Druim na h-Earba not many quicker Sub 2000 hills

After my disappointment with the weather on South Uist I had a stop over in Fort William so decided to do a quick hill after breakfast before heading home.
The long named Druim na h-Earba (288m) belies its name status with one of the easiest Sub 2000 hills to walk. 

Head for the fence

When I looked last night the forecast was for good conditions but when I pulled the curtains rain was falling. A seagull did the business over me last week but I thought this was meant to be good luck but Uist and today suggest otherwise.
However after a full breakfast I went up to the starting point, thankfully my luck had changed.
If I was in FW for longer I would have walked up from sea level but as I was heading home I lazily took the car up. The starting point up the old military road starts you at 501 ft above sea level leaving not a lot left to ascend. 

Muddy rather than boggy track

The last time I was here there were lots of coos around and the good lady did not fancy walking through them. But today none in sight.
The walk is as straightforward as they come. From the viewing point car park go through the gate and follow the track until you run out of hill. The track is soft and muddy but easy to go to the sides, when the coos are around it might be a lot more trodden and gloopy. 

Summit trig on right

It is a well used hill by the track so just follow it. A few false summits and 19 minutes later I was at the trig point.
The real summit is slightly to your left as you approach the trig, only 1 metre according to my GPS.

Loch Lhinnie looking south

Despite the grey day, with low clouds covering most hills, the views were well worth the short effort, particularly of Loch Lhinnie and Fort William. 

Fort William & Cow Hill

On a good day they would certainly could be an awful lot better.

Looking west to Meall an t-Slamain 

 Needless to say the Ben was cloud covered.

Looking up Glen Nevis

So for a modest time outlay if you are in the area go for it.

Time: 44min
Ascent: 142m
Distance: 3.13km

Easabhal the hill of the cairns

I was on the island primarily to fish these great brownie waters but the wind is blowing far too strongly for safe fishing so instead I looked for a small sub 2000 nearby and Easabhal was perfect.
From the map the straightforward approach seemed to be from the west where a short marked track starts the walk. I didn’t take a reading but roughly NF758164

The start

I parked on the side road to Gearraidh na Monach, just past the ruined croft on the right as you drive is a parking slot for two cars, not a passing place.
Looking at the hill from this angle it would struggle to get a 2 out of ten. But, from the top it is a different story, well worth the short climb and if you get a clear day 10 out of 10 for the views.

Muddy track

Cross the road and follow the farm track, initially muddy, and curve left towards the fenced area where two gates save any barbed wire fence climbing.

Follow the gates

Once through the fences the moor has some very soft boggy ground, peat cutting legacies, look how deep my pole went in, wet feet and more for sure. 

Pole into 1st notch

However luckily for me the moor has recently been burnt and the blackened patches easily highlight the hard ground. A bit of zig zagging and this burnt stuff takes you almost to the top. I initially was going to head slightly left towards the outcrop but this going was so good I just straight lined towards the top.

Looking back at burnt areas

I was expecting a false top or two from the map but when I crested the ridge I could see a cairn. Good stuff but when I got closer I could see a second a short distance behind and this looked a bit bigger.

View north

When I got to the second this was the highest point, 45 minutes from the car. As I looked around I could see another two cairns and when I walked around them I went to six but probably some more are hidden.

Another cairn in distance

On the walk up I was sheltered from the wind but up here the gusts were trying hard to knock me off my feet. As I walked the cairns each has its own special view so if you come here on a good day expect to spend and enjoy the panorama. 
Looking towards Lochboisdale the water patterns of the island are apparent. The ferry is still docked, strange, but later found out that all sailings are cancelled today, south and north because of this wind.
Behind Lochboisdale Beinn Mhor still has a heavy cloud shroud. I had hoped to go up it but the forecast for my remaining days suggest not. When I do go up I want to enjoy it and get the views.

Eriskay

Barra is in a hazy mist, as is the causeway to Eriskay but it can be seen for the moment. A weather front is bringing rain so along with this wind time to descend.

Wild landscape

Back the same way enjoying the shelter from the wind and taking in the beauty of this wild and rugged countryside.
A short hill walk which I will do again on a clear day as those views are superb and can get better.

