Birthday boy on Mount Blair

A trip North to see the folks and get the car MOT'd; while also getting my birthday presents from my folks meant that I was heading via Glenshee for a small present to myself - my 80th Graham. As I had to be up at Kintore for 1430, I was looking for a short up and down - at just under 5K for the return trip, this would do the job. And what a cracking wee run I had up it too. Had some great views across to the larger Cairngorms where snow could be seen on the tops. I was up and down in 40 minutes. Fabulous wee pad and a fine way to celebrate any birthday.

 

Sgurr Mhic Eacharna & Beinn Bheag

The high pressure that was present over Scotland end of August meant that a wild camp over a West coast hill (or three) was in the offing. It had been a mad couple of weeks at work since our return from our week in Cromarty and I was badly in need of some contemplation time. I was heading North towards Fort Bill and had a few options planned but decided to take the short Corran ferry hop over to Ardgour for the evening. Literally 5 minutes and we were across, where I followed the small convoy round towards Garbh Bheinn. Truth be told, I hadn't fully explored the books for this route but had an idea of taking in the Graham and the Corbett with a summit camp somewhere looking West. It was just after 1700 so I had a few hours light but I didn't hang about, especially as the midges were looking for their last feed before the first frosts. I started off on the path but decided to head up the slopes of Sgurr Mhic Eacharna and evade the insects. The bothered me until about 400m, when a beautiful wind popped up. A good 40 minutes of hard walking so me begin the high level walk over to my first objective - I hadn't actually realised Mhic Eacharna was also a Graham - what a bonus!

By now, the wind was freshening but I was really enjoying the walk and the views to Being Bheag and now into the Coire of Garbh Bheinn were gorgeous.

I descended fairly steeply off Mhic Eacharna and noted a couple with a tent perched over towards the Coire - they looked settled and dinner was cooking. The fast disappearing sun was just heading down behind silhouetted Garbh Bheinn and I began the steep plod up Being Bheag - little hill, my arse. 

However, I got into a good rhythm and before long, I topped out on Bheag, my 79th Graham. The sunset was really developing now, with the lochain below Garbh Bheinn catching the last light.

 

All that remained for the evening was to set up camp and find a place where I might get reception and send a message home that all was well. About 300m further on from the summit of Being Bheag and I found a relatively flat area at about 700m elevation. With the sky being clear, it was going to be cold and I would pay for not having taken my thick sleeping bag. I set up camp, had a couple of beers and sent a message home before watching a fantastic sunset. Eigg and Rhum were visible as were the other glinting lochains over Ardgour; Beinn Resipole was also poking up - my solitary Corbett in this area but tomorrow would change that. It was a cold night but the views more than made up for it.

Meall Fuar-Mhonnaidh

February Exam Board at UHI - my first as Programme Lead for the MSc in IPC. Went well (I think) and I promised that I'd get a hill done en route back to home. I had booked an AirBnB in Drumnadrochit and the lady I stayed with was very pleasant. I was away early at 0600 and round to the car park before this Graham, coming at it from the well-used approach near Bunloit. I set off with head torch on and it wasn't long before I realised how boggy this hill is. To be fair, there had been an absolute splurge of rain for weeks so Scotland was practically molten. However, once I got up high enough to see some lovely shades of pink across Loch Ness, the ground had begun to firm up with some snow and ice higher up. This was an enjoyable wee hill and although I never got any summit views, the view back along the Loch with the sunrise more than made up for that. I was back at the car by 0930 and home by 1230, collecting bonus points for also collecting wee Martha from school. Graham number 77 and another one in the set.

Hunt Hill

After leaving mum and dad's, I drove South - initial thoughts were for Mount Battock but I decided I'd head down to Loch Lee and take in the Graham, Hunt Hill. The walk along the loch was wonderful and there was a very pretty graveyard, just 1 km from the start.

The wind across the loch was quite cold for September; I began to run/walk and after an hour, the imposing crags of Craig Maskeldie came into view. The sun emerged and it felt good to be out and in the glens. What little rain was falling soon dispersed with the appearance of a rainbow. Fit bonnie.

I decided to head up the shoulder of Hunt Hill, through the heather. It was a bit of tough yomp but I soon reached the bogs. Aaaagh! The view back to Craig Maskeldie made up for it though, with the Falls of Uinich cascading down the coire in the distance. 

