Participants - Neil and Ben
Where - Dun Leacainn, 360m/1,181', Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 55, NN 035016
There have been a few reports for this hill on the Scottish Hills site recently which made it easy for me- thanks folks! The forecast had been for very cold conditions overnight with a danger of ice on the roads but in fact the roads were dry and the temperature up on the day before as we headed for Inverary. I couldn't resist stopping to take the classic view of the town as we approached.....
I carried on to the Folk Museum at Auchindrain and parked in a lay-by a couple of hundred yards further on opposite the start of the track that led to the hill.....
There isn't any choice of route if you want to avoid the blanket conifers that more or less surround the hill; it's a case of following the track for about a mile to just after it's high point where a rough path branches off to the left and traverses along the north slopes. Without this path the going would be a nightmare; this area has been felled. Enough said! I followed the path to just past the standing forest to my right to where I could see to the top of the hill. There were a few yards of brash covered ground to cover before I reached the grassy slopes but it wasn't bad going at all. However, new trees have been planted here so it might not be so easy in a few years time. It wouldn't have cost the forestry folk much to have made a path through this area so that walkers could have a permanent access to the hill.
The grass mostly gave way to heather higher up. I found this bit steep after my absence from the hills and needed a few stops. The compensation was that the view across the loch to the Arrochar hills was starting to open up.....
I aimed for the col between the two tops. Reaching the ridge we were immediately faced with this view down Loch Fyne....wow......
The two tops were only a few hundred yards apart and the unadorned west top is apparently the summit by about 1 metre. The east top.....
was by far the better viewpoint and had a trig, a wooden bench and a flag that had seen better days.
Ben sat still long enough to have his picture taken; that is him up to 90 hills now.....
The weather was almost spring like so I made use of the bench while I had my cups of chocolate and between taking pics of the hills on the other side of Loch Fyne.....
Some old favourites amongst the snow covered peaks in the distance; Ben Lui, Beinn an Lochain and so on. We eventually dragged ourselves away and retraced our steps to the path.....
and the track to the car and I completed a satisfying day with a wander around Inverary on the way home (plus a coffee and cake from one of the many cafes in the town).
2 comments:
Brought back memories Neil. When I was in my 20/30's I occasionally used to take my parents for a run in the car. They loved Inveraray. I wasn't into Marilyns then so I used to leave the car there for them to have their flask of tea and DIY sandwiches in while I went for a walk around the surrounding hills. You're right those forestry plantations were a nightmare to travel through. Only good walk I could find was through the graveyard and up an abandoned path to the folly above the town.
Wish I'd known about Marilyns then.
One of the reasons that I like doing the Marilyn's Bob is that most do not take too long and there is time to have a look at the surrounding countryside as well. Inverary is a nice wee town, outwith the main tourist season anyway!
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