And after the rain.......comes sun

[PeteR]

If my day on the Deargs on the Saturday had been something of a trial in worsening weather, walking in sodden boots and ending up descending down through a forest of bracken and trees then the Sunday was looking much brighter as I poked my head out of the tent at the Broomfield campsite early that morning.

Blue sky Oh yes, this was more like it

Good morning world!

Making my way off Beinn Dearg the day before and my plans for the Sunday were being shelved in my head. I’d planned to do Sgorr Ruadh and Beinn Liath Mhor and possibly the Corbett Fuar Tholl. S*d that, I was wanting something a bit easier for my second days walking

So, as I was enjoying my breakfast of beans and sausages an alternative plan was hatched to finish off the Fannaichs, with the easy walk up Fionn Bheinn A nice, leisurely early morning getting myself sorted with my tent and stuff and then I was off. Engine light still on the car (have since discovered it is the knock bolt sensor, which means as much to me as Einstein’s theory of relativity, or why MrsR feels the need to watch E! TV )

Anyhow, I was eventually parked up at Achnasheen and getting ready for my short walk up Fionn Bheinn. I can’t say I enjoyed putting on my sodden boots from the day before Hopefully I can get them to last till winter, when my new winter boots can make an appearance

Sgurr a Ghlas Leathaid from Achnasheen station

Early view of Clen Carron hills

Apart from very wet boots my other misfortune from my Deargs doing was a bad case of chafing Oh my, was I chafed.......and in places you don’t mention in polite conversation Note to self for the future.......Vaseline

My gait must have resembled that of John Wayne or some other old spaghetti western actor as I headed off. Thankfully it did ease off as the day wore on, but boy was I sore when I started

The initial route of the climb up, to the boggy plateau

Sgurr a Ghlas Leathaid from the initial climb up

Achnasheen on the way up

The initial climb up onto the boggy plateau was nice and straightforward......save for stepping in to a stinking boggy section at one point This really wasn’t my weekend That aside the path winds up close to the Allt Achadh na Sine, where there are some nice sections of water tumbling over the rocks

The view of Fionn Bheinn as I headed onto the plateau was a little uninspiring Something of a bland, round, grassy lump The delights, as I was to discover once I had navigated the bog and apparently pathless climb up the side of the hill, were to be found on the other side of the hill

Mmmmmm, is that it?

Got an inviting taster of the mighty Slioch on the way

The mighty Slioch

I’ll let the pictures from near and on the summit tell it all from here

Beinn Liath Mhor, I believe

Looking up to the summit

View down the Fionn Bheinn ridge

Loch Fannaich and the Fannaichs

The Fannaichs

Ah, An Teallach!

Sgurr a Ghlas Leathaid

View to the south

The trig on the top

Slioch and those majestic hills of the Fisherfield

Torridon, torridon. Eighe and Liathach

Can't wait to get close up and personal with these two

An Teallach and a bit of the Fisherfield

Another view south again

I would have stayed at the summit a bit longer, but despite the sun there was also a keen breeze, so I was all too soon on my way back down. I decided to just return the way I’d come, which meant going back through the boggy plateau An uneventful return trip, with good views all the way back toward Achnasheen and the hills of Glen Carron and beyond.

Fionn Bheinn and a nice little water feature on the way back down

Making the most of the view on the way back down to the road

And again...

Overall, despite looking a bit unappealing from the bog Fionn Bheinn is a good little hill, with great views all round if you are lucky with the weather as I was on my visit

[simon-b]

Nice to see you got the views this time Peter, some excellent pictures there. Were your trousers still soaking from the day before, or did you have a spare pair?

[pigeon]

Great pics pete Vaseline is an essential in my book,in the rucksac at all times

[Alan S]

Nice on PeteR The views from this hill look stunning

[PeteR]

Nice to see you got the views this time Peter, some excellent pictures there. Were your trousers still soaking from the day before, or did you have a spare pair?

Cheers simon-b. It was spare trouser time on this hill, so it made sense to step in the bog within 10 minutes of the start and make them filthy Great views from this hill though, so all the "fun" of the day before was easily forgotten

[PeteR]

Great pics pete Vaseline is an essential in my book,in the rucksac at all times

Cheers pigeon. A good hill this one, once over the bog. Great views from the top. And vaseline is packed now

[PeteR]

Nice on PeteR The views from this hill look stunning

Thanks Alan. Views really are great from the top The full 360 degree effect, as it stands out on its own

[simon-b]

Nice to see you got the views this time Peter, some excellent pictures there. Were your trousers still soaking from the day before, or did you have a spare pair?

Cheers simon-b. It was spare trouser time on this hill, so it made sense to step in the bog within 10 minutes of the start and make them filthy Great views from this hill though, so all the "fun" of the day before was easily forgotten

At least you remembered to pack your spare trousers, if not your waterproof ones!

[ChrisW]

What a fine wander Pete, one for me without a doubt. What are all those folks doing in your camp-site, shouldn't they all be at work or something Good to see you getting some sunshine too.

When you have 5 minutes take a look at this description of how a knock sensor works http://www.engineblox.com/?p=65

[PeteR]

What a fine wander Pete, one for me without a doubt. What are all those folks doing in your camp-site, shouldn't they all be at work or something Good to see you getting some sunshine too.

When you have 5 minutes take a look at this description of how a knock sensor works http://www.engineblox.com/?p=65

Cheers Chris. I'm hoping I may have turned the corner on the weather front, as it was sun all round yesterday too when I was out I read the article thanks, but thankfully car engines are still a mystery to me

[pollyh33]

Phwoarrrr PeteR, that's a fine collection of pictures you have there Fantastic!!!

Had to laugh when you said you just went back the way you came- did you use up all your sense of adventure tokens the previous day?

[PeteR]

Phwoarrrr PeteR, that's a fine collection of pictures you have there Fantastic!!!

Had to laugh when you said you just went back the way you came- did you use up all your sense of adventure tokens the previous day?

Thanks polly. I think the Big Man took pity on me and gave me a day to remember It's maybe not an exciting hill to walk, but being apart from the surrounding hills allows the views to be all the better I think

The adventure tokens are all restocked now Used a couple on Saturday (much to my walking companions disgust), but it was a stroll in the heather by comparison to the Deargs

[gammy leg walker]

Ah,thats much better,what I hear you say,read my other post 1st.

[PeteR]

Ah,thats much better,what I hear you say,read my other post 1st.

Cheers gammy. This was just to tonic after the day before. And it's well over 3,000 so it won't be taken away