A breezy jaunt up The Convals

Hill: Little & Meikle Conval

Category: Sub2K

Height:

Before the good lady arrived I took the opportunity of ticking off The Convals, which I have had my beady eye on since ascending their big brother, Ben Rinnes. Some believe the hills are linked with Rinnes as Conval can be broken down into ‘con, with or besides’ and ‘val, another way of Meall, hill’.

At least a track on side of road

It is a bit of a roadside walk from Dufftown, cannot go wrong just follow the Tomintoul road. If I was doing it again I would pop into Duffton golf club, plenty of parking and say to them that I would pop in on my way back for refreshments.

The track I missed Meikle in view

There are various signs pointing out The Convals walk so I expected one pointing the cut off track but wrong again. A bit further along the road I suspected I was too far, map out, yip backtrack.

Again from my memory of the description I thought there was a better track, nope. Up this one, hop into a field, just sheep, over another gate then a fence which thankfully had some light wrapping over the barbed wire. Whew now on a track.

Bleak moor and pylons

Follow this up and do not deviate unless you want a deer fence to cross. I wondered why I saw quite a few pheasants, feeding stations for the slaughter en route.

If you see the two pylons you are on track but this is a bleak moorland view today. However as both hills clearly in sight the junction cannot be far away.

Little Conval

A right turn and I followed the obvious track all the way up the steep hill to Little Conval with good views opening up to your right towards the Moray coast. A breezy day and the gusts were trying to knock me over.

From Little Conval both Meikle & Ben Rinnes

Still it did not take long until I reached the summit. Plenty of rocks strewn around, many of which would belong to the iron age fort, most of whose ruins are down the hillside in the direction of Dufftown.

Now simply a case of back down the same way I ascended looking directly at the twin Meikle Conval and also there is a spot of blue sky above Rinnes, weather improving.

Rocks indicate moor path to Meikle

Although Meikle is slightly the higher of the two the gradient is much kinder than Little Meikle. The track is good lower down but gets boggier as you ascend but no difficulty. The grouse are rising and confirming it is a shooting estate no raptor seen today.

Meikle top to Ben Rinnes

When you crest the top there is a small stone marker in the grass, surely not the top, I continued for a few minutes then a small cairn, now I am at the top of the hill.

Lovely countryside

Take in the all round views and also note the very dark skies over to the west, the wind is blowing it this way so down.

I took the faint grassy track heading east and as hoped it became a bit more of a conventional but narrow route. Pretty slippy so on the grass a lot.

Track to the road

Meet up with the shooting track and take in the excellent countryside views as you descend.

Mortlach Kirk

Again a tedious road walk back and past the turn in spot before taking the right minor road which is a tranquil walk back to Dufftown. I stop at the historic Mortlach Church, the original kirk originating from the 700’s, some of this one from the 12th century..

I was surprised how quick the walk was considering the apparent distance and terrain covered. A nice walk.

Wildlife: Stoat; Wren; House Martin; Meadow Pipit; Pheasant; Red Grouse.

Time: 3.01

Ascent: 812m

Distance: 13.1k

Bynack More a gentle Munro

Hill: Bynack More
Category: Munro
Height: 1090m

The weather improved enough for us to be optimistic that our high level walk could take place today after yesterdays disappointment. However, the Met office predicted potential 40 mph gusts and wind-chill factor of minus 5 on the summit, fun ahead. Ayr & Districts trip to Aviemore was the outing.
Grey skies and strong winds when we got underway from the Alt Mor car park.
A walk through the pines to meet up with the Glenmore Lodge track with the bonus of a good close sighting of a red squirrel.

Is that helicopter for us?

A sudden loud noise above as the rescue helicopter came flying up the track, not looking for us we hoped.

The colour was better viewed from other angles

The famous Green Lochan was reached and distinctly green coloured was the water but only from certain angles.

Start of Lairig an Laoigh track

The beauty of this rugged countryside starts to unfold as we turn right and head up the track following the route of the Lairig an Laoigh.

Bynack More just in sight from coffee stop

Food break taken and the sight of Bynack More on the left as we look up the track winding its way up the hill with our target peaking through, what a sight.
The climbing gradient is gentle for a Munro but the wind is blustery and letting us know what is potentially waiting for us.
Making good time we reach the plateau with very strong winds at times but grey skies ahead but blue sky back towards the north, which will win out?

Bynack More from plateau

When we take the right turn the majestic top of Bynack More is in our sight, just one steep section left.
As we ascend the narrow track the wind tries its best to knock us over, hands on at times we make our way upwards.

The steep final climb

We kept to the lee side to miss the worst of the winds and then hit the boulder top where avoiding the gusts trying to knock us off our feet was the first priority.

Summit looking north

Finally the cairn is reached and despite the greyness the views are extensive and superb. Cairngorm top itself, the tors of Ben Avon and the views over the Moray countryside.

