Cnoc Coinnich

[dave munn]

Finally a dry day and a few days off school to get on the hills. Had read that there has been forestry operations in Coillessan and car park at bottom of glen was closed. Wasn't fussed as needed the exercise and parked at forestry car park in Glen Croe. Dozens of drivers stopped there whilst I got ready only to find toilets locked- disappointing given this is the February break and the area was busy.
Headed off in bright sunshine, passing signs suggesting car park in Coillessan was indeed shut. Pleasant enough walk-in. At car park there were some vehicles and a sign saying forestry operation continuing in glen until September 2022.
Clear that all the felling around car park was completed so for those wishing to save themselves some tarmac tramping, the opportunity is there. Weekends I would expect to be fairly quiet, but today (Monday), logging lorries were up and down constantly- there are limited passing places so be warned if you are here midweek,
Up the glen there was felling going on but the safety staff were on hand to let walkers pass after the briefest of delays. These logging machines are extremely impressive as they strip branches and cut the logs up ready for removal.
Wasn't long before I was well up glen and at end of forestry track and clambering up to the bealach on the Cowal Way.
Bit wet underfoot, but overall much better than I anticipated given how much rain there has been.
Quite a well defined path from the top of bealach most of the way to the summit. Took less than an hour from here, despite cloud rolling in a stiff breeze, spoiling the views.
Managed to come down easily between the crags to shorten descent as visibility improved coming down and back at gate into forest within half an hour. Good stretch of the legs. Cobbler and Ben Lomond were looking great with significant snow cover.
Have always loved seeing Ben Lomond from the West, especially with snow cover. As you drive between Arrochar and Tarbet it is an impressive pyramid with an inviting ridge.
Was great to be in this area today. The Steeple, The Saddle, Ben Donich and The Brack- This was where I cut my teeth in hillwalking as a teenager in the '70s. We had a caravan at Loch Goil then and were up there every weekend. My eyes were drawn to the surrounding hills and eventually climbed them all with my dad or cousins as we began learning by mistakes and errors how to go about this lark. Time in the Scouts and then the school hillwalking club has led to a lifetime of enjoyment.