I had about a 1km walk to the summit and eventually approached the small cairn, with very nice views to Mount Keen and Lochnagar. This was a beautifully wild place and heading back to the lip of the hill, the view back to Loch Lee and Maskeldie was stunning. An awkward descent back into the coire, finally saw me attain the path and a lovely walk/run back to the car. An 18-km day in 4 hours. Graham no. 76. One of the best it has to be said.

Meall Mor - Glen Glass

As the new Programme Lead for the MSc in IPC, I was making my way North for student induction. It had been several months since I'd been on a hill and that Cnoc Fyrish with my wee one and wife. Thus, it was I found myself heading past the Black Isle towards Evanton, where the weather was better. I had decided on this Graham, which would be a decent afternoon out and hopefully afford some fine views. I was satisfied on both accounts. I got the lodge gates for just after 1300 and decided on waterproofs from the off, as it was light rain. It was mild enough so just took the small pack so I could run the flats. The first couple of kilometres were nothing to shout home about, through dead forestry but once I could see Loch Glass, it really opened up. Across the loch I could see a large house painted pink!

The ascent of the hill started up an old Land Rover/bulldozer track that wend its way through forestry and as such, it was difficult to perceive the incline. Eventually, I topped out above the trees at about 500m. From here, it was a bit of a heather/bog hop past the wind turbines and on to the shoulder of the Graham proper. The view back to the turbines and the sea was lovely.

After a couple of hours, I eventually made it up to the summit trig point and the vast expanse of Northern Scotland stretched away. I sat and sent messages to Emma to say I was ok and heading down.

I decided to head straight off the summit to the loch and although steep, I was down to the old path in good time. I dipped the feet into the loch for an invigorating soak, then started the walk back out to the car. However, this part of the path was quite overgrown and obviously not used much as I soon discovered an adder sunning itself on a rock. It soon slithered away at rapid pace and I believe that was possibly the first time I have every seen one, with its black and brown zigzag markings. I felt further energised by that chance encounter and enjoyed the run/walk back through the forest and to the car. My 75th Graham in approximately 4 hours.

Uamh Bheag

I had intended on heading North on the Friday but thankfully left proceedings until the Saturday, when a high pressure had moved in. Last minute, I decided to stay relatively local and opted for Uamh Bheag, a Graham and a Donald. I had never driven down Glen Artney before but I was pleasantly surprised by how pretty it was. I parked just past the church and noted a walker going towards the other Donald first. My mind was made up, I'd head up Am Beannan, a lovely looking subsidiary hill of the Graham. I was running today as I had signed up to another ultramarathon at the end of June in aid of The Throat Cancer Foundation. It was a cold start and I had my hat on. I headed along the road and then meandered round Auchnashelloch Hill to a bridge over the burn. The view from here up to Am Beannan was very pretty.

The going up the 1st hill of the day was steady and my prior fitness and stair-climbing seemed to be putting me in good stead. Before long, I was looking over to Stuc a Chroin and Ben Vorlich, still snow-capped. I made good progress over the peat hags to the eventual Graham summit trig point and the wind was very nippy. I took some snaps and sent a wee message to my wife to say all was fine. I then began the return journey but dropped straight down off the Graham summit and down toward the origin of the Allt Ollach, before running back to the Water of Ruchill and the car. A quick 2.5 hour trip and I'll be back to Glen Artney again. A real treat.

Leana Mhor (West)

Another bothy outing but this time, we'd get the Graham in the satchel first. Although I had done Being Iaruinn a few years ago, I had no problem repeating it (for my 2nd round of Corbetts!) and we arrived in Glen Roy at about 11. The day was grey and the cloud was low but the forecast was good and we thought that if we were lucky, we'd get decent views. The Parallel Roads are a remarkable phenomenon and surprisingly this glen is not well frequented. We decided to head directly up the nose of Leana Mhor from the wee burn, and while it was steep going, we were ascending very quickly. Once over the hardest part of the ascent, thing levelled out and the views back to the Aonachs just got better, with Loch Linnhe even popping out. From the subsidiary hill, we meandered over to the wee summit cairn and stopped for a breather and some photos.

We descended down to the bealach between the Graham and Being Iaruinn, before the plod up on to the Corbett. It looked like we might not get much of a view as the clag blew in from the West but as we rounded the coire lip, we were lucky to get some great views over the coire and to the Glen Lochy Munros in the West. Graeme hit his 99th Corbett here and we decided to make a circuit of it and looped round and down steep ground to the road, before an amble back along to the cars. From there, we drove to Brae Roy Lodge, got the heavy packs on and walked the 5 miles to Luib Chonnal bothy, a smoky delight.