Lunch looking over the marshy plains

With the strong wind the priority was to get off the top to find a sheltered spot for lunch allowing us to take in the panorama of the Cairngorm plateau, majestic. However after only a few minutes of gloves off my fingers were stinging, yip early September and it is freezing cold.

Good view of the shepherds hill on descent

The return was by the same route with the temperature rising as we descended, taps off!!
An excellent walk in super company another super walking day.

Wildlife: Red squirrel; Meadow pipit; Stonechat; a skein of geese (no idea which type).
Time: 6.37
Ascent: 2708ft (m)
Distance: 14.19m (km)

Cruban Beag a short sharp A9 excursion

Hill: Cruben Beag
Category: Sub2k
Height: 590m

Park at Falls of Truin.
On my way to Aviemore I decided to stretch the legs and take in a hill that I had been keeping my beady eye on for some time. What attracted me was the dual cairns that can be seen from the A9, which of course are not the summit, it is some way behind across pathless moorland.

Cruban Beag ahead

The Falls of Truin car park had more water than the falls but I fitted in without getting my feet wet when changing.
From here the two cairns and the communications mast can be seen. The only problem is to get there.
I had a look down at the Falls but no salmon leaping today although the water looked an ideal height. No doubt one somersaulted as soon as I left.

Head for the gate nae coos

Followed the track behind a cottage and spotted a gate across the field which appeared to lead to the hill. Cow pats but no cows to negotiate.

Head up the gap

I then followed a water course up the grassy slopes for a while and there odd track simply heading for the first cairn which I could now see against the blue sky.

Cairn 1 with cairn 2 behind

When I reached it I could see the second but smaller cairn but I was here so a visit to it was a must even if slightly out of the way.

Cruban Beag ascend somewhere up the front face

Rough moorland walking but I can see the target with a barbed wire fence in front to get across. Too small for a deer fence but there are cattle on other side so I suppose for them.
A golden eagle soars and calls nearby, not seen one for a while.
The crags in front are steep but from here I can make out a faint gap in the bracken, a track? Deer are around I must have saw a dozen and more and I think most of the tracks are theirs, probably not enough humans up here to create a track.

Thin heather trail

Climbed over the barbed wire fence and head for the spot. Yip it is a steep muddy thin track and I clamber up, thanking god the heather roots are strong as they were needed to pull me up at times.
Of course up top there was another moor tramp before reaching the trig.

Cruban Beag trig

Newtonmore just slightly north and over a bit the plains heading into Glen Feshie.
The views are excellent but rain is not far away out to the west and the prevailing wind bringing it this way so no point in lingering. The steep ascent was a lost worse on the descent but I made it. The heather roots definitely required on the descent.

Rainbow begins to appear

The light rain was creating some beautiful rainbows. The views up the plains to the Cairngorms superb with the colours bordering them.

Full rainbow now

I decided to simply follow my ascent trail, no circular romp today.
Someone had cut two barbed wires up this end so no problems this time scaling it.

Cairn 2 looking up north

As expected no humans to be seen today, just me, the red deer and the beautiful golden eagle. I enjoyed the short walk, the sense of isolation and glad I stopped the car.

Wildlife: Red Deer; Golden Eagle; Meadow Pipit; Black rabbit.
Time: 2.09
Ascent: 384m
Distance: 5.4km

Back to the Glen Striddle Horseshoe

Hill: Beinn Dubh (Luss)
Category: Graham
Height: 657m

Weather forecast promised to be kind to us as the Ayr OIR headed to the Luss hills to walk the Beinn Dubh and Glen Striddle horseshoe.
Large boulders have recently been deposited in the ad hoc parking area presumably forcing people to go into Luss for the £1 an hour parking. But just enough room to squeeze in our cars.

Bracken track

A pleasant warmth in the air as we headed up the bracken covered slopes. This is a short hill walk but it is a constant gradual climb from the outset.
A path through the ferns then out into open country.

Excellent views back to Loch Lomond

Before long you want to stop and look back as the views open over Loch Lomond and many of its islands. The engine drone of the tourist seaplane can be heard and then spotted in the grey sky as it heads out the coast.
On your left hand side the steeper looking slopes to Ben Eich and Doune hill are impressive.

Clear route to Beinn Dubh

This is a popular hill so there is a good track, albeit boggy at times, all the way to the top.
Just before the summit of Beinn Dubh the good weather had changed a bit, more cloud and a cool breeze, ‘taps’ on.

Beinn Dubh cairn

From the top the views were not the blue sky ones promised but nevertheless superb views of a stunning range of hills. 

Glen Douglas hills in foreground, Arrochar Alps on the skyline

The Arrochar Alps in full directly ahead. To the right the Lomond/Crianlarich range include the pointed tops of Ben More and Stob Binnein. Last but not least Ben Lomond and the Ptarmigan ridge. 

Looking back to Beinn Dubh

Add in all the local Luss stuff and a mightily impressive viewing point for a small effort.

The horseshoe to Mid Hill

The ridge top across the horseshoe to Mid Hill (the highest point) was boggy but straightforward. Looking down into Glen Douglas it was impressive a good feel for the height gained in the walk.

