Hill: Cruach nam Mult (Heap of the wethers/sheep)
Type: Fiona
Height: 611m
I have not been out on the hills that much recently so I wanted a shortish walk to get my hill legs going again, by that I mean some short suffering on a hill not full fitness. Heading on a wee trip so looked at my to-do list and this was only a 20 minute or so detour to the start. Whilst it was on my winter list it was also on my ‘don't bother with this one list’ but sometimes needs must and the logical part has to be overruled.
This area has been massively deforested and I arrived at the parking area to find the construction gate open. I could also hear machinery somewhere on the hillside. There is enough room for 2 cars to park but of course another car was in place, right in the middle, what a prat. I parked right on his front bumper but my tail was sticking out, hoping no large timber machinery would swing by.
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| Not that way up unless you like very rough walking |
Crossed the road and headed up another forest road, initially lined with trees as well as lots of birdsong before it opened out to a barren deforested landscape. I think most of the hills in the Arrochar area are bleak and barren but at least the higher ones have tracks, not an option on this one.
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| Spot the marker cairn |
I followed the tip by Strathlassie on Walkhighlands and found the small cairn, albeit I almost walked by it, as you can see in the snap easy to miss.
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| Head off anywhere if you want but my fence far left |
There is a reasonable track but it has been replanted so at some point it will disappear. It heads towards the edge of the trees before heading back to the deer fence. You can opt to clamber onto the slopes at any point but I opted to follow the track all the way back to the fence before striking upwards.
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| Stob an Eas |
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| Always like a half cloud shot |
Now it is just a slog up a steep grassy slope. Not much to say about this part just plenty of short stops to look around.
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| 1st view of the top |
Finally it levels off and the summit is about a kilometre away. The ground up top was boggier but has no difficulty. The clouds were coming and going magnifying any of the small lumps ahead into full Munros.
Typical for these small hills there is no summit marker, just a small flat top. There does look a higher point a short way ahead. I wandered over to it but looking back from here it was clearly lower.
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| Deforestation of Stob an Eas from summit |
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| View south to Cowal & Arran hills |
Reasonable views when the clouds allowed. Its fellow Fiona, Stob an Eas is just across the way. It has a worse reputation and looks it. That one is in bold type on my don’t bother list.
The Dalmally Munros and beyond had snow crusted tops but the closer Ben Lui looked like it still had its full on winter coat as seen from this angle. The road in Hells Glen looks quite far down, you can climb it from there but no thanks.
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| Pathless descent |
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| Ben Lui |
I took my time and enjoyed the views on the way down, the advantage of solo walking and being in no rush. Although I was taking it easy the track section was much worse on the descent. Sub surface wet tree roots were so slippy I needed my poles a couple of times to stop me going over.
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| Mrs Stonechat |
The birds were singing away, robins have been huge numbers this year. But best today was a Willow Warbler, my first this year. I had read that they had been spotted in Scotland a couple of weeks ago.
Overall it was exactly as expected as well as a good leg stretcher. Despite its name I don't recall seeing any sheep.
Ascent: 438m
Distance: 6.3km
Time: 2.41
Wildlife: Song Thrush; Meadow Pipit; Raven; Chaffinch; Siskin; Willow Warbler; Robin; Stonechat
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