Druim an Scriodain - 1

Druim an Scriodain, a long ridge that runs north-south between the Achateny and the Swordle valleys, was one of the high points of West Ardnamurchan that we hadn't explored, so we set out to climb it on a cool April morning. We left our car by the bridge across the Achateny Water and walked up the fence that separates Branault township from the rough grazing.

April is now one of the best months for hill walking: for two years now we've had a run of good weather during the month, though the north wind that brings it is cold, and the going underfoot is helped by the fact that the bracken hasn't yet come through.

As we climbed across a first ridge, we looked down on the small township of Branault, and across the Minch to the Isle of Eigg.
At the top of the township's land there was a wall, called a 'head dyke', which separated the good, arable land from the rough 'common' grazing. The wall here would have been impressive in its time, but it is steadily eroding away, and is replaced along part of its route by a barbed wire fence - which, fortunately, has a small gate in it. In this picture, Ben Hiant is seen in the distance.

Near the hill called Tom na Dalach (in the background) is a sheepfold, marked on the 1:25,000 OS map, which is still in a good state of repair. By this time the walking was fairly hard going, through thick heather, and would have been far worse if we'd had recent rain.

This picture shows the summit of Druim an Scriodain, and the strong scarp feature on its eastern side. There's a wide valley below which leads down to Swordle Bay.

Druim in Gaelic means a ridge, but the translation of Scriodain, as spelt by the Ordnance Survey, is a bit of a mystery. Donald MacDiarmid, in his booklet 'Ardnamurchan Place Names', has a Druim an Sgriothail as meaning the ridge of gravel - which, from the scree that has slipped down the scarp slope, would be appropriate, and Moira Fisher says that Scriodain should be Sgriodan, making the meaning 'a stony ravine', 'the track of a mountain torrent', or a place where there are lots of stones on the side of a mountain.

The ridge is well worth the effort for the views further east. This picture shows the tiny township of Ockle, population 1, and, in the distance, the hills of Moidart. Three of the houses visible are available for rent from Ockle Holidays, website here.

The walk is on Ardnamurchan Estate land.