PIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN

The day before had been a rest day. We’d visited Lochinver, and as one must when visiting Lochinver, we went by the pie shop. It should be noted that these pies have gained something of a reputation. As the headline of one framed newspaper cutting that hung on the wall, suggested, the visiting journalist had ‘Pied and Gone to Heaven’. 

We deserved the rest day it must be said, and the pies. We had after all, just paddled around Cape Wrath. And if that was not enough, I had run from Durness to Scourie to collect the car. All 26 miles of it. On the road. I am not a road runner.

And so, I was keen to get back on the hills. Quinag, with its three corbetts which is often cited as the finest hill walk in Scotland, seemed fitting. I would run though, rather than walk. I had another pie waiting in the car and was loathe to leave it for too long.

Putting a little effort in, I made short work of the climb to the southern end of the ridge and the first summit, Spidean Coinich. From there the ridge is a delight to run. And it gets better the further you go.

Running the length of the ridge to Sail Gorm, I paused a while, and then turned to retrace my steps before branching off to take in the highest of Quinag’s three summits, Sail Gharbh. A steep, fast descent followed and two hours after leaving the car, I was rewarded with a rhubarb and strawberry pie. Heaven or not, it doesn’t get much better.