Scorcher on Dun Da Ghaoithe

As is the norm for me the main difficulty is finding the start of the walk. I must have missed the sign for Torosay Castle so was surprised to find a large sign for Duart castle around the same place, had they changed names? I knew I had gone further than the WH description but I turned up a tarred lane on the right and soon parked up. Although a track headed through woods this did not feel right.

Iron ladder on right

So back onto main road headed back, past a working quarry then took the next turning and parked in a good sized area next to a field, not as described but! Not a good start when getting the OS map out to check where I was!!
The temperature was already 18 degrees at 8.30am so a warm day ahead, hence the early start.

1st view of hill at 1st mast

I come across the big iron ladder so in the right place and followed the stony maintenance route to the 1st mast, 50 mins to here, where I get my first views of the hill. Sweating already, there is no breeze along with the heat from the stone path.
Quite a few short stops to take in the views behind, plenty of Calmac ferries around today.

1st full view of hill

Still half the ascent done and onto mast 2 after 1.15hr. Now there are excellent views of the long ridge ahead.
There is a track to follow all the way up, sometimes faint and then lost but quickly retrieved.

Basalt tracks

Just ahead I spot what is a good example of a basalt dyke, two lines of solidified lava running downhill, right to left about half way in the picture.

Last section

A short but steep climb with some narrow ridge walking to add to the fun but no danger today. At least steep the way my legs were feeling, and I arrived at the trig point and first huge cairn and another cigarette shaped trig at 1 hour 50.

Sgurr Dearg

Superb views as you crest the ridge particularly of the Graham Sgurr Dearg with another Graham, Beinn Talaidh far left.
 

View from trig to true summit

Next a 20 minute descent and ascent to reach the next big cairn and the true summit. In some ways the views of Mull are better from here than Ben More. Down below the small ferry is sailing to Lochaline.

Hazy Ben More

Ben More itself standing out. Longer distance still superb but much hazier than 2 days ago.
Time for a ham sannie whilst enjoying the views of Morvern and towards Oban. Then surprised when I felt a sharp pain on my leg, looked down and a bloody clegg was taken a bite plenty of blood. Killed and cream administered time to head back.

Mast on the descent

On the descent the heat was really coming through, glad I wasn’t one those going up. It turned out to be Scotland’s hottest day of the year so far, car registered 28 deg before driving home.

Lismore ahead

A good but not a great walk, not sure if I would do it for a 2nd time.


Time: 4.13hr
Ascent: 2869ft 
Distance: 9.52