Spurr a'Chaorainn

Sgurr a'Chaorainn is comparatively small by Scottish standards being only 761 metres high.  Yet it has an air of majesty and remoteness common to the tough hills of Ardgour. There are no paths other than deer tracks.  It is more correct to say I didn't find any human paths apart from a sketchy track through the Glen.

I biked through the lovely Ariundle Oakwood National Nature Reserve on good forestry tracks and left the bike at the edge of the forest.

After a long walk up the Glen I faced the challenge of the very steep slopes.

Hot but happy, I reached the summit which contained the usual views of near and far hills.  Mull is in the far distance.

One view new to me, was looking straight up distant Glencoe.

Morven

Morven is a remote and thinly populated area in the Western Highlands.  I get there via bike and ferry.

Remote is wrong as it is largely empty.

My bike ride totals about 30 miles over mountain roads and on the way I see two eagles so my collection is growing.  From the highest part of the road, I make a quick ascent of Beinn am Beathrach.  The summit overlooks Loch Sunart as shown below.

Eagles

The rain relents after 36 hours.  A short 2 mile bike ride gets me to the start of an easy looking hill.

But Carn Ban is special as it is my 1000th hill climbed according to the UK Hillbagging list. The views are excellent in all directions.  

Near the top a Golden Eagle glides majestically above my head and away into the distance until just a speck.  All done effortlessly without seeming to beat a wing.  A true spectacle leaving me the spectator standing in awe.

I cycle several miles alongside Loch Spelve, a sea loch, to the start of my second hill of the day.

The going is the exact opposite of Carn Ban.  Maol Ban is a small rough hill.  Wet underfoot, I struggle up through bracken, heather and hummocky grass.  The hill is alive with deer.  They know few humans come this way and have little problem moving away as I approach. Higher up the going eases although it is still wet ground. Then I breast the final ridge and..

Jura is to the south, the mainland to the east and to the north my next objective the hills of Moidart.

I don't hurry to leave but eventually have to return and the icing on the cake, is seeing my second Golden Eagle of the day.

Snow

Sunshine accompanies me as I trudge up the service road towards to ridge of Dun da Ghaoithe, the second highest hill on Mull, and a Corbett.  Trudge? Not really as behind me a most spectacular vista opens up.

Ahead the hill is plastered in snow.  Once the service road ends, at the second of two radio masts, I am on the snow and am clearly the first person on this side of the hill today.  

All around the high tops are snow covered and inviting. 

The summit and ridge are tricky.  The snow is fairly wet and it feels to me as if there is a danger of slipping.  Although the exposure to drops, is not great, it is sufficient to inspire caution especially as I am on my own. But the effort is well worthwhile.

Dun da Ghaoithe means Fort of the two winds and this is certainly the case today as at times it is completely calm and yet at other similarly exposed points, there are strong cold winds, sometimes with a fierce hail shower, which hurry me along.  Another memorable day.

The Isle of Mull

The little train rattled through stunning scenary and a host of dreamlike Highland stations such as Arrochar & Tarbet, Ardlui, Tyndrum Lower and Falls of Cruachan, before eventually dropping us by the ferry terminal in Oban for the short hop to Mull aboard Calendonian McBrayne's ferry.

But that was yesterday and today I am in Glen Forsa tackling a trackless little Marilyn called Bein Bhuide as the intermittent blustery hail and snow showers have put me off the high ridges.

The hill is easy despite having to negotiate  2 herds of fierce looking highland cows with very small calves.  The summit is a grand central viewing station with excellent views of Ben More and neighbours, plus Beinn Talaidh and the Corbett Dun Da Ghaoith.  

And in between the showers stunning views in all directions such as the Sound of Mull. Between me and the sea is the airport.  Can you see it?  It looks nothing like Heathrow!

However my favourite view is  back down at valley level looking up Glen Forsa to Beinn Talaidh

A relatively uneventful but very enjoyable day.

Keeping the kitchen tidy

To me the decision on which action to take is simple. I was facing this

So instead I chose this

And despite slightly iffy weather on a grey day in South Wales I felt very smug!

East, North, South and West coast

Since Philippa left on her jolly I have managed to stand on beaches on the East, North, South and today, West coasts of Britain.  The first was Helmsdale in North East Scotland.

Next I visited Thurso when the tide was a long way out.  Orkney is in the background.

I made a short day trip to Folkestone to walk another Marilyn

And today it was the Irish Sea at the River Esk estuary.  Once again the tide was a long way out

I had today planned to walk three hills several miles north but the morning dawned wet and this was followed by high winds. I decided to save the 3 hill trip for another day and instead walk over Muncaster Fell (a Marilyn) to Ravenglass on the coast and then catch the little train back to Eskdale Green.

Back to London tomorrow after 6 days good and sometimes excellent walking.