Carn Breugach, Isle of Kerrera

24 May 2016

Participants: Just me

Where: Carn Breugach, Isle of Kerrera, 189m/620', Sub-2k Marilyn, SIB, Map 49, NM 815278

 

The sunshine had returned! This is a view of Kerrera from McCaigs folly in Oban on the previous evening.....

and it was still sunny and clear in the morning.....
 

 

Time for an island trip! Looking at my records, I was amazed to find that it had been 10 years since I last visited Kerrera. Apart from work on-going to improve the slipways, nothing had changed. The ferry still ran at times that bore little relationship to the published timetable.....
 

 

 

There were Black Guillemots swimming around.....
 

 

Leaving the ferry, I set off southwards on the track that is the islands main road. There was a good view back along the Sound of Kerrera to Oban.....
 

 

I passed a small cluster of houses.....
 

 

Last time I climbed Carn Breugach, I made a direct ascent from close to the ferry. It was a poor route, very steep in places, thick bracken, barbed wire fences, and lots of ups and downs. This time, I did the sensible thing and walked about 2 miles along the track to its highest point before heading for the south ridge which was mainly short grass. This is the view of the hill from the high point of the track (the summit is at the furthest away point from here).....
 

 

The views quickly opened out, this is looking south to Scarba.....

and west to the hills of Mull.....
 

 

The trig was on a prominent knoll......

with great views to Oban.....

  

 

Ben Cruachan was easily recognisable.....
 

 

I could see the low lying Isle of Tiree on the western horizon.....
 

 

Dun da Ghaoithe on Mull.....
 

 

and Scarba again.....
 

 

Cows range freely on the island and there was plenty of evidence that they had visited the summit. Today, however, they were well down the hillside, and  in the area where I would have had to go if I had been following the route I took previously.

 

It was a summit to linger on but eventually I had to drag myself away and return the way that I had come. One more picture of the cliffs of Mull from the track.....

I do love islands.

Carn Dearg (Scammadale)

23 May 2016.

Participants: Just me.

Where: Carn Dearg (Scammadale), 438m/1436', Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 55, NM 896190

 

This hill was in an area that I hadn't visited before. I drove to the end of the public road at Bragleenbeg where there was a big parking area. It was a welcoming area, I got friendly waves from folk in houses, cars and on tractors - very refreshing. The route was straightforward, bridge across the river and follow a track past the farm to its end before taking to the hillside. It started off sunny and warm, clouded over while I was up the hill, and returned to sunshine when I got back down. The air was very clear however so the views were excellent. This is a view of Loch Scammadale from a short distance up the track.....

 

 

After climbing steeply, the track reached a flat area and stopped abruptly. However the hillside was nice and dry and after climbing over a few knolls, the summit came into view.....

 

 

I don't know where the stone for the cairn came from, there was nothing else that colour around. Here it is with Cruachan in the background.....

 

 

Scarba was prominent to the south.......

 

 

the Mull hills to the west.....

 

 

and the hills on the eastern horizon.....

 

 

I noticed that there were a number of Rights of Way signs in the glen, they would be worth exploring if you were staying in the area as you are well away from the main hillwalking area here. There were two other sub-2k's nearby but I decided to leave them for another day!

Brown Muir

16 May 2016

Participants: Just me

Where: Brown Muir, 339m/1112', Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 28, NJ 258 549

 

A contrasting hill to the previous day, Brown Muir as its name suggests is an area of upland moorland and is crowned by a radio mast. This is it from the west.....

 

I parked at the end of the public road near Teindland from where a track goes all the way to the top and at an easy angle. I started off with Ben but soon arrived at a field full of sheep guarded by a locked gate with no obvious way past so decided to take him back to the car; I took him for another run about at Rothiemurchus on the way home. Past the field I was out on the open moor with the mast in view ahead.....

 

Spring was definitely well advanced- I saw Curlew, Stonechat, Swallow, a pair of Red Grouse and heard a Cuckoo. The trig may or may not be the highest point, the ground looked a bit higher about 50 yards further on but from there the trig looked higher. Anyway, the trig had a metal cover, inside of which was a box containing several visitor notebooks. I duly entered my name with the confession that I was climbing Marilyns.....

 

 

 

Like all the hills in this part of the country, the views were wide. This is looking over Elgin.....

 

 

and this is looking east to the Bin of Cullen and The Knock......

 

 

Not as grand as the west but very pleasant country nonetheless.

Hill of the Wangie

15 May 2016

Participants: Neil and Ben

Where: Hill of the Wangie, 319m/1047', Map 28, NJ 137 538

 

This hill has a certain notoriety in Marilyn bagging circles. Tales abound of folk thrashing through dense conifers in search of the illusive trig. So, before venturing forth, I busied myself on the internet searching for advice as to the best route. This is a view of the hill from the east.....

