Participants - Just me
Where - Beinn Ghlas (Glen Lonan), 515m/1,690', Sub-2K Marilyn, Map 49, NM 957259
I didn't really have anything in mind for today when I set off from home apart from the fact that I wanted to do a Marilyn that was new for me and was more or less on my way home. Beinn Ghlas wasn't really on my radar until I had a good look at the map; however it seemed to have a track for a bit of the way so that was what I chose. It turned out to be another great wee hill!
The sun was again splitting the sky as I drove the short distance to Taynuilt and turned down Glen Lonan. This is a lovely and quiet little glen and a good alternative route to Oban if you're not in a hurry. The track that I was looking for started near Duntanachan at a wide flat area of grass. The track went much further than was marked on the map and ended around the 400m contour at this phone mast.....
You couldn't really miss the mast as it was perched on a prominent knoll and was visible from the glen point and again at various places on the track up. It sort of spoils the view of Ben Cruachan to the east though.....
It is definitely a better view without it!.....
The ground rose more steeply ahead.....
and when I got to the top of those slopes there were more ahead.....
However the cairn at the summit was now in view. This area might be a bit wet underfoot in summer but today the ground was still frozen so it was easy walking. More grassy slopes brought me to the cairn with a view of Mull to the west. Ben More is the hill with the snow on it.....
Although it felt like spring in the glen, it was still winter up here. I didn't fancy a dip in this lochan!.....
It was certainly a grand viewpoint (if you avoided the view of the wind farms to the south). I was looking straight up Loch Etive to the hills at its head- Bidean nam Bian, the two Buachaille's, Beinn Starav, and I guess Stob Coire an Albanaich to the right.....
Ben Cruachan dominated the view however (zoomed).....
and it was in my sight all of the way back down. Close to the car, I took this other pic of it.....
I also took this pic of Deadh Comraidh, another sub-2k on the other side of the glen; I've still to do this one so a good excuse to come back to this area.....
I can certainly recommend Beinn Ghlas for a fine, short walk. It took me 3 hours and 45 minutes there and back.
4 comments:
I used to do a lot of walking around Taynuilt Neil. Smashing unfrequented area. Glen Nant is superb when the primroses are out around May and there is a lovely trackless wild walk up the river gorge to Loch Nant and the dam.
Lovely photos.
It really is a quiet area Bob. I was in that area last year as well when I climbed Cruach na Seilcheig. The sub-2k's take you off the beaten track!
Thanks Linda. Some of these smaller hills are great viewpoints because you're actually looking at the higher hills, not standing on them.
This is cool!
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