Weather/Conditions: Beautiful evening weather, dusk on the Western Highlands and Inner Hebrides
Distance/Ascent/Time: 0.9km / 70m / 17m
Accompanying: Alone

This wasn't so much a hill day as a rock climbing day with a (very!) short top added on the end. I'd spent the day climbing at the Arisaig Cave, a sheet of dramatically overhanging quartzite out on the coast. It's a hell of a place and a good physical workout. In the few sessions I've had there so far, it leaves me feeling completely wrecked for a day or two.



But I'd had a good session making links on Bone Broke (font 7C). On the walk out I was completely drained of energy in the arms. The evening was beautiful and it was my plan to head up the hills in the morning. Since I was in the area, why not find a local top to burn some time?



In very last light, I parked by the summit of the road that leads to Mallaig and climbed a hill, dubbed Arisaig Hill on hill-bagging.co.uk, but previously likely without a known name. The views were stunning: inland to Sgurr na Ciche and Knoydart, and out west over the sea to Eigg, Rum and the Skye Cuillin. It was getting really dark when I got back to the car, and I almost set off up another hill, Sgurr na Dubh-chreige, behiond Morar Lodge. But on the verge of getting dark, I binned this plan and headed to Mallaig instead. Nowhere could I find chips or anything cheap; just a local store or expensive restaurants. I headed off to the car park for a sleep in the car, before getting restless and heading back east.

I should have known better than to plan a large hill day for the following morning, because I woke up on the 14th completely wrecked from the Arisaig Cave session. I'd eventually climb some hills (Tom Meadhoin) in the afternoon, but it took some time to get there!

180° Panorama

Arisaig Hill