Hike and ride from Fassfern to Meall a' Phubuill

[DaveSan]

Bike: 10.3km Walk: 5.4km

Meall_a_Phubuill.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

This is a very short report, hopefully of some use for anyone wanting a quick ascent of this hill using a bike for the approach.
I was back at the car by 2pm, having climbed Beinn Odhar Beag and Beinn Mhic Cedidh and debating whether to make the most of the superb weather and tack on another hill or go back and chill in my tent in Glen Nevis campsite. Common sense would have been to choose the latter and save my legs for the next day! However, on this occasion, I went against common sense and headed for the car park in Fassfern (on the bend where it loops back towards the A830).
I gulped down a can of cherry cola then got the mountain bike ready to go. A quick check of the map again and I was off, out of the car park back to the road then immediately left along the woodland path beside the river heading north up Gleann Suileag. The going was good for a mile and a half until the track turned very stony and started ascending - I walked up this section and remounted when it joined a level forest track. A sharp left here and again the going was good, with a gradual downhill section all the way to a bridge on the left a few hundred metres before Glensulaig bothy.
I locked up the bike, crossed the bridge and set off up a good track in the direction of the hill (i.e. north). As the path flattened out, I crossed a burn and headed straight up the south face of Meall a' Phubuill - a uniform grassy slope with the odd boulder to add interest. The wind of earlier in the day had abated somewhat but I was glad it was behind me as I trudged up the slope.

I went up the hill to the right of the narrow gully, more or less in a straight line

Numerous false summits later I eventually reached the large flat summit plateau and headed for the summit cairn. I downed another can and took a few photos - the best view being to the SE of Ben Nevis and the Aonachs.

It had taken just a few minutes shy of two hours to reach the top - the descent was much quicker - about an hour in total, with the ride back from the bridge taking about 20 minutes.

[steverabone]

Thanks for posting this report. I'm intending to climb this hill later this year so the photo and account are most useful.

This is a hill that can be climbed by using public transport from the Fort William to Mallaig road or railway.

The 0850 bus to Mallaig from FW passes the Fassfern road end at 0907 and there is a return at 1654. It is a 10 minute walk from the bus to the car park.

Another alternative is the train at 0830 which gets to Locheilside at 0907. There is then a walk of about 40 minutes to the car park. The trains are back ot FW at 1701 and 1912.

I'd estimate the return walk from Fassfern road end to be about 6 and a half hours so there should be plenty of time and about another hour if walking to the station.