Fiona offers a great view

[The English Alpinist]

Meall Dubh - or 'Beinn Bhreac' if you please.

This walk was preceded by 'My First Whiteout Walk'
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The Fiona in question is Beinn Bhreac, otherwise or formerly known (as on this site) as Meall Dubh, in the foothills of Seana Bhraigh near Ullapool. I have noticed that many Fionas have such identity crisis. This tends to be a height issue; meaning which part of the overall mass of moorland in that region is highest, but also possibly some confusion over whether we are naming the whole thing or just that knobble of it that is highest. In this case, the matter is settled. Beinn Bhreac is clearly the peat bog slope with the greater altitude, with Meall Dubh being its twin to the northwest but slightly lower. Even in the old days, as we see on the 44p map I used, Dubh was given 2,105 feet and Bhreac 2,168 feet. So, this important truth was known back then. The modern height given is 2,188 feet, thoroughly cementing Beinn Bhreac's victory. Furthermore, I have proved it to my scientific satisfaction on this walk: towards the top of Bhreac, I entered the snowline, but could see across from me the sad Meall Dubh completely without snow (even though it did 'look' higher I have to admit). They say a bullet does not lie (or Denzel Washington said it). Neither does snow. I went to quite a lot of trouble to get this proof: burn crossings, peat groughs etc.

One starts from here (also for Seana Bhraigh if you fancy).

My intended route following the dotted line to the south slopes of Beinn Bhreac.

My best guess as to what I did (with reference to excellent Harveys).

Easy start from Inverlael.

Choices, choices. To the right would be the Seana Bhraigh approach methinks.

Wrong already, but not very wrong.

Eididh nan Clach Geala will not be for today.

If I have not already sold the fascination and beauty of this walk, then hear this. I decided on it because of fatigue from yesterday's whiteout slog on Am Faochagach, needing an easy day wearing nice light shoes. It was not all that easy. This was because of managing not to access it in quite the 'right' way (if there is one), with confusing junctions of forest tracks (not all marked even on the best of maps methinks). I believe I found myself high up on 'Cam Mor', to the south and the wrong side of the glen. Not a huge glen, though, and only 1 km off track. Nevertheless, I had to cross a tricky burn to cut across to my sought-for Fiona. Just as I was beginning to worry if this would be possible at all (as the burn began to disturbingly resemble more a gorge), and fearing I'd end up climbing all the way to Seana Bhraigh itself (which I did not have the gear for much less time and energy), I found a place to make a well-executed leap for it.

From there, it was rough tundra and increasingly damp feet, another burn or two (but smaller), a spell of trench landscape, and I was there. A pond at the summit (which is marked on all maps) gives welcome reassurance of success. It's a curious area of drainage and rivulets, all looking the same, and I am very glad I did not attempt to navigate this approach/descent of Seana Braigh yesterday in bad visibility. At the top, though, you feel you are in a vast amphitheatre with all the big mountains around you in the distance - which includes, of course, a view of An Teallach. It's certainly worth the underfoot inconveniences to get there for the sense of space and grandeur, in the summer a blissful place to picnic or have a sleep I suggest. Getting down was more straightforward, but I've still not been quite able to match the dirt paths I experienced with those marked on either map, old or new. Anyway, the weather was looking up, and now I was psyched for a big Fannich Munro day.

Problem.

On track now (or 'course' rather).

Visual Proof that Beinn Bhreac is higher than Meall Dubh; the snowline.

The presence of the lochan removes any doubt I am on the correct bit of wasteland.

At the 'other' summit cairn, looking northeast.

Can't get too much of An Teallach can we?

The return crossing proved easier.

Let's reassert - these Fionas can be very nice walks and are worth doing.

This walk was followed by 'A Fantastic Fannichs Five'
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