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Where Eagles Dare with Joe Barnes

03.07.2020
  Kinlochleven has long been one of Scotland’s well-known off-piste riding spots thanks to the Scottish Enduro Series, the Dudes Enduro and the Tour de Ben Nevis, but there’s far more than retracing your steps without the tape in this quiet corner of Lochaber.

Anyone that’s suffered the long slog past Mamore Lodge, the former royal hunting lodge, to the Loch Eilde Path will know fine well the view is worth the long and steady, but often steep climb is well worth the effort. The view west along Loch Leven is easily one of the best, unless it simply allows you to see the squall rolling in off the Atlantic.

On this occasion, the only thing coming from the sea was a warm, sticky heat that was going to make climbing a vertical kilometre something of a sweaty affair. Thankfully, the ground is mercifully dry, so the going is good once we make our way off the Loch Eilde access track, and start picking our way up the eastern flank of Sgor Eilde Beag.

Sgurr Eilde Mor was picked out from a very long list of potential mountains after a trawl through the maps with local hero Joe Barnes. Neither of us can recall why we settled on this peak but it’s Scots name soon becomes apparent as we start to climb past the falls and the hill itself hoves into view. ‘The Big Peak of the Hind’ shows us how it got it’s name by towering into the heavens while red deer hinds tend to their fawns on the foot of this mighty Munro.

Lunch is despatched on the shores of the lochan at a cool 800m above the sea, and we get the first of a decent breeze whipping about the mountains to help cool the brow. Refuelled and rested, it’s not long before we make our way up and across the causeway, leaving the well-built stalker’s path behind to make our way up the ever steepening northern flank of Sgurr Eilde Mor.

The well-trodden path soon starts to get lost in the scree that starts of white quartzite boulders before giving way to a silvery schist, both of which sting the eyes as the sun reaches its peak. Fossils of the ancient sea floor can be found in the rock here but we’ve to pay full attention to the ground shifting beneath us and the wind trying to unsteady us as we make the final push to the summit ridge. As we top out, the ridge here is sheer on all sides. A wrong move here and you’d be eagle food all too quickly. We don’t linger, opting to move higher to the summit where the ridge broadens and every peak in Scotland can be seen 1,010m (3,314ft) vantage point.

We opt to refuel again before dropping into the sheer scree we hiked up not some thirty minutes ago. The drop in off the ridge makes my bottom wobble just a touch and following Joe down this unpredictable surface is a masterclass in bike handling. I am happy to just keep my feet on the pedals and try not to let the front dig in, Joe is attacking the trail ahead, stone spraying from his rear wheel.

So steep is the northern flank of this mighty mountain that we’re back at the lochan in no time. Amazed at how it quickly we’ve retraced our steps, but happy in the knowledge that we’ve still over 800m of vertical to lose, the vast majority of which is singletrack. So far during the ride, and even in the build up, I had been hoping to see some of Scotland’s rarer birds of prey. We’d seen not even a sniff of wildlife since we left the hinds behind on the way up, but as we made our way across the flat corrie floor, passing our lunch spot, Joe breaks the silence with “big bird, big bird!” I strain my eyes to see where Joe is pointing, and almost on cue, the unmistakable silhouette of a Golden Eagle rises beyond Sgurr Eilde Mor’s easterly ridge. The sky has darkened with the threat of incoming rain, but it’s the perfect background to pick out this massive bird.

Wary of how long we’ve been on the hill for, we crack on across the corrie, only to see the first bird joined by two more. What a treat. A triumvirate of Golden Eagles who look to be either fighting or passing food, either way, the airborne acrobatics of this massive beasts is as impressive to watch as Joe rapidly disappearing off down a hill in front of you.

Quartzite slabs offer plenty of traction on the gallop to the lochside once more, and by now, several hours of keeping pace with Joe is taking its toll. With the first spots of rain now landing, we take the pipe track out towards Blackwater dam, before picking up the direct route to link up the with Ciaran Path.

We’re already eyeballing a return journey to this end of the Mamores. Binnein Mor is inside the top 30 tallest Munros so would be a fine summit to tick off. I’m happy bagging Munro #50 on the bike, and Joe a new mountain for him too. With almost half a day in the saddle, both of us have our minds on chips as we head in opposite directions to head home.


Words & Pictures: Pete Scullion
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