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Achfary, Meall Horn, Scotland
 [20.0 km]  Thu 28 Jun 2018
Lat/Long: 58.317358, -04.909848
OS Grid ref: NC 29653 40218
The sky continued clear through the night and cooled down to allow me to get a good night's sleep. I enjoyed an early breakfast but then had a major problem when I couldn't start the car due to a flat battery. Yesterday I charge my power banks from the cigarette socket and was surprised that it had drained the battery. I got my jump leads connected but had to wait over an hour before a van passed and I was able to get some power to start the car. I drove up the road a mile or so and stopped by the well to collect some water.
The well south of Durness
It has a memorial plaque reading: 1883 As a mark of gratitude and respect to the inhabitants of Durness and a Eddrachillis for the hospitality while projecting this road. This inscription is placed over this well by their humble servant Peter Lawson, surveyor.
Crag Hill and Ennerdale view

Loch Stack to Arkle

Loch Stack to Arkle and boat
The weather was clear and warming up as I continued my drive to Laxford Bridge. I turned left and continued to Loch Stack where I parked the car and set off on my planned walk for the day. There is a small parking area just off the A838 which is a single track road. A private road runs off it and I followed this towards the buildings of Airdachuilinn. Before the bridge were a couple of cars parked and just over the bridge two tents pitched in the grass.
Lone bothy
The morning sun was hitting them and it must have been unbearably hot inside. I continued along the tarmac private road to Airdachuilinn where there is a very nice occupied house. The track continues to the north east but the tarmac had finished. Over a bridge is the old Bothy at Lone. It was locked and looked like it was used for shooting parties. The track splits here and I took the left branch and further on passed between two large boulders then into a forested area to follow the track steeply upwards and up Glenn Horn.
Split boulder
Although the track is fairly rough it can be negotiated by Land Rovers. My main problem now was coping with the considerable number of horse flies. I was being continually bitten and though I am not allergic they are still very painful. The track seemed quite relentless and after two miles I could see Bealach Horn up ahead but my route was to climb Meall horn which I could see up to my right. Before the top of the pass I took a right turn across deep peat hags which can be a problem in the wet but today they were dry and easy to cross.
The route I was following headed straight up the west side of the mountain but I decided to take a more northerly route to reach the summit of Creagan Meall Horn. It gave me better views though it was a longer way round. The climb was steady over a mix of short grass and rocky outcrops which didn't present any problems. At the Spur summit I turn right to walk down the saddle and then up to Meall Horn summit which was a large cairn at 777 m. The views had opened up with a clear sky but slightly hazy distant views.
Meall Horn
I could see down to the Loch below Arkle and noticed two tents. In the sun and heat the tents would be too hot to be in. After enjoying the views I began my descent to the south down a steady grass bank which presented no problems and was quite enjoyable as I could see the spur of Creachan Thormaid ahead and that was my route.
Creachan Thormaid to Ben Stack
 Down to a short saddle there was an easy climb up to the spur which was quite enjoyable to walk across and gain distance with easy walking. At the far edge I descended steeply down the grass bank and a couple of rocky outcrops to some deep peat hags. In the dry weather these weren't a problem and I headed for some more rocky outcrops ahead. I reached these and walked south to descend across grass to pick up an old track where I turned right to continue my descent towards loan. It was steep at first but then the gradient eased and I met the track that I'd followed earlier in the day. The temperature had now reached 28 degrees C and the horseflies were still around. The road from Lone back to Airdachuilinn and my car was less than two miles but felt longer in the heat.