Cnoc Reamhar- much effort for a little one

29 September 2013

Participants: Neil and Ben
Where: Cnoc Reamhar, 265m/870', Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 55, NR 766912

Cnoc Reamhar is one of the smallest sub-2k's that I have climbed this year but it probably took more effort than any other. There was no indication of what was to follow however when we left the car park at Crinan harbour. It was a really beautiful day, the area looking at its best.....

We followed a way-marked path which led along the shoreline then upwards through some birch trees to join a forest track. At a junction, signposted, we took the left hand branch. After a bit Cnoc Reamhar came into view.....

Just after that, a mishap occurred, my own fault. I was trying to do two things at once- walk along and read the map to see if there was any indication of a route through the massed ranks of conifers. So of course I tripped and landed full length. Ben thought this was a great game as I reorganised myself; apart from wrenched muscles or something in my arm I had got away with it. Cnoc Reamhar still seemed a long way away, and there was still no sign of the break in the forest that I knew was there.....

Eventually I came to a big cleared area to my right and the track ended. This time I stopped and sat down to look at the map. I had come way too far. So it was about turn and after about a mile I saw it, a rough track running into the trees. How I didn't spot it when I first passed it I don't know. It starts towards the bottom right in this picture.....

It turned out to be an old forestry track, probably put in when the forest was being planted and never used since. After a bit it started to run parallel to the ridge. After a few hundred yards of this, I decided that it was not going anywhere near an exit on to the hillside above so retraced my steps. Just before the track turned downhill again, I spied a possible break on my left. There was some fallen timber but above that it looked as though the break opened out a bit and headed for a notch in the ridge to the north of the summit. I decided to try it so up we went; it was not too bad going at all. Then, another obstacle. A fence, with barbed wire on top. I wasn't going to get Ben over this. Just when I was on the point of calling it a day, I found a ditch under the fence that probably contained a burn in the rainy season. There was just enough room for Ben to get through. Above, the hillside opened out and there was a view back down to the forest.....

It soon became clear why the fence was there. Cow pats! I hoped that the perpetrator's  would be well down the other side of the hill, although there was plenty evidence to show that they wandered up to the top. It was a steep wee climb on to the ridge and- hooray- there was the trig- at last!

After all the travails, it turned out to be a great wee narrow ridge with superb views, although it was a bit hazy. Here is Ben at the trig.....

A view down to the forest with the track that we had walked in clearly visible.....

A view south to Loch Sween......

And a view to the Paps of Jura.....

I didn't hang about too long, the ridge was narrow with cliffs on one side and I didn't want Ben wandering off. On the way down, I suddenly spotted a bovine and more to the point, it spotted us. I didn't wait for it to summon up it's mates. Fortunately, although showing signs of wanting to investigate, Ben reacted to the command and we dropped into the gully, over/under the fence and into the safety of the forest.

How not to climb a hill, and take the best part of five hours doing it!