Arkle attack!

Sunshine and showers today in the far north-west of Scotland. Unfortunately for us, the shower that came through shortly before midday coincided with our final approach to the first summit of Arkle (our mountain climb). 

The previous few hours had been perfect, slightly overcast with breaks of blue sky. A t-shirt and a thin fleece day. I was with the ‘Red Arrows’ again today and we skipped our way up a small burn that tumbles over little rocky steps and ledges taking us just over halfway up the mountain. From then we veered off with the pupils choosing their own route over easy angled rocky slabs, scree and grassy terraces towards the first summit.

It was then that the cloud came in, followed by a shower and strengthening wind. All the teams met at the top of a dry stream bed that gives good shelter, just below the summit plateau and the teams had a bite to eat inside their group shelter bags.

We nipped across the plateau to the summit cairn in thick fog and descended the ridge beyond. The second summit, with its narrow ridge, wasn’t a viable option in the weather so we continued down our usual descent route and out of the cloud, where it all seems very civilised, the sun even coming out.

When we got back to the Adventure School it was warm enough for a swim in the sea loch before supper of mango chicken curry and apple crumble.

This evening we took to the sea again, this time in the assault boats. A short journey across the sea loch to Ardmore to meet Rebecca’s father, John Ridgway, and see his 1966 Atlantic rowing boat.

Sea kayaking and ‘Search to Survive’ (a wilderness orienteering course) tomorrow!