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Date - Sat 30/07/2011
Title - Meikle Conval, near Dufftown (abandoned going on to Little Conval)
Route - From Ben Rinnes car park up SW ridge to summit. Return same way
Weather - No wind (midge!), warm
People - Me
Time - 1h 15m
Distance - 3.6km
Ascent - 270m
Max Altitude - 571m
Had a few hours between commitments in Elgin so opted for a short walk over the two Convals. Original plan was to go up Meikle Conval and continue on to Little Conval but it was so calm and warm that the midges and flies were having a field day - could barely stop for 30 seconds without being swarmed by them. Not my idea of enjoyment.
Roll on winter. In the end I got to Meikle Conval summit and continued on briefly toward Little Conval before packing it in and turning around.
Tons of people heading up Ben Rinnes. I was the only one that went up Meikle Conval on the other side of the road. Easy enough walk up a thin path through the heather. I can imagine it'd be a bit boggy in parts, especially near the large peat hags, but it was dry and firm today.
Took a couple of snaps before arriving at the car park further up the road:
Meikle Conval
Little Conval
And this one taken last year from Ben Rinnes, shows Meikle Conval with Little Conval behind
Started from Ben Rinnes car park. Parked up at 10:30am - 2nd car there. By the time I had my boots on about 8 other cars had filled the place up. A few people set up a table with plastic cups and juice - no idea what for at the time - but during my descent I met a guy who asked if I was a race marshall
It turns out that there was a hill running race on that day. 100+ runners coming from Dufftown, over the 2 convals and on to Ben Rinnes before turning around and going back the same way. If I hadn't turned around I'd have came head on with all the runners going the other way! Wise move to get out of there.
Steep start but it does ease off
This pic I took last year from the Ben Rinnes path shows the path on the other side of the road
Looking back to car park
Ben Rinnes
Final push to Meikle Conval summit
Massive peat hag with Ben Rinnes in distance
Meikle Conval summit. Little Conval summit just showing in distance
Ben Rinnes from summit. Flags were all over the place to guide the hill runners
View to east
Looking to Little Conval from the point I turned around. Passed the only other person on the hill...... she would be passing 100 more.
Ben Rinnes
Scurran of Well on Ben Rinnes
Ben Rinnes summit
A couple of pics from Ben Rinnes last year.
Some nice granite tors up there
Good views, but they would have had the best up there...
