Airds Hill

14 October 2018

 

Participants: Just me

Where: Airds Hill, 181m/594', P 158m, OS 49, NM 926 458

 

I had been at the MBA AGM and Committee meeting at Roybridge, the meeting finished early just as the sun came out after a couple of days of non-stop rain so I decided on a short diversion on the way home to climb Airds Hill, my first new Marilyn since June. I had avoided this one up to now as it was a tree covered horror, however, the forestry had cleared the lot and it was apparently not too bad even with a lot of brash lying around. I parked off the Appin road at the start of a good zigzag track up and this took me about 50% of the way up the hill. After that it was a case of following whatever logging tracks that I could find  although there were some grassy patches as well. It was wet underfoot after all the rain but the going was not too bad, I've seen much worse brash. Already the views were opening out and the atmosphere was very clear as it usually is after rain.  Looking down on Castle Stalker with the Glen Galmadale horseshoe in the background across Loch Linnhe.....

 

 

 A grassy patch as I neared the summit.....

 

 

For me, it was Castle Stalker that dominated the view, an amazing place to build a fortified house.....

 

 

There was a lot of brash lying about the summit area and it was impossible to pinpoint the highest point, it was not, however the trig which was at the western end of the summit area. Looking across the loch to the Kingairloch hills with the Glensanda super quarry on the left.....

 

 

You can see the trig in these pictures with the Isle of Lismore beyond and the hills of Mull beyond that.....

 

 As always in this sort of area, it is the seascapes and islands that draw my eye, however, Airds Hill is also a fine viewpoint for the hills to the west of Etive. Now that the forest is gone, I can recommend this hill for a short walk, better if there has been no rain of course!