Cruach nam Fearna

3 April 2013

Participants - Just Neil
Where - Cruach nam Fearna, 332m/1,089', Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 55, NM 823151

According to the forecasters, a big high pressure area was situated over the country bringing fine but cold weather. The reports on the walking websites of Easter weekend activities were full of tales of great visibility so I decided that I had better get out again while it lasted. The west coast was supposed to fare best and the area around Oban had apparently missed the recent snowfalls so that's where I went. I had seen Cruach nam Fearna to the north of Loch Melfort described as "a wee gem" and on that basis it was on my list of hills to do. Although the map shows it as being covered by trees the top and most of the ascent route is in fact clear. This is the view of it that I got when I reached the loch side.....

A broad track started at a gate just past Ardanstur. There was just space to park the car. The track started off steeply towards some crags.....

It then contoured gently across the hillside below the crags. Looking back as I gained height I could see the Paps of Jura in the distance.....

After about a mile the track swung to the left and entered some forestry at another gate. From here I could see the trig on the top of the hill.....

After a few hundred yards walking in the trees, I reached a clearing where a steep grassy gully headed up the hill. This brought me out at the trig. It certainly was an impressive viewpoint. Ben Cruachan was prominent to the east; it was to be the dominant hill of the trip.....

This is the view to Mull; the forest was much thicker on this side- no way up through that.....

I could see Jura and to it's north, Scarba.....

 

The wind that had blown for seemingly weeks now was much less strong today and it actually felt warm. I took advantage and sat about at the top for a while. Then it was back down to the track and instead of going back the way I had come, I decided to carry on through the forest. Although there were no views, it was quite pleasant. I met a couple coming the other way who remarked at how unusual it was to meet someone else on these trails. Eventually the track left the forest at Loch An Coire.....

Not far beyond the loch, and just where the track started to descend steeply, I got another view of Jura and Scarba.....

Shortly after, the track joined up with my outward route and I was back at the car 2 hours and 20 minutes after starting out. It had been a most enjoyable walk- the sub-2k's had turned up trumps again!

I was staying at Connel for the night and on the way there I played tourist crossing the Bridge over the Atlantic to the Island of Seil, one of the "slate islands". The bridge spans the tidal waters at Clachan Sound and was built between 1792 and 1793 at a cost of £450 (!).....

There is quite an industrial history to the island and its neighbours, well worth the short detour. I must have a look at some of the other wee islands around here sometime. There wasn't time to do that today though so after looking at some of the industrial heritage stuff in the village of Ellenabeich, I just went down to the shore for this view of some of the Mull hills.....