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So here we go again, another weekend and another hill climbed. It's amazing how the hillwalking bug has gripped me this spring. OK, so Schiehallion may not be the hardest mountain to climb, but it was only my third Munro and I'm still building up those thigh muscles to propel me up the hills!
But this one has always captured my imagination, even before I had taken to walking. As a kid my Science teacher had told us how they had first tried to measure the mass of the Earth at Schiehallion. My Geography teacher had said that it was the place that contour lines had been invented. My History teacher had told us stories of the fabled fairy mountain and how they had shaped the people and clans of ancient Perthshire. This almost mystical mountain that kept reappearing had to be climbed asap.
So at 9am we set out from Falkirk and enjoyed the drive up through Kinross and Perth to Foss turn off on the A9 just outside Pitlochry. I tell you almost, as much fun as climbing Schiehallion is the drive getting to it! Along the 11 miles of single track road on the banks of Loch Tummel the wee road twists and turns... then wham! A whopping great Range Rover blocking the way.... my wee Astra was hopelessly out gunned, so after a bit of precarious reversing the Range Rover scraped past much to amusement of it's driver. I didn't care... the views meant the Range Rover was soon forgotten. Having blinked and missed the 'village' of Foss, we were soon on the Schiehallion Road and parking up at the Braes of Foss car park... paying £2 for the privilege. The car park is meant to have a toilet in it, but it doesn't and it's hopelessly small for the popularity of the mountain. I managed to wiggle the Astra into the last remaining space and paid the fee. I don't mind paying to help look after our countryside, but at least provide the facilities you say you are providing.
We hit the path a little before 11.30am with the sun shining brightly in the sky and the heather covered vista of Schiehallion on our right, with Meall Tairneachan on our left. The path is incredibly well made,in fact I think it's better than the pavement outside my house!
The path continues, zig zagging slightly as it starts to climb the moderately steep slope up onto the ridge and a set of ruins are passed quite early on in the walk.
As one climbs, more and more mountains become visible, especially to your left, the south, and back behind you Farragon Hill, Meall Tairneachan and Ben Vrackie become visible.
Around this point the summit finally comes into view and the path becomes noticbly rockier... a mild warm up for the boulder field to come!
A little furthher along we reached a small, conical cairn which is where I believe the old route joins up with the new route at the foot of the boulder field. I've never seen terrain change so dramatically in the space of two or three yards! From this ....
to this .....
The boulder field was a lot of fun to cross, as you concentrate on where to place your feet you barely notice that you're walking up hill. Having said that, the weather was fantastic on Saturday.. I'm not sure I would fancy it in icy and wet conditions as this is the underfoot conditions in a 'good' section!
There are so many boulders someone has built not just a cairn, but a wall!! Fantastic to sit on and enjoy the view whille grabbing a breather!
As you pick your way over the boulders, Loch Rannoch becomes very clear off your right, the north, with Beinn a'Chuallaich sitting proudly behind it and off to the left is a whole host of mountains, too many to mention, but as we neared the top I could see as far off as last week's climb Ben Vorlich and it's twin Stuc a'Chroin, then at the summit, off to the west, the king of them all Ben Nevis was shining like a snow capped beacon through the haze. I haven't been walking enough yet to know all their names, but here a few pictures from the top.
This is looking south with Ben Vorlich and Stuc just visible in the distance.
and to the south west
and to a west-north-westly view... Ben Nevis.
and back to the east.... a mountain 'floats' above the hazy cloud... which I think is Beinn a'Ghlo.
After the mandatory cup of tea and a sandwich at the busy summit, it was off back down the way we came, enjoying the sun and getting sunburn... in March!!
After a detour via Kinloch Rannoch, Schiehallion treated us to one last stunning vista from the banks of the River Tummel before heading back down the A9 to industrialisation.
I thoroughly enjoyed my day Rannoch-side, on the mystical mountain, but I think Ben Venue is still just edging it as my favourite.