KNOYDART BOAT & HIKE DAYTRIP

Summits today:
LUINNE BHEINN - Munro 939m
LUINNE BHEINN EAST TOP - Munro Top 936m
SGURR A‘ CHOIRE-BHEITHE - Corbett 913m

Left car by Arnisdale concrete jetty
Walk start/finish Barisdale estate jetty
Hike 1120h + Finish 1810h = 6h50, 18.9km, 1370m ascent

I got whizzed by boat in and out of beautiful but inaccessible Knoydart by the Arnisdale boatman (Peter Fletcher tel 01599 235007). Peter’s excellent ad hoc charter boat service (£70 return for up to maybe 6 people) cuts out the standard Kinlochhourn approach trek, making today’s raid possible.

Route: Easy stalkers track up to the Mam Barisdale pass, then a good straight path along a line of old rusting fence posts onto Luinne Bheinns SW flank gaining height steadily. I then turned left off the path up steeper slopes and hereafter the terrain roughened into generally pathless steep grass, with occasional rocky outcrops needing skirting, all the way until back close to sea level. Gained the broad W ridge and followed it to the Luinne Bheinn cairn. Amazing crystal clear 360 degree summit panorama of the other Knoydart peaks, the small isles, Skye Cuillin, Ben Nevis etc. After the E top I descended a long broad ridge to Mam Unndalain. There is a good easy path going back to the start point if you don’t fancy tackling the Corbett, Sgurr a’ Choire Bheithe, which misses Munro status by only 1m.