Glen Douglas and Ben Lomond

Further along gave us a great viewpoint for lunch looking steeply down the grassy slopes into Glen Striddle with Loch Lomond directly ahead, spoilt are we not?

The view makes lunch taste better

Finally the descent off Mid Hill was much drier than I remembered from my last outing here, today just very wet on the lower slopes.
Sadly the finale is a two mile tarmac trudge back to the cars back the conversation and scenery help it go past quickly.
Another superb day out, in good company, taking in the fantastic Scottish landscape.

Wildlife: Buzzard, Raven,
Time: 4.01
Ascent: 2316ft
Distance: 6.91m

Beinn Bheula a challenging but fun Corbett circuit

Hill: Beinn Bheula
Category: Corbett
Height: 779m

Am I in dreamland I wonder, as I pull the curtains to see a blue sky morning, it seems an eternity since that happened. 
Not dreaming as it turned out it was a perfect day for walking, crisp air giving fantastic views from an excellent but tough walk. I can't remember a descent with such varied awkward walking and challenging terrain, still all part of the day out.

First view of Beinn Bheula

Still glorious weather when we set out initially following the Cowal Way hard track until we diverted left following the Way into the woods. I remember the Cowal Way across the water being a boggy trench and this side is no different. The path was a slippery deep mud section, the sides where navigable not much better, a few laughs when bodies slip.

Impressive falls

The Way route climbs up the sides of the very impressive waterfalls of the Struth Ban burn, more impressive with all the recent rain. My first mishap, heel slips and a very wet and muddy backside!!
The track does not improve but before long we head across the hill towards the distant fence, our guide for a short section.

Follow the fence but still rough walking

The views looking back are mighty impressive, all 4 Corbett’s across the water stand out against the blue sky. 

Loch Goil and the Corbetts

When we reach the crags at 636 the views open out across Argyll with the Mull hills looking remarkably close, just stunning, this is what I do it for.

Heading up to the gulley

The final section up the steep and narrow gulley is a leg muscle burner, hemmed in between Creag a‘ Bhuic. Checking the GPS later some of the gradients almost reach 50% and much is in the 40%, steep indeed. But stop and look back down, what a view.

Trig with Mull hills in the distance

Thankfully it eases of and the trig soon reached, very glad to see it and what a spot to have lunch looking down the coastal waters and across to Arran. What can you see, well everything today.

Great spot for lunch

A sample included the peaks of Luss, Tyndrum, Jura, Cruachan, possibly Glencoe as well as all the local stuff, what a spot. We did debate if Ben Nevis was just in sight, a maybe!

The ridge

We opted to walk along the ridge then descend via Lochan nan Cnaimh and make it a circular route. Additionally to look for the WW2 plane wreckage. If I thought some of the ascent was rough, as mentioned earlier the best/worst was to come.
We followed the ridge for a bit but started the descent too soon looking for the wreckage that someone in the group thought was close by. As it turned out if we had just followed the Walkhighlands route we would have came across part of it.

Wreckage

Steep grassy slopes with plenty of hidden hollows and holes careful walking.
We then found part of the wreckage ‘a Grumman Marklett fighter struck the mountain here in 1940, killing the pilot‘. 
Below us Lochan nan Cnaimh stands out, the only issue being more of the same moorland tramp with all its traps. Lots of deer around and their weight created extra hole traps.

Luss hills behind the Lochan

Finally we reached the loch, it looks a great place for a camp, a spot of evening fishing and wild swimming if you fancy. There is a small building across the water not sure what that is for up here. 
The ground has plenty of blaeberries to pick and eat, very nice indeed, blue tongues Pict style. 

Open moorland descent not as easy as it looks

Super views looking back up the hill. 
We leave the Lochan and head to the nearby forest and the real fun begins.
We started to follow the burn but the track was an eroded gloopy mud slide, dangerous to slip down into the fast running rocky waters of the burn.
So into the forest for a patch. If you’re a fungi fan with knowledge this floor was littered with them, many varieties. Deep slopes and if you slipped and crashed into these trees there was a good chance of a branch impaling you so again care and concentration.

Thankfully nobody fell in

The burn water was running high so the crossing was an obstacle but despite cameras out nobody fell in.
The firebreak section started reasonable enough with a faint path but it was no walk in the park, rough going. When we exited the forest there was a trail for a bit but it soon became a dangerous walk including clambering over large trees and many hidden holes.
We eventually found a better track about 5 metres above us, thank the lord and followed it back to the hard track near the falls.
Super views over Lochgoilhead and the Arrochar hills on the descent.
An amazing walk and probably the hardest Corbett circuit I have done, this fully justified its tick.
A cracking day with excellent company, hopefully a few more Autumn days like this.

Wildlife: Buzzard; Meadow pipit; Frogs; Vole; Red deer
Time: 4.49
Ascent: 2678ft 
Distance: 7.93m