Hill: Beinn Bheag (Cowal) (Little mountain)
Type: Fiona
Height: 618m
I was fingertips away with only 1 hill left to achieve my walking target of at least 100 hills in each category. My last bag had to be a Fiona/Graham hill. I had four options that I wanted to climb on my to-do list but all meant a bit of a travel. The forecast for the next couple of days had improved so I decided to get the target out of my mind and get something climbed.
There were some up Crianlarich area but I decided to keep it reasonably local and do one of my remaining Cowal ones.
So up early, excited and off to the ferry. Lengthy roadworks meant that as I arrived I just missed a ferry as it pulled away, bit hacked off but at least 1st car on the next one.
This hill can be added on to Cowal’s biggest hill, Beinn Mhor, which I did earlier in the year but for me it was too tough and a logistical problem. But as a single hill it had promise. Walkhighlands describes it is an outpost of Beinn Ruadh which is a bit odd as a loch separates them and Beinn Mhor is its walking partner, but I am no geologist, so just climb it.
Apart from linking with Beinn Mhor there are a few other options but by far this one was the most appealing for me.
Parked at Glenbrantner to spot signs that a number of routes were closed due to ‘road repairs’. This is an area of massive forestry workings but private vehicles, I don't think so.
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| My arty photo of the day from the starting point |
So it was that hopefully my ramble began, if I was to be caught up by this stop notice I would no doubt find out.
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| 3 mile road with another Fiona, Creag Tharsuinn, pointed one ahead |
As the farm is neared there are three track options, today I wanted the middle one. To start it is just under a 3 mile walk up a hard packed forestry road as wide as my street. The trees don't hem in initially so decent views for about a mile. Soon after I spotted a shape on the track, slightly round a bend. It had also spotted me, a red deer hind enjoying the grass verges, who looked disdainfully at me before elegantly walked back into the trees.
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| U bend and memorable moment coming up |
I reached the third cut off to the left after almost an hour and now the climbing started, initially still on a forest road.
Then my magic moment. I was watching my footing when I spotted movement ahead. About 20 yards away, crossing the road was a Pine Martin. It wasn't hurried, it casually walked from the trees on my right to the left. I have never had a verified sighting so it was one of my last bucket list wildlife items. It appeared bigger than I imagined with a full lush brown coat. By the time I got my camera out it had gone. I walked to the spot and looked into the dense trees but no chance, probably up a tree looking at me. Still whatever happened that was my day made.
I was now at the 3 roads junction and according to reports there should be a short cut, a grassy track and there it was, overgrown but it was there, what would it be like higher?
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| A lot boggier than it looks |
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| Opens out at times |
I decided to follow it and it got me to where I wanted to be. It is overgrown and very wet and/or boggy in stages. At times a judgement call is required as to where the path goes, but instinct took over and did not let me down.
It was steady climbing and I could see with the light that I was about to break the treeline but just before I did I met the inevitable storm tree destruction blocking the path. An easy but muddy bypass. Interestingly from the prints in the mud the deer used this bypass too.
That was the easy bit of the ramble over, the path ends and the final ascent begins.
The top was circa 200m of ascent from here and I had a read a previous report that it was straightforward. Looking from here I could see that whilst it was not going to be overly difficult it was not going to be straightforward.
The early sections were very steep, wet and boggy. Streams running everywhere including many hidden water sections deep cut and hidden by the long grass.
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| That final lump is the top |
After that the amount of cotton grass indicated how wet the remainder of the ascent would be. Some very steep short but all hands on sections along with solid deer grass clumps, not quite full on Dumfries & Galloway tussocks but still the new boys on the block, a bit of attitude.
I found some old iron fence posts which I followed for a bit but I found a slightly less direct ascent, still wet and boggy.
Finally I reached the top section, quite dramatic fall offs to my left so carefully with the satrong winds headed to the highest outcrop. A typical Fiona/Graham nothing to recognize the top. The trig is on the Graham Top, over towards Cruach Bhudhie, I could see it but the top is unnamed on my map.
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| Loch Eck and I think Ben Lui in the distance |
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| The summit is the crag on right, Beinn Mhor on its left |
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| Looking over Creag Tharsuinn to the Paps of Jura |
The views were really much better than they should have been for this time of year. I could see long distances due to the clod clear air, haw’d on a minute this is June it should be short distance hazy views. Still it was a gift worth taking, quite spectacular 360 degree views. Looking from here the climb/descent/reascent to Beinn Mhor looked very hard work, glad I stuck to my plan.
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| The descent back to the trees with Cruach Bhuidhe behind |
After a lunch stop taking it all in, still cold winds, I simply retraced my steps and without any issues got back to the car.
For me it was a fantastic day as I had achieved my minimum 100 ascents in Munros, Corbetts, Fiona/Grahams, Sub2k’s and the full Donalds listing. I had great views but the Pine Martin will be the thing that sticks in my memory for many years to come.
Ascent: 635m
Distance: 15.3km
Time: 4.15
Wildlife: PINE MARTIN; Red Squirrel; Red deer hind; Gold ringed dragonfly; Willow Warbler; Coal Tit; Chaffinch; Wren; Chiffchaff;
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