Sron Smeur

25 June 2012

Participants - Neil and Ben
Where - Sron Smeur, 511m/ 1,676', Sub- 2k Marilyn, Map 42, NN 452602

Both on the map and on the ground, Sron Smeur looks insignificant, a gentle rise in the general moorland. But its situation, above Rannoch station and on the eastern fringes of Rannoch Moor, was enough to persuade me that it should reap great rewards for little effort and was therefore a Marilyn that I should add to my list. I parked at the start of the track that goes to Corrour, just over a mile before arriving at the end of the road at Rannoch station. The hill was just visible from here and I suppose that it might have been possible to make a direct approach to it across the moor.....

but I decided to take the easy option and follow the Right of Way for just over a mile and ascend the hill via its western top, Meall na Mucarath.....

The views very quickly opened out, this is from the track looking across part of the moor to Beinn a'Chreachain and Beinn Achaladair....

Shortly after I took that photo the morning train to Fort William chuntered by.....

Gaining height, I could see back across the moor to Loch Laidon with the Black Mount Munros forming the background.....

The summer hill-walkers friend, the wind, was almost completely absent. So there were midges about, and flies, and clegs, but fortunately not enough to make things unpleasant. There was a good view of the long south ridge of the Munro, Carn Dearg from Meall na Mucarach......

and the actual top of Sron Smeur came into view for the first time, across an area of peat hags, which Ben enjoyed immensely, plenty mud to immerse himself in. Fortunately, there were also lots of clear water pools about which he also enjoys lying in so he managed to wash the mud off again.....

There was no cairn- maybe because this hill receives few visitors?  However, the highest point was obvious and there was a great view east to Loch Rannoch and Schiehallion.....

Beinn Pharlagain with its Corbett summit Meall na Meoig is immediately to the north.....

and by walking a few yards in its direction I was also able to see down to the glen that separates them and which contains Lochan Sron Smeur.....

Looking further north-east, I could see the deep trench that contains Loch Ericht with Ben Alder and Beinn Bheoil towering above it.....

and to the west, the panorama was completed by the Blackwater Reservoir with the Glencoe hills beyond.....

I sat about the summit for a while before the midges got too much to bear. We almost bumped into a large herd of deer on the way down; fortunately, Ben didn't spot them, he was too busy sniffing interesting smells in the heather. Back on the track, I was looking across Loch Eigheach to the Munro of Meall Buidhe at the head of Glen Lyon.....

and of course no drive along Loch Rannoch would be complete without stopping to take a photo of the loch and Schiehallion.....

So an insignificant little bump had provided a memorable day out; highly recommended.