Hill: Beinn na Feusaige (Mountain of the beard)
Type: Fiona
Height: 625m
Yesterday had been one of my worst physical days on a hill with a general feeling of fatigue and weakness so much so that I really struggled complete the route but I did and todays another day. I had been bitten on the neck a few days ago and had not felt right since but other people have said that there is a lot of Covid about so who knows.
No alarm set so a slightly longer lie. Stiff feeling stiff legged and a bit under the weather but I did not want to laze about so Plan A aborted and Plan B enacted.
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| Beinn na Feusaige on left with Carn Beag on right |
When I was out for a cycle the other night I noticed an estate track going a good way up towards a ridge where there was a Fiona that I wanted to bag. Looking at the map and I could utilise the track for 2/3rds of the ramble then a tough but short moorland section. Surely I could make that? If not the summit at least I could use the track to the lochan for a workout. You can combine this hill with Carn Breac but the ground between is not the nicest so not for me today.
At the gate there was a sign to contact the estate as deer stalking was in progress but this was a Sunday so no point.
As I shuffled up the track I was hawking up a lot of phlegm, a clear sign all was not well with my body. Thankfully that was short lived and I felt better.
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| Decent views after the climb |
It was a nondescript track until I reached the high point where the views opened out over the Torridon Hills. Plenty of high and low cloud/mist giving an atmospheric feeling to the hike.
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| Scotch Argus |
There was a strange quietness as I walked along the high track, the atmospheric conditions had also brought the sound of silence. No birds singing for the last few kilometres, no deer, no sheep and not even the obligatory raven so far. The only sound apart from my feet crunching on the stone track was the buzzing of bees on the very beautiful, but sporadic, patches of purple heather.
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| Headed for high point on the the right to get on the plateau quickly |
Found the turn off to the lochan but before I went too far up it it I spotted a faint deer track heading onto the peat hagged moor. My signal to get off the track onto the moor so lets go for it. Of course the track only lasted for a short time but it was enough to avoid the worse of the eroded hags and the sphagnum patches.
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| Lochan Sgeireach |
I have rambled over a lot worse terrain, the hags were straight forward to avoid and as I rose I had good views down to the lochan where the ripples of rising fish made me wish I had brought a travel rod. It took no time to gain the plateau.
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| A line of Torridon giants |
Looking across to my left in the distance I could see a small herd of deer on Carn Beag. Also on my hill there were lots of hoof prints in the peat as well as droppings fresh enough to have flies on them, so they were around. A little further on there was a distinct aroma of musk. They must be close but I was slightly downwind so they might not be aware of me. No such luck. I spotted one head looking at me, then other two before off they scarpered, over the ridge. But having seen enough deer I knew the next step in this process. Sure enough a head appeared peeking over the ridge then more heads and bodies appeared. They had a good stare at me before they scarpered for good.
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| View from the top |
I was close to the top and wandered up to the high point. This could be a superb viewpoint but sadly the low clouds prevented views of Moruisg and the nearby Monar hills. Nor of the more distant Strathfarrer, Affric and Kintail hills. Still you take what you can get and it was good enough.
It was so humid that I was sweating buckets which alerted all the beasties. Human warmth and sweat a la carte to them so I didn't hang about for too long.
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| Looking back Loch Maree |
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| I love clouds sweeping through fast, hate them when they linger |
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| Clouds passed through and I can see my track |
Simply backtracked taking in the clear views over the nearby Torridon Hills. Most summits coming and going with cloud apart from Slioch whose top seemed to stay under cloud for the whole trip. But even from afar they looked impressively huge beasts.
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| Meall a' Chaorainn, I remember a lot of deer and peat hags up there |
Back on the track the views descending were of rugged moorland with the Achnasheen Fiona of Meall a’ Chaorainn breaking the flatness.
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| The solitary cottage with the Strathfarrer Munros way behind |
Then on the final descent the Strathfarrer Corbetts were showing well and down below me a solitary cottage. I thought it was abandoned until I noticed smoke from a chimney, must be a cool cottage inside.
Thankfully the midgies had disappeared from the parking area. Physically I felt better so hopefully the shorter ramble did just trick.
Ascent: 582m
Distance: 13.4km
Time: 3.49
Wildlife: Buzzard; Red deer (hinds); Meadow Pipit; Scotch Argus
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This ramble was literally a last minute decision so I had not done any research on the hill prior to the walk. It was not until after the event that I read that there was a 2nd World War crash site near the summit. Had I been aware I would have investigated the area. My second crash site in two days.
Notes were taken from the Blog ‘Old Mans thoughts and tales’. Heavy Whaller MBE.
USAAF Martin B-26C Marauder 41-34707 was on a transit flight from the USA via Meeks Field (Keflavík, Iceland) to Prestwick in Scotland. This was a recognised aircraft ferry route, which should have taken the Marauder over Stornoway in the Western Isles. However, for some reason, the aircraft was flying too far East of the prescribed course, and therefore over high ground on the Scottish mainland.
As the Marauder continued on its course through mist and rain, it struck the side of Beinn na Feusaige (625m / 2,051ft) in Glen Carron, near Achnasheen [map] on the NW mainland of Scotland.
Sadly all the airmen died in this accident. The crashed aircraft was destroyed by an ensuing fire.
1st Lt Merritt E Young (26) (O-662715), Pilot, USAAF.
(Buried, Payne, Paulding County, Ohio, USA.)2nd Lt Robert A Anderson (O-729949), Bomb Aimer, USAAF.
(Buried, Madingley Cemetery, Cambridge, UK.)Staff Sgt Vincenzo (Vincent) Bravo (24) (11021367), Flt Engr., USAAF.
(Buried, Medfield, Massachusetts, USA.)Staff Sgt Marshall R Miller (38111816), Radio Op., USAAF.
(Buried, Oakwood Cemetery, Austin, Texas, USA.)Master Sgt Lewis M Cross (14069227), Gnr., USAAF.
(Buried, Madingley Cemetery, Cambridge, UK.)
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