Time: 1hr 47m
Distance: 3.26 miles 5.27k
Ascent: 725ft 221m

To Alhang and back

I woke up to a crisp clear sky morning and decided to complete my Glen Afton walks, best intentions but not fulfilled. A quick Met Office check showed good or very good visibility all day, fine. Targets Windy Standard and Alhang.
As I drove into Glen Afton the clouds were already very low covering most of Blackcraig Hill, not the best start.

Afton Dam

I parked at the last slot before the dam and walked up the OS marked track to the end of the reservoir. When I say track, once past the dam it is a full on building site road as they are levelling the last untouched section for construction.
The walk from car to cutting off to Alhang was 1.7miles and I lost count of the number of vehicles I had to stand aside for. To be fair nobody tried to chase me away and I got plenty of waves from the drivers for standing aside.
It is not just turbine construction but pylon construction as well so a hive of activity.

Firebreak track

Finally reached what is marked as a firebreak on the map, most trees cut down, but is a new track that leads to the marked Sheepfold alongside Afton Water. The objective still shrouded in mist but behind me blue skies, which would win, and it was bitterly cold.

Sheepfold

I followed the farmers ATV track SE around Lagower Hill which led me all the way to Alwhat top.

Afton reservoir from Alwhat

There is a fence here and I was sure it was a case of following it SE but time for map and compass to confirm as no line of sight in this cloud.

Alhang ahead

Just as I started walking to my bearing the cloud lifted and now I could see the next summit ahead, Alhang. There is only 20 metres difference between Alwhat & Alhang, but I dropped about 80 metres to climb again, marshy but not too bad.

Afton reservoir from Alhang

I followed the fence to the top but soon realised the summit was over on the other side and back a bit. A clear track, soon found, led me to the small cluster of rocks, my first target.

Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

Really good views now over Carsphairn and Moorbrock Hill, basically everything south looked good.
As I stood and looked around, taking it all in, the magnitude of the active construction was mesmerising. Vehicles, people and cranes were moving all over in all directions. I hate the things but I can appreciate the employment and money to the economy.
However, as I looked to Windy Standard I realised that although getting there was ok my descent was going to be through many layers of active construction. Every hilltop seemed covered. I admit I lost heart. It can be left to another day, a few years away, when all this work is completed.

Sphagnum steps

I then had a very pleasant descent alongside the Afton Water. Rugged moorland but surprisingly little noise, only the odd sheep and raven, very tranquil indeed. Steps of vivid green sphagnum moss, the likes of which I have not seen before, invite you to step on them but only if you wanted a wet foot.
I came around the west side of Lagower Hill and arrived back at the sheepfold and then back to the car stepping aside for the many convoys.

Typical hilltop

When I was up last Sunday work was in progress but on this midweek day was on a different scale altogether.
There is a never a bad walk and this was fine. Shorter than intended but I will be back.

Time: 3hr 20
Ascent: 1313ft
Distance: 7.39m

Blackcraig Hill circuit

Blackcraig Hill (Graham) 700m & (Blacklorg Hill) Donald 681m
The forecast for the day was better than the reality when we arrived. Heavy cloud covering Blackcraig Hill, maybe it will blow away.
We parked exactly 4 miles into Glen Afton, marked parking area is on the left, deep potholes drive carefully. It can be a remote and wild place, a windfarm worker died here this winter trapped by the snowstorms.
Then walked back the .3mile to Blackcraig farm entrance, a camper and car parked up, boots outside long lie today, well the clocks did go forward?

Quintin Knowe cairn in distance 

Now we followed the normal track, climbing gradually until we reach Quintin Knowe. A bulldozer track has been dug in for most of this climb before ending abruptly, more turbines I wonder. Rather a bleak section of countryside.

Blackcraig Hill from QK cairn

We spot a runner with his dog coming down the flanks, a lot faster than we were ascending.

Some new turbines below

Then up to Blackcraig Hill, staying close to the fence and crossing the soft snow patches. As we spot the cairn it drifts in and out of cloud, likewise the trig when spotted.

Trig in distance

Patchy wetland but not too bad. At the summit hide in the small structure to have a snack, a cool wind blowing. Sadly the vista is wind turbine city, not pretty.

