Anyone know about wee cairn by big cairn on "That Yin"?
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 6:44 pmA few years ago I borrowed someone's copy of Hamish Brown's book "Hamish's Mountain Walk" in which he describes climbing all the Munros over a continuous three month period. It was a good read - especially the bits describing hills I'd done - and some things about ones I'd not done stayed stuck in my mind until I got round to doing them. It was like that with Stob a'Choire Mheadhoin and Stob Coire Easain - which Hamish referred to as "This Yin" and "That Yin". 
This yin and that yin (on right of Loch Treig) from Beinn a Chaorainn
We drove down the Great Glen, along the A86 and turned off on the minor road, which goes past the house where Rudolf Hess was reputedly imprisoned, to the tiny hamlet of Fersit. We parked at the north end of the pretty Dubh Lochan and got ourselves organised for the off. Our first sighting of this yin and that yin was of their heads in the cloud but by the time we'd reached any height the cloud had cleared and we were in for a beautiful day.
We decided to follow the Walkhighlands route south west heading up to the minor summit of Creag Fhinaclach, crossing the line of the old tramway from Loch Treig to Fort William. We were almost immediately in difficulty as a newish barbed wire fence bars the way which we couldn't get the dogs over without risking hurting them. Anthony managed to get over but I stayed on the north side with the dogs and followed the fence along to the west looking for a way through or across. This involved forging a way through bracken and wasn't the best start to the day.
Eventually we found a place we could get the dogs over and took a south east line to find the path up the ridge. It was pretty soggy underfoot. All in all I decided this was not the route we would be returning by! 
As we gained height views opened up of fiord-like Loch Treig in its deep trench between the Easians and the bulk of Stob Coire Sgriodain to the east.
Loch Treig
Fersit from Creag Fhinaclach
We followed the path up the long ridge to Meall Cian Dearg
Dogs fall into line
Grey Corries to the west
Stob Ban of the Grey Corries
There was a bit of hands on up some craggy bits near the top of Meall Cian Dearg and once we topped out we had a wee breather to take in the views.
View east from Meall Cian Dearg to Loch Laggan and Creag Meagaidh group
View north west
Looking down the ridge to the east
Ben Nevis (on right) from top of Stob a Coire Mheadhoin (this yin)
Excited dogs (wanting their carrots!) on top of this yin
Nice view of north western hills from here
Steep path from col up Stob Coire Easain (that yin)
View from top of that yin
Ben Nevis
View south to Rannoch Moor and Glencoe
Jack the lad's turn
We sat for a while drinking in the suberb views and enjoying a leisurely lunch. It was while we were there I spotted the tiny carefully made cairn beside the huge summit cairn. I wondered if it was a memorial to someone who loved these hills and if their ashes were scattered here... but maybe there's another explanation known to someone on here? You can see the wee cairn by the big cairn in the pic below.
Wee cairn by big cairn on Stob Coire Easain
View west from col
Reascent of this yin on the return
We decided to return the way we came but to take the steep path off Meall Cian Dearg down to the track by Loch Treig. I think this was preferable to running the gauntlet of the soggy path and the barbed wire fence. It was a bit of a slog along the road back to the car but easy walking and we couldn't complain after having such a perfect day!
This yin and that yin (on right of Loch Treig) from Beinn a Chaorainn
We drove down the Great Glen, along the A86 and turned off on the minor road, which goes past the house where Rudolf Hess was reputedly imprisoned, to the tiny hamlet of Fersit. We parked at the north end of the pretty Dubh Lochan and got ourselves organised for the off. Our first sighting of this yin and that yin was of their heads in the cloud but by the time we'd reached any height the cloud had cleared and we were in for a beautiful day.
We decided to follow the Walkhighlands route south west heading up to the minor summit of Creag Fhinaclach, crossing the line of the old tramway from Loch Treig to Fort William. We were almost immediately in difficulty as a newish barbed wire fence bars the way which we couldn't get the dogs over without risking hurting them. Anthony managed to get over but I stayed on the north side with the dogs and followed the fence along to the west looking for a way through or across. This involved forging a way through bracken and wasn't the best start to the day.
Eventually we found a place we could get the dogs over and took a south east line to find the path up the ridge. It was pretty soggy underfoot. All in all I decided this was not the route we would be returning by! As we gained height views opened up of fiord-like Loch Treig in its deep trench between the Easians and the bulk of Stob Coire Sgriodain to the east.
Loch Treig
Fersit from Creag Fhinaclach
We followed the path up the long ridge to Meall Cian Dearg
Dogs fall into line
Grey Corries to the west
Stob Ban of the Grey Corries
There was a bit of hands on up some craggy bits near the top of Meall Cian Dearg and once we topped out we had a wee breather to take in the views.
View east from Meall Cian Dearg to Loch Laggan and Creag Meagaidh group
View north west
Looking down the ridge to the east
Ben Nevis (on right) from top of Stob a Coire Mheadhoin (this yin)
Excited dogs (wanting their carrots!) on top of this yin
Nice view of north western hills from here
Steep path from col up Stob Coire Easain (that yin)
View from top of that yin
Ben Nevis
View south to Rannoch Moor and Glencoe
Jack the lad's turn
We sat for a while drinking in the suberb views and enjoying a leisurely lunch. It was while we were there I spotted the tiny carefully made cairn beside the huge summit cairn. I wondered if it was a memorial to someone who loved these hills and if their ashes were scattered here... but maybe there's another explanation known to someone on here? You can see the wee cairn by the big cairn in the pic below.
Wee cairn by big cairn on Stob Coire Easain
View west from col
Reascent of this yin on the return
We decided to return the way we came but to take the steep path off Meall Cian Dearg down to the track by Loch Treig. I think this was preferable to running the gauntlet of the soggy path and the barbed wire fence. It was a bit of a slog along the road back to the car but easy walking and we couldn't complain after having such a perfect day!
but yeah the dogs certainly get their exercise and they love it! 