Ruadh-stac described by Walk Highlands as “…. a steep-sided Corbett, a near neighbour of the Munro Maol Chean-Dearg. Though slightly lower, it is perhaps the finer of the two peaks and provides a more dramatic and challenging ascent.” It is 892 meters high and 9.25 miles walk in from the A890. In addition to the 28 staying at the Lodge, five others travelled up for the climb.
As Ibex tradition demands, Champagne bottles were carried up the Mountain and left to cool down in the lochan below the final ascent. There was no getting away from it: the final ascent was a “toughie”….climbing treacherous scree and steep rock slabs under a beating sun. Some people decided not to make the ascent, instead bathing in the sunshine at the lochan.
Those who’d survived the ascent formed an arch with walking poles through which Susan and David walked the last few yards to the mountain top.
From my perspective the thought of the champagne to come made the descent slightly easier. It was just great relaxing in the warmth of the late afternoon sunlight looking up at the Corbett we’d just conquered, sipping cool bubbly and chatting with the other participants.
Needing a gentler day after the previous day’s exertions, eight of us (and Giorgi the dog) completed the 12km Falls of Balgy Trail near Torridon. Beautiful Lochside scenery and a picturesque waterfall to boot!
Particular thanks to Susan and David for organising such an enjoyable week…!
Author: Stephen
For the remainder of the week we divided into groups tackling hikes ranging from advanced climbs to picturesque walks, and interspersed with more relaxed activities such as visiting the beautiful Inverewe gardens with its peculiar ‘handkerchief tree’.
Mountains climbed included Munros such as Slioch at 981m and Corbetts such as Fuar Tholl at 907m as well as more challenging climbs as members bagged outstanding peaks.
Despite mishap and a helicopter ride (Judith we were very relieved that you were ok and wish your shoulder a speedy recovery), we all made it to the celebratory dinner at Ledgowan Lodge on Friday in one piece! Everyone looked very smart as we toasted David and Susan’s achievement and absent friends.
Following a sunny, action-packed and superbly organised week in spacious accommodation and stunning scenery, some members carried on adventuring by car or ferry, while others headed home by air or rail.
Author: Abi