It was the final day in the North-West Highlands so with a couple of Graham Bagging friends headed for Destitution Road, a stretch of the A832 between Dundonnell and Braemore Junction. There is off road parking for several vehicles immediately north-west of the vehicle track leading to Loch a’ Bhraoin.
Cycled down this track towards the loch and to the now fenced off area surrounding the old boat house where the track split. One led to the Fannichs while the other ran along the north shore of Loch a’ Bhraoin. This latter vehicle track, which we took, was a bit rough but eventually reached Lochivraon House and Bothy.
Left the bikes beside the stream to its east, walked round the fenced off property, and onto the vehicle track going south-west until it came close to the Abhainn Loch a’ Bhraoin. It was easily crossed as the water level was fairly low. The next section SSW was across some boggy ground and even with a bit of height gain it was still wet underfoot.
Later turned south-west climbing through heather and into the low cloud with some rain. The ground steepened then flattish and windy on the final stretch to the boulder south of the cairn which marked the highest point of the Graham, Groban.
My friends headed off to climb Beinn Bheag, while I descended steeply east then south-east, emerging from the cloud which appeared to be breaking up.
This led to the peat hags at Bealach na h-Imrich followed by a steady climb onto the north ridge of Meallan Chuaich with some low cloud floating around. It was then an easier ascent south later south-east to the slabs marking the summit of this Hump and Graham Top.
Returned along the north ridge then continued along it, rough underfoot but an easy enough descent with a few gullies to cross.
Lower down the ground was boggy and later involved crossing the Allt a’ Ghleibh as well as the Abhainn Loch a’ Bhraoin just west of the house and bothy at Lochivraon. A short walk led to the bikes where my friends were waiting. Unlike me they didn’t stop for lunch.
It was then roughly a six kilometres cycle back to the car.
- Time taken – 7 hours.
- Distance – 22.5 kilometres.
- Ascent – 880 metres.