 

 

For the benefit of anyone reading this who might be tempted, this was my route. I parked at the end of a track at NJ 13669 53733 on the south side of the hill. I followed the track up hill to a junction with another track, turned on to this and after 100m left it to climb up a mountain bike trail. What a terrifying trail; it was bad enough walking it far less cycling. I wouldn't have wanted to meet a cyclist coming the other way! This trail climbed through new plantations, crossed another forestry track and continued upwards into the old part of the forest. I knew that the MB trail emerged into an old forest ride and that the trig was just off that. However, I had assumed that the ride continued in the same direction as I had been going- south/north. I ended up searching through this.....

 

 

After about 10 minutes, I did the sensible thing and paused to think. I went back to the top of the MB trail and saw that the ride in fact also ran east/west and worked out that the trig must be off that. About 100m along- eureka......

 

 

It was a very solid looking trig without any of the usual chips, markings etc. Presumably it gets very few visitors......

 

 

 

Mission accomplished, I retraced my steps. There was a reasonable view south-east to Ben Rinnes from the top of the new plantings.....

 

 

Meall a'Bhainne, a magnificent viewpoint

11 May 2016

Participants: Just me

Where: Meall a'Bhainne, 559m/1,835', Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 40, NM 901785

 

Meall a' Bhainne was on my list of most wanted hills but the way I felt after my exertions on Doire Ban, I wondered if I had the strength left to climb it this trip. Especially as it was another scorching day although the wind seemed to have eased. Anyway, I drove along to the car park at Callop, got my boots on and started off along the track, taking it nice and slow. The estate have put up a number of welcoming signs and obviously take their access responsibilities seriously. Good to see. This is todays hill (the middle one). It is a bit steeper than it looks in this photo.....

 

 

I followed the track until a few hundred yards past the cottage before taking to the hillside.....

 

It was mostly grassy but a bit rough in its lower reaches with some tufts and it seemed to be a long walk before I really started to make some height. I was heading for the obvious notch in the ridge.....

 

I was careful today to stop often for a sip of water. These stops provided the opportunity to take some photos. To the east, Loch Eil with the Nevis group distant.....

 

Some well known Munros and Corbetts were well seen the other side of the Mallaig road; Streap behind Beinn an Tuim, Braigh nan Uamhachan, Gulvain.....

 

The notch in the ridge was not the summit; it was about 1/2 mile further on.....

 

And it provided the view that made me put Meall a'Bhainn on my wanted list.

Sgorr Ghiubhsachain, Loch Shiel, and Beinn Odhar Bheag.....

Beinn Odhar Bheag across Loch Shiel.....

 

In the other direction, Glenfinnan village and the Harry Potter viaduct with the hills of the Corryhully horseshoe beyond.....

 

A zoom of the viaduct.....

 

What a magnificent perch! If you're going to climb this one, leave it for a good day. Although I was going very slowly, I was surprised to see when I got back to the car that it had only taken me 4 hours 30 minutes return.

Roasted and Pummelled on Doire Ban

10 May 2016

Participants: Just me

Where: Doire Ban, 566m/1,857', Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 41, NN 090643

It looks so tranquil, doesn't it? Doire Ban from Lochan Lunn Da Bhra, south of Fort William and tucked in at the west end of the Mamores.....

I had left home early because the forecast was for sunshine and heat and I wanted to get started before the hottest part of the day. The route was obvious and straightforward, park a few hundred metres short of the loch, walk down to a bridge that carries the road further up the glen and take a track on the left. There was one stream to cross but the water was low and the stepping stones good. I passed a wee hut and then it was on to rough, mainly grassy slopes. This is looking back to the start, the top of Ben Nevis just appearing......

 

another view of the loch.....

and a picture of the Graham, Beinn na Gucaig above the loch. I climbed it a few years back from the same starting point.....
 

It was turning into a funny sort of day weather-wise. Although the sun was beating down out of an almost clear blue sky, the wind was quite strong. It wasn't a constant wind though; it would be reasonably calm one minute and then a gust would almost blow me off my feet. The higher that I got the more tortuous my progress became. It was like a furnace when the wind dropped. Then I would suddenly be blown to a stop. I found a partly sheltered area where I could take a couple of photographs. Beinn na Gucaig again.....

 

 

and Mullach nan Coirean, the westernmost Munro in the Mamores.....

  

As I got higher, the wind stopped being intermittent. Now it was just a steady blast. I was glad that I wasn't going any higher than 566m. It must have been fun on narrow ridges. The cairn turned out to be just a small heap of stones, certainly not enough to provide shelter. The problem was holding my phone steady enough to get a photograph. I am amazed at how well they turned out. Beinn a'Bheithir in the background.....

 

 

The Glencoe hills in the background.....
 

 

Needless to say, I quickly turned tail and headed down. It was still reasonably tranquil down at the car, here is a view of the Lochan and Beinn na Gucaig.....

I was rather tired; but it had been enjoyable, in a masochistic sort of way.