Sgiath a Chaise

A short excursion. It seems my trips out are always quick getaways these days and I never get to fully enjoy the sojourns. I was up and down in 3 hours and back in Glasgow by 1245. This was a fab wee hill, which offered lovely views over to higher peaks (my iPhone didn't do it any justice). The wall of Beinn Each linking the two neighbouring Munros towered above and the stags roared their disapproval of my appearance. Strangely enough, there was no cairn that I could find but simply an iron post with a rudimentary cross made of wood. The descent back off was quite tricky as the ground was steep but once back on the track in Glen Ample, it was a simple and pleasant meander back to the car just as others were setting out.

Beinn an Eoin

To complete my North-West holiday, I had saved a very wild trip until last. I planned to leave the car in Achiltibuie and head over the hills before working my way round to tackle this Graham. On a clear day, I would doubt there are better vistas than the alien landscape of Inverpolly. After experiencing what I did this day in September, I would have to put this walk in my top 2 of all time, if not my most favourite trek. It was that good. As I walked up on An t-Sail, I was struck by views North over to Stac Pollaidh, Suilven, Cul Mor and Cul Beag. What a stunning view point. I had a short break and chuckled how lucky I was. I descended down to the loch and walked along its shores, listening to the resonating stag roar and seeing venison footprints on the sandy shores. The ascent up into the coire of Beinn an Eoin was awkward but I decided to head for the North peak first and approached on a sporting line right up its Western ridge.

At the top, the views were just fabulous but I almost fell to my death down a massive fissure in the ground. The fissure was about 20 feet across by 2 feet but in Winter would be a serious threat to the unwary walker who came over this way. I tried to estimate its depth but the gloom didn't particularly allow me to easily do so. I reckon it would be about 20 feet deep. It was quite a hole. I headed over to the cairn in the distance but before I got there, I approached some exquisite sandstone pinnacles, which were very reminiscent of those on Stac Pollaidh. With these in the foreground, I was blown away by the fantastic views over to the aforementioned hills. I laughed at my fortitude to be in the right place on a brilliant day. I descended to the lochain and decided to have my well-earned sandwiches against an outcrop of rock. As I sat and munched with a Dr Pepper in hand, a stag herded his female compatriots across the coire and looked around trying to identify me. I stayed very still and took in the majestic stride as he drove the herd down the hill behind me. Wonderful. I began the penultimate ascent of the day up on the Graham proper and was rewarded with views over to Sgurr an Fhidhler, itself a fabulous peak.

I walked back down to the coire floor and reversed my route across the glen and back over and up on to 'the heel'. I looked back once more at where I'd been and counted myself a very lucky man. Beinn an Eoin this way is one amazing experience and I would wholeheartedly recommend it. With a pint of real ale in the Summer Isles hotel thereafter, it was the perfect day.

Stob Breac

I had been looking to get away from work and do another summer evening sojourn. So had Graeme D and we decided upon the Stob Breac sprint. Only 1 mile from the summit, we would have to negotiate noisy cows, pitted roads and as steep an ascent as they come. However, lonely are the brave and intrepidly, we set forth. Within half an hour, we decided to head high early and began the steep and sustained climb. Indeed, twas so steep that at one point, we were relying on heather holds to pull us up, with the passing of the walking pole batons and encouragement at awkward moments. It was a good bit further on that we eventually found the massive mound of seven stones. Was this really the summit? It would appear so. From here, we decided that we would not go on and take in the Corbett but instead planned a summer evening camp or Winter stroll up the nose of Creag nan Saighead. So, we descended equally steep ground and chanced a fir tree forest traverse. We were lucky and found the occasional deer track to see us back to the path and the leisurely return to the car in 2 hours 45 minutes, which meant a beer in Mhor 84. A great way to fill a weekday evening and good to catch up with an old hill buddy. From Mhor 84, I was home in an hour.

The Stob via Kirkton Glen

A day off and initial thoughts of Skye drifted away with the wind and rain. As I drove North, I wasn't sure which hill I'd decide upon. At Crianlarich, I decided to head back down to the Balquihidder region and opted for the Kirkton glen approach to either the Stob or Meall an t-Seallaidh. If the weather gods smiled, I'd do both. I was 2 minutes out of the car park, when I happened upon a Forestry commission sign indicating no way through due to 'confusing pathways'. I abhor rules and regulations on a hill experience and continued forth. As it was, this was as straightforward a route through a forest as I've ever encountered and a previous horse trekker thought the same. It's mushroom season and Autumn is approaching.
I emerged from the forest with an interesting crag ahead. Not marked on the map, there was a nice boulder/cave that I sat in and watched the rain hammer down. I decided from this point that I'd head to the Stob as the Corbett was shrouded in clag and I might get a view from the Stob. The cross-country trek over to the Graham was remote and a small herd of deer shot away into Glen Dochard. One last ascent to the small summit was not rewarded with the kindest of weather and the rain persisted once again. However, on a good day, this would be a fine and remote perch. As is typical, the descent to the forestry path saw the emerging sun and the glen was enlightened. The walk back to Balquihidder was enjoyable and this was a nice little outing.
I decided to reward myself with a lunch in mhor-84/ and hard a very tasty burger with an equally refreshing Mhor 84 Lager tops. The meat is locally sourced, 8 miles up the glen and it really comes through. Beetroot, fresh lettuce and pickles compliment the blue cheese and meat beautifully. Fries were lightly seasoned and the portion size was perfect. These hills are only an hour away from the house now and I look forward to the 7 or 8 Grahams and Corbetts this Winter.

Cruach nam Mult

Initially, I had intended to do this as part of a combo with the other Lochgoilhead Grahams and I had planned to spend the evening up there too. However, I have never before been so plagued by flies in my existence than I had upon exiting from the forest and it was to have a significant contribution to my decision to cast this trip into the category of single hill sojourns. The meander through the forest was pleasant enough although the heat was quite incredible on this July evening. It was relatively straightforward to pick the way South on to the hill but the dark path through was a little claustrophobic and I was glad (not for long) to emerge into the daylight once again. At this point, you are more or less faced with a steep, grassy wall which affords no idea of the route ahead. However, after about 10 minutes of hard climbing, you are roughly at the bealach between the Graham and the Hump to the West. 

As the flies erupted around me, I got the head down and began the climb hoping for a breeze to strike up and dispel the invertebrate hoard. Within an hour of leaving the car, I was a sodden, sweaty beast and stood atop the highest part of this hill, although there was no cairn to signify this. The views across to Stob an Eas and the Arrochar alps were particularly impressive as were the distant Paps of Jura. I killed 40 flies in 15 minutes but their numbers were replete within second. I didn't fancy the descent and ascent over to the 2nd Graham if I was to have such chitinous company and therefore decided at 2045, to head back to the car and home. A great wee hill but it has to be repeated in Winter, I think for me to truly enjoy its character.

Beinn Fhada

This was documented in the Munro blog post here: http://www.munromadness.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/ben-more-via-beinn-fhada-and-chioch.html

Meall Mor to it than meets the eye

After our early rise at 0530, we began the walk over to the bealach nan corp. It was a hard old slog up to the bealach and from there, it was a very wearisome up-and-down to the summit of Meall Mor. A number of small valleys and coires had to be crossed to reach this very remote and small cairn. However, the view North to the Crianlarich Munros is a very rewarding experience. We descended east over the ridge and down to the valley floor before Stob a Choin. All thoughts of re-ascending this were banished as we were both a little tired and the re-ascent looked horrific after the previous 15 hours efforts.