Beinn Mhor from Benmore Gardens

[TheTortoise]

It was cold and sunny in the morning, with clouds and possibly hail due in the afternoon. Our lighter gear worn a week earlier was replaced by lots of warm clothes. However Cowal was supposed to have the best of the weather, and it was not too far for the two days that we had free. We chose the long route up Beinn Mhor, parking at Benmore Gardens, and hoping that at least we would have good weather in the morning. We skirted their grounds, before taking a forest track gently then steeply up through the trees. It was a bit of a pull onto A'Chruach, from where we could see the onward route, which looked rather daunting!

Looking back over A'Chruach

Looking ahead to the knolly ridge, Clach Bheinn to the R, and a VERY distant summit

However each knoll was not too much work and it made an interesting route.

Looking along Loch Eck

Our enthusiasm for knolls wore out at Creachan Mhor, where we had a snack, looked across at Capull Cloiche, and skirted it. Luckily there has been little rain recently, so the ground was dry for the next section, otherwise it could have been quite boggy. Then there was the very long but gentle grassy ascent to the distant summit. We took in the 731 top as well for views northwards, and had lunch there in a socially distant way, hearing the distant peep of a golden plover.

Looking North over Beinn Bheag

Then we walked over to the actual top with good views of Arran.

Summit view over Arran

We returned much the same way, it wasn't possible to miss out most of the tops.

The long grassy ridge, and Clach Bheinn to the left, and the distant knolly ridge

This is a splendid high level walk, and our longest hill walk for many months (yes we were tired but pleased with the training for future awkward Grahams). The gamble with the weather worked out really well, with quite a lot of sun and only a little occasional light hail.
Here is our approximate outward route. Much the same on the way back, avoiding one or two tops where possible.

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