Too grim up top to fiddle today

Hill: Binnein an Fhidhleir (or Stob Coire Creagaich (Peaked Hill of the Fiddler)
Category: Corbett
Height: 817
I took opportunity to tick off another of my winter list today with this ridge walk. Which I am told,  in good weather has excellent views.

The ridge is up there somewhere in the clouds

As I stood waiting at Butterbridge car park the clouds were down very low, maybe even lower than 500m, ‘excellent views’ lets be optimistic, I actually could see a little sliver of blue up there.
We were walking west to east taking the ‘easier’ way as everyone that I talk to admits that the direct route is a beast at the best of times and a winter walk could be very difficult. As it turned out most of the snow had melted away.
As I stood in the car park a number of walkers appeared heading to their cars, were conditions too bad for them? On the contrary they were hardy folk having done a bothy stay, apparently it was a very busy bothy with around a dozen sleeping overnight, hardy or what?

Easy start from the masts

Our walk started along the far end of Glen Finglas and we took the short track up to the masts then directly up the slope from there. 
The start was a boggy mud fest of tussocks which Dumfries & Galloway would proudly adopt into their domain. Full of hidden traps to do in your ligaments or worse. One person went right through a narrow crack on the descent, could have been a bad one.

Deforestation on slopes of Beinn an t Seilich

Deforestation seems to be scarring the landscape all around this season.
It is a fairly straightforward ascent route heading for An t Stor. The only issue is that the angle from down below only allows you to see a short distance and it becomes hump after hump after, yip you got it.

One of the group makes a break for it

At least the underfoot is soft, no hardpacked tracks here.

Loch Fyne

What looks on the map as fairly short becomes a a long gentle slog. There are however great views looking back down Loch Fyne and over to the Fyne Oyster bar, a few cars already in situ, early oysters maybe.

The clouds descending to meet us

Then the grey stuff descended and nae more views. It slowly cloaked us in mist, unseasonably warm at first but that was not too last long.
Navigation was now more challenging particularly knowing there were some big drops not far away on our right hand side.
The mist and cloud was now wet stuff and the camera was put away, not risking it getting wet.
Thankfully the snow had mostly gone but it was slow going today. 

Beinn an Fhidhleir last camera shot

Still we were on the flattish bit and the rocky trig/cairn of Beinn an Fhidhleir appeared out of the gloom. The trig is apparently inside of the cairn.
It was now pretty miserable, a walk along the top to the high point and then a return back the way we came. For once I wished we did the straight down to Butterbridge where my car was but not to be.
It turned out to be a far quicker descent than ascent. The odd good views but the cloud was now even lower and the rain more prominent.

Looking down to the start but taken on way up

The better views looking down from the ridge showed just how steep it was.
A good walk but one I need to redo and on a good viewing day. There is a lot of good scenery out there that I did not enjoy today, but that is walking in Scotland.

Wildlife: Raven, Meadow pipit, Vole.
Time: 5.49
Ascent: 807m
Distance: 8.9k