Moorland wanderings to Beinn Eilideach

Hill: Beinn Eilideach (Ullapool) 
Category: Sub2k
Height: 558m
I had planned to walk Cul Mor today but on wakening the clouds were very low and the outlook gloomy and wet. As the good lady was having a morning spending her cash I decided go up Ullapool’s Sub2k Beinn Eilideach, a reasonably high one, the top of which I could see from our window. Not that it remained that way lol.

Start and destination behind the trees

The most obvious route is from Ullapool Hill but as I had been up there earlier this week I decided to walk it from the other side and an adventure that turned out to be. 
As regularly happens getting started on these Sub2k's is an issue. There is a zig zag path on the map that I planned to follow but I could not get parked anywhere close so started about a mile further down the road at a single parking slot near Leckmelm House.

Deforested trail

As I walked from the car I could see a deforested section ahead with the tracks intact. Decision time should I follow that or continue with longer trail, right direction, wrong move.

Follow the fence to the summit, no the gorge is right here.

After getting above the deforestation I met a deer fence, a very tall one. I wanted to go left to head up the hill and followed the fence to find a major gorge, no way I was going down that on my own. And yes it is on the map but I hadn't looked that closely as I didn't expect to be walking from here. I thought about climbing but it was not solid so passed on that not so smart idea.
So, I went back along the fence, going was ok, to hopefully meet a track on the OS map but much further away from the hill. Wishing now that I had went back up Ullapool Hill. Plenty of deer barking warning calls and I spotted over a dozen roe deer on the walk.

Glad to find this stile.

I came across a stile at the junction with another deer fence heading north so over I went and followed this until it meant the aforementioned track. A female cuckoo was being harassed by pipits as she searched for their nests.
I joined the track briefly before taking a bearing and headed across the moor in the general direction of the summit, still looking a fair bit away.

The start of the rock thrust

A typical wet and boggy moorland stomp until I reached a rock thrust which used for easier walking to the top. A lot of ups and downs today will add the overall ascent.

Big top surprise, hold a party in here

There is a surprisingly large cairn surrounding the hill but sadly no views of Ullapool down below as the cloud quickly lowered itself and the rain started, heavy showers for rest of walk. The actual summit is short distance away towards Loch Broom.

Loch Broom heading out to sea

I retraced my steps, scared more deer, struggled over the deforestation and made it back to the car. Loch Broom occasionally showing itself in the gloom. No cuckoo maybe it had laid its egg(s) and headed off back to the warmth of Africa, job done.

Bright fungi

Saw these bright mushrooms not a clue what they are but they stood out.
A wet leg stretcher and a bit of exercise but one I doubt I will repeat.

Wildlife: Roe deer, Cuckoo, Meadow pipit,
Time: 3.10
Ascent: 626m
Distance: 10.4km