This was the first hill of our trek across Scotland from coast to coast and Roy Adames had joined Graeme and myself. Heavily laden we started at the Eventon campsite, up the road outside the site for about three miles then at Redburn Farm turned off down to the left and onto a track. Quite straightforward and at Cnoc a 'Mhargadaidh where there are alternative routes we went straight on along the track. It's not true that going left or right is the same, as the book says, as the road to the right (i.e. straight on) is much broader and easier. Whatever it took us round the Cnoc and out of the forest onto moorland. A long winding track for a couple of miles slowly going uphill and then we came to a tall barred gate. Why on earth they want to lock a gate in the middle of what appears to be a public track I do not know but it wasn't going to stop us - or anyone else I suspect. As I started to climb it, bits at the bottom started to fall apart and for Graeme and Roy who followed me they were able to come through the gap. Obviously walkers, objecting to the barred gate, had kicked in some of the planks then just lightly replaced them so other walkers could get through. The track then took us down into a pleasant valley rising slowly towards the foot of Ben Wyvis. After a while the path petered out and it got difficult. Great hummocks, bog, heather, a really rough walk and very tiring, making slowly but surely towards the foot of the mountain. Up again and on towards an obvious ridge we felt would ease the passage up. Gradually we made it up onto the rounded slopes of An Socath, one of Ben Wyvis's tops. There was now a very clear and easy path to the summit which we reached shortly after.
By now the wind was blowing a howling gale and it was cold, you could easily understand why there was still a snow patch at the summit. Again the path down the other side was clear but the mist, threatening all day, had come down and it was pouring. With the gale blowing the rain was again like horizontal hailstones. Got slightly worried as the path seemed to go on along the ridge forever, but eventually turned and made its way down a nose of the mountain. When we had studied this route from the road the previous day this descent looked vertical but once you are on it, it is easy and took us down easily. At the bottom of the main ridge we had the choice of going straight down which would have led to the road about half a kilometre from Garbat. The others reckoned that if we cut across to the right, through a forest we could save time. I wasn't objecting so off we went through the field and to the forest, having worked out the route ahead. But when we got into the forest all changed and firebreaks were all around. All I could remember was that from above our route appeared to run in a straight line from the path in the field and although there was no path in the forest I insisted on following this direction. Mind you I was not at all confident I had the right route and was mightily relieved when eventually we broke out onto a path, which eventually wound its way to Garbat and the road.
