Not as rocky as it's name suggests...Beinn a'Chrulaiste

Hill: Beinn a'Chrulaiste (Rocky Hill) 
Type: Corbett
Height: 857m

A weekend walking in Glencoe and to get things started this hill was long overdue being scratched off my to do list.
Weather forecast was for a hot day noon onwards so an early start. Gosh it seems so long since I was up this road. During lockdown, when stuck at home, I remember saying to the good lady that I would never moan about the Green Welly again, just to be there and today I was. 
Despite this early start I just crammed my car into the back of a parking layby not sure if I would have a ticket on my return for semi verge parking. The large number of cars were not for my hill but the big beast of Buachaille Etive Mor across the road.

View from the start head up left hand side of the peak

A short walk back south along the West Highland Way before cutting in and following a fence up a boggy track. The initial peak looks daunting from here.
There is not a lot to say about the first half of the ascent. There is an on off boggy track. Follow it for a short stretch then it disappears. Wade up the moor and if you are lucky you find it again and keep repeating this until after a few false tops you reach the area of the peak you looked up at earlier.

Cairn at Stob Beinn a'Chrulaiste looking to the real top

Already super views of the Glencoe hills, a good excuse to stop and take it in.
Another uphill stretch and I reached the cairn which is Stob Beinn a'Chrulaiste, a peak but still far from the top. It is not far distance wise but it has been a steep 300m plus ascent. The initial section had been in the shade, albeit still very warm. Now full on and I was perspiring, the flies seem to like my sweat.

Stunning Buachaille Etive Mor,

One of this hills attractions is the close up views you get of the Buachaille, particularly the climbers tracks that you don't see from the road.
Back to the job in hand and the real top of Chrulaiste can be seen as the big flat lump ahead, don't like the big grey cloud hanging over it. it seemed sensible to head for the higher ground and avoid the peat hags but a surprise was in store. 

A couple of the males, I have been spotted

I reached a rock and spotted some big male wild goats, not very far away, giving me the evil eye. Big horns, those could do some damage. I heard a noise behind me and realised I was amongst a herd of about 40 goats, To my left all the mothers and kids. To my right the big boys. Being piggy in the middle I made my way past them at a reasonable pace.
Zig zagging to avoid the peat hags I spotted another herd, this time red deer. I was downwind but they had a visual on me so watched until I disappeared from their view. 

Finally it earns it's name a rocky section

There are a few rocky stone sections as you head to the top but easily bypassed via grassy rakes.
Finally the summit, a decent cairn shelter surrounds a round pillar trig. 1 hour 25m to the top so good going. There is a small cairn further along the ridge.

The Mamores and Blackwater reservoir

Extensive views across the huge Blackwater reservoir and on to Rannoch moor but the haze hides Schiehallion.
Again in haze but splendid are the Mamores, the Grey Corries but big Ben is hidden. My plan to spend some time here was spoiled by the midgies who decided to feed on me big time.
Time to get back in the breeze and get rid of the beasties. 

The top of Glencoe

The descent is spectacular as you have the Glencoe peaks to admire as well as the Devils staircase of the West Highland Way.

A male goat surveys the landscape, Buachaille Etive Beag in background

Once again, on off tracks but as visibility was good so there was no issues about where I was going. Back through the goat herd but they seemed less agitated about my presence.

Finally the fence line and back to the start

Back to the heat and humidity of the road section and onto the car. No ticket!
It took me a while to get around to it but glad I did.

Wildlife: Meadow Pipit; Raven; Wild Goats; Red Deer; Scotch Argus butterfly.
Ascent: 638m
Distance: 7.5km
Time: 2.52