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This is one of those remote and elusive hills that just cries out for use of a bike to approach. In fact, of the total distance there and back of 28.5km, all but 2km can be done by bike! Setting off early from the campsite at Grandtully (highly recommended - but gets very busy in midsummer), I arrived at the gates of the Talladh-A-Bheithe Estate beside the Bridge of Ericht Cottage just before 8am. There's very little space to park but I managed to tuck into the side without obstructing the tall gates.
Apart from a few broken up sections early on, the road is in good nick and you can keep up a decent speed for most of the way, despite the fact that it climbs 640m. In fact there are only a few places where the gradient is slightly challenging and after about 50 minutes I had reached the high point and locked up the bike (I always do just in case some scoundrel passes and fancies a free ride!).
From the road, it's an easy walk up to the summit after an initial lumpy section of grass and heather and I was at the summit cairn inside 30 minutes.
- Summit cairn on edge of ridge overlooking Loch Ericht
- Looking northwards from summit along length of Loch Ericht
- Beinn Bheòil directly opposite with (cloud-capped) Ben Alder behind it and Geal Charn and Carn Dearg behind that
As I sat there, a bank of cloud billowed up from the south and threatened to envelop the summit, but by some quirk it stopped just short of where I was stood and didn't spoil the views over to the west and north. By stepping carefully a few feet to the edge of the ridge, I peered over and could see the shores of the loch 500m below.
After a quick snack, I set off back down to the bike then enjoyed a fast and mostly smooth ride all the way to the car. The whole trip had taken just under two and a half hours! It was then a short drive to the next hill - Beinn Pharlagain....