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Meall an Doirein is not a
distinguished peak as such, but is instead the high point of an area of rugged
ground between Gairloch and Poolewe. This was my first venture north of the
Great Glen and although I'd been to the north often, it was the first time I'd
ever gone with the intention of walking.
Dad and I left the self-catering mid morning and walked up the road to where the
path began. The day was excellent and the visibility was also pretty
outstanding. After passing a couple of gates, I was also surprised to find there
were several rivers to ford! That was a little harder than I was expecting, but
the path soon rose up from the river and we had
easy walking from there.
As we began gaining some height, a sharp and conical peak came into view. It's
not a significant hill of any sort, but it attracted our attention. It wasn't
Meall an Doirein as we had planned to head to, but it's summit
was our first target. The OS maps give it no name but it isn't much more than a
north top of Meall an Doirein anyway.
We turned off the path and headed up its side: we arrived at its cairned summit
soon after. Dad took some panoramas and then we set off down the other side,
heading for Meall an Doirein, which is the high point in the area. It was all
off-trail but offered easy walking. We worked a route up to Meall an Doirein with
awesome views opening up. It wasn't long before we reached it's summit. Time for
panoramas, a quick phone call and food. The views were magnificent, it was such
a positive way to see this landscape for the first time and alpine, snow covered
peaks stretched miles to the north and down to the south. At the southern
extreme, Skye's Black Cuillin was visible. Everyone should see this kind of
place once in their life, made more special for the fact that it is a place so
often blighted by bad weather, especially in April. And to think, we caught it
first time on such a magnificent day...
We headed into a small corrie beneath Meall an Doirein with intent on getting
back to the cottage. The hill wasn't high but the walk had become fairly long
already. All that was left was to walk down the rough hillside to the path which
would take us (with a couple of river-fords) back to Poolewe.
Panoramas
Looking west to east through north from Meall an
Doirein North Top
Skye peaks, inc. Black Cuillin and Trotternish
peninsula
Fisherfield Peaks, Loch Maree and Torridonian
Mountains from Meall an Doirein
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