Participants - Neil and Ben
Where - Dun Coillich, 572m/1,877', Sub-2,000' Marilyn, Map 52, NN 762537
Although the cloud was well down on the Campsies when I left the house, MWIS was promising that it would lift as the day went on. I took the A9 and then cut across to Aberfeldy, the tops were still shrouded but lo and behold, as I drove along the Tay valley, Schiehallion appeared with only its higher reaches still capped. It looked like it was going to be a good day after all! Dun Coillich was a new Marilyn for me and as it sits in the shadow of Schiehallion I reckoned that it must be a good viewpoint for it. This is a view of Dun Coillich from Glengoulandie- taken on the way back when the cloud had completely cleared and the weather was much brighter.....
The few reports that I had read about this hill suggested an approach from the B846. I had a look at the approach from the Dun Coillich Community Woodland car park but it looked as though there were a number of fences to get over which might have posed problems for Ben so I carried on. An alternative approach was from White Bridge but construction traffic was everywhere and it looked as though the parking area was being used as a turning area for big vehicles to get in to one of the new tracks that had been built on the east side of the road. I presume that all this is for the Beauly- Denny power line; there were new roads everywhere that I hope will be removed once the pylons have been erected. So I decided to carry on again and go round to the north side of the hill and have a look at the approach from the Braes of Foss car park- the start of the track up Schiehallion. My objective looked a bit further away from here.....
The only possible problem was getting through the deer fence that separated the JMT land from the Community Woodland area but shortly after leaving the forest and almost at the point where the Schiehallion path started to climb I spied a gate which had pedestrian access. The only way I can describe the going is "rough". The community website says that all the sheep and deer have been removed from the area so there were no tracks of any description to follow. It looked as though it had been the intention to plant trees on this side of the hill as I came across a number of holes in the heather- however there was no sign of any saplings and the holes just served as booby traps. Thank goodness for trekking poles, saved me from falling into one! It got a bit easier as I got higher. Schiehallion dominated the view.....
My route led directly to the western of the two tops where the highest point was marked by a few stones.....
There was another top a few hundred yards away with a more substantial cairn which according to the map is the true summit. However there is not much between them so it's worth doing both......
Here are a couple of other views from the summit. This is looking over Loch Kinardochy towards a distant Beinn a'Ghlo.....
and due east to the Corbett, Meall Tairneachan.....
It seemed to be much easier going down than coming up. I found that the grassy areas were very wet- my boots are now well used and my feet were soon soaking- and it was better to stick to the heather. Low down, we raised a snipe. This is looking back to the car park (in the gap between the trees) from about the half way point.....
Despite the rough going, I enjoyed this walk. The bigger hills are often best viewed from something smaller and this was definitely the case today. I drove home by Aberfeldy and Crieff stopping to look at the Wade bridge in Aberfeldy.....
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