Looking West from the top of An Stac out towards Eigg and Rum

Less than 2 hours into the TGO Challenge I was sat catching my breath at the top of An Stac (814 m), gazing westwards over Loch Ailort towards the islands of Eigg and Rum rising from a perfectly blue sea. It was one of those views which makes you smile from within, a view you don’t want to turn your back on for fear it will fade from memory.

If there is a perfect start to a Coast to Coast backpack, this was a close as I’ve ever experienced. Thinking about it now I only wish I’d had more time just to sit awhile and take it in. But there were another 5 corbetts ahead of me on that first day, and so with reluctance I turned my attention east and started the steep descent ahead of the next. Continue reading →