Day 344: North Morar

Neil Ansell explored North Morar in The Last Wilderness, wandering where his curiosity took him. I want to do something similar. A trail runs north from Bracorina on the shore of Loch Morar across the hills to Stoul on Loch Nevis. A second trail leads from Mallaig east to Loch Eireagoraidh. I’m hoping to link them over the hilltops.

To make the most of the daylight hours, I take the train one stop to Morar, being allowed to travel free once again. A quiet road runs along the side of Loch Morar, impressive despite the grey clouds.

Neil Ansell wrote of wooded islands in the loch that contain small lochans with their own tiny islands, nested like Russian dolls.

The road passes through several smallholdings, ramshackled at the end. A dead sheep lies in a yard. Dogs howl. I leave the road, climbing north on the path into the hills.

After some time, I reach the stepping stones across Lochan Stole.

The trail traverses the hillside on the far side. We part company before it begins the descent to Loch Nevis. Clambering up a steep slope to the top of the hill, the views down the loch to Knoydart are spectacular. Sourlies Bothy lies at the end of the loch, one of the overnight stays planned for my next trip.

A grassy gully avoids scrambling down rocky outcrops. The next climb lies ahead.

Looking back, I chose the right line to descend, made easier by the clear weather.

A golden eagle soars high above the next summit. It does not have the barn door wings of a sea eagle and looks too big for a buzzard, but I may be wrong. It’s never easy when all you can see is a silhouette. It’s too high for a photo, so I make do with another dramatic view across Loch Nevis.

Finally, Loch Eireagoraidh appears at the far end of a valley. The slopes on either side look steep, running down to the water. Will I be able to walk along the edge? I checked the contours when planning the hike, but perhaps I should have thought harder about why the trail ends at the start of the loch. It will be dark soon, so turning back is not an option. Checking the map, it should be possible to climb over the hill on the right if forced, but I don’t relish that in the dark. Left side or right side? I go right as the slope appears steeper on the left. If I make the wrong choice, it’s a long way back to the other side.

It’s a rough walk down to the water’s edge, but once there, it’s clear that both sides are passable without resorting to a swim.

Reaching the far end of the loch, the second trail begins. It’s late afternoon, and this is my first stop to relax over coffee and chocolate. I can manage the rest of the walk with my headtorch if necessary.

Despite being marked as a path, it’s not as easy as I’d hoped, full of bogs and faint trails, so I speed up, racing against nightfall.

Finally, I reach a hard-surfaced path which runs down through the hills to the welcoming harbour lights of the village.

An exhilarating day, fuelled by the uncertainty. The weather continues to be kind, and I’m grateful for these days.

Date of walk: Sunday 18 January 2026.

Walk distance: 11 miles.

Total distance: 5,545 miles.