Turbines on flanks of Windy Standard

The clouds have lifted so down and up to Blacklorg, staying to the right of the fence following old sheep trails. Nearing the top we look back and spot 3 walkers coming over the top of Blackcraig, so not alone today.

Striding Arch zoomed in

I wander a bit and look down at the wind farm tracking cutting below us and continuing way south. It is clear enough to spot one of the Striding Arches, probably Benbrack.

Blackcraig Hill from Craigbraneoch

We decide to omit Cannock and make a moorland beeline crossing directly to Craigbraneoch. At the tree plantation we stop for another break and spot yet another couple of walkers topping Blackcraig, busy today.

Summit Craigbraneoch

Although rough ground the walking was fine. Super views from the top down Glen Afton and surrounding land.

Glen Afton

Descend to the dam from cairn heading for the tree line at the reservoir. Now the boring bit 25mins downhill tarmac walk back. Looking back it is possible to descend the crags without cutting back to the dam, thus reducing the road walk.

Looking back to Craigbraneoch

I enjoyed the walk, minimal wildlife: raven; buzzard and skylarks.
Time: 4.48hr
Ascent: 766m
Distance: 14.5km

Drymen - Conic Hill - Balmaha - West Highland Way

An excellent walk with the KOIR today. The perfect mix of a beautiful spring day, great company, a super walk with magnificent views, what’s not to like.

We started from Drymen and followed the West Highland Way trail to Conic Hill. Still deep patches of snow. We met very few people on this section but that was to change big style at Conic Hill.

As we approached Conic Hill looked good from this angle with the blue sky background. 

A meander around its flanks started to bring us into people traffic. As we made the short ascent there were about a dozen other people here but significantly most of them failed to realise that the bare section at this top is not the summit.

That is an up and down over two hills to the east and your reward for this effort is a small cairn and at a whole 3 metres higher, this is the real top of Conic Hill.
A lingering look over the snow topped Luss hills, Arrochar tops and of course Ben Lomond. The rain predicted from tomorrow should clear most of the white stuff.

On our descent a constant trail of people were coming up, mostly young, some foreign. This was a Tuesday afternoon do they not have work or education to do, shocking.

Finish at balmaha and the statue of the great outdoor Scot Tom Weir, I reckon this will divide opinion, the likeness is not for me.
Overall a great day out.

Time: 4.06
Ascent: 509m
Distance: 13.6km

Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

Info board

Out with the ADRC to Cairnsmore of Carsphairn, a Corbett, and the forecast was for challenging conditions at the top 40-50mph winds with a wind chill factor of -20, fun at the top. It must be 15 years since I have been here but some things never change. Parked at Green Well of Scotland, take care big holes and drop for the car.

Burn fence or Coo muck

For a start, no change re the coo field covered in their droppings which with this cold weather they were at least solid on top but the tail enders might be breaking through the crust, if so we will smell them before we see them.

Landrover track

Another factor unchanged was the dyke wall up Willieanna, Dunool etc but today were skirting it in the ascent. Snow topped summit seen peaking up ahead.
Straight forward up the rough track until we meet the dyke. Plenty of frozen water patches and these icicles show that not much sun gets here.

Still cold

Simply follow the dyke so can’t get lost.

Dyke to top

 It was already pretty cold but we had been partially sheltered from the wind. But as we reached the snowline it was picking up big style. The new snow was soft enough to kick into but the icy patches around rocks care had to be taken.

Wild winds nearing summit

Then the last 100 metres was a different world, it felt like gale force winds battering us and even the biggest and heaviest of us were struggling to keep our feet. It has been a while since I have been on top in such strong winds. 

Trig

Some were hiding behind the cairn, others tried sheltering beside the trig, snow clings to the transmitter mast. One bonus was we could not spend any time looking at the Glen Afton wind turbines. 

The descent

After regrouping a change of plan as we would have been descending into the wind so opted to descend just below the crest of the hill via Black shoulder; Dunool & Willieanna. Still cold and windy but the right choice. Great views of the Rhinns on the descent amidst the many snow flurries.

Black shoulder and top

Finally back through the coos but following burn fence, no volunteers to risk the potentially thawed coo dung swamp.
A wild experience up top but a good day out.

Ascent: 645m
Time: 4.37
Distance: 12.6km