Loch Arkaig, Achnacarry, Lochaber, Scotland

Loch Arkaig, Achnacarry, Lochaber, Scotland

Crossing from one side of the Great Glen to the other, we find ourselves on the threshold of yet more wild country: Knoydart; there is a path into that remote and unspoilt wilderness from the western shore of Loch Arkaig. However, access to the loch is from the east. That means that you need to go the length of the loch to get to the path, and the loch is long and narrow. All in all, you are talking several days backpacking here since a mountain bike is not an option unless you either take it with you or you are undertaking a return trip, an unlikely option. Speaking of bicycles, using one would be a serious proposition on a return to these parts: you are a not inconsiderable way away from habitations such as Spean Bridge and Fort William, where accommodation is more plentiful. My last journey here was in July 2004 when it was a diversion on a walk from Spean Bridge to Fort William, taking in both the Great Glen Way and the Caledonian Canal. A return is tempting.

See more photos from this album (Lochaber)