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Fionn Bheinn for a rest

Fionn Bheinn for a rest


Postby mrssanta » Sun Jul 13, 2014 8:23 pm

Route description: Fionn Bheinn, Achnasheen

Munros included on this walk: Fionn Bheinn

Date walked: 09/07/2014

Time taken: 5.15 hours

Distance: 10 km

Ascent: 790m

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Geologically speaking, they tell me, this mountain is one of the Fannichs, so if we did the nine on Monday and Tuesday, then really on Wednesday we had to finish them off. And we needed a hill that was not too enormous.
Having cycled back from Fannich Lodge first thing in the morning we had a short drive to Achnasheen where we called in to the cafe at the station. Although it was not officially time to serve bacon and egg rolls, the lady in the cafe was happy to make them for us, with three rashers of perfectly frizzled bacon and an egg with just the right level of drippiness. mmm.
It must have been well after 11am by the time we set off up the path following the route as recommended on the website. (if you look in the Walkhighlands book the instructions are incorrect, but some helpful signs point you in the right direction).
I won't post a GPX of our route as we followed the WH recommendation. It was quite hot as we set off and the path up by the burn was very pleasant. To our left there is a new bulldozed track with heavy machinery at top and bottom constructing something - is it a small hydroelectric scheme?
fannaichs 140.jpg
From the path up the side of the burn, showing an interesting bit of glacial sculpting of the valley floor, and the more recent track up to the ??new hydro installation

fannaichs 141.jpg
view opening up to the south west-ish

fannaichs 144.jpg
Work going on at the top of the steep slope

When the slope started to ease off we struck off to our right and from here on there was no path, but occasionally we found traces of boot prints. The views to the south were lovely if not spectacular, and to our left we could see Slioch appearing between the two hills. We managed to avoid the worst of the peat hags, and it was very dry underfoot so no real problems.
fannaichs 145.jpg
We nearly lost Mrssanta in a bog!

fannaichs 146.jpg
attempt at arty shot showing a nice wet bit of Sphagnum moss and looking south to some more hills

fannaichs 148.jpg
I really wouldn't fancy walking across here one bit!

Eventually we reached the top, just as a cloud came over and obscured the view into the Fannaichs. :( I did take some pictures but they don't really show anything much.
We came down off the top and the sun came out again. We found a nice sheltered spot where we ate some snacks and lay in the sun for a while. I'm sure Rudolph was snoring a bit.
fannaichs 156.jpg
Having a rest

So then it was time to go down. This time because we could see the lie of the ground from above we managed to steer a route avoiding peat hags completely, getting back to the car a little after 4.30pm.
fannaichs 157.jpg
view to Slioch between Fionn Bheinn and Meall a'Chaorainn. That's tomorrow's project.

fannaichs 158.jpg
Sundew

fannaichs 159.jpg
Achnasheen

By this time, all I wanted was SOUP, so we went off in search of it before the next adventure. And we found some wonderful soup in the Kinlochewe Hotel.
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mrssanta
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Re: Fionn Bheinn for a rest

Postby Border Reiver » Sun Jul 13, 2014 11:01 pm

Enjoyed this report, especially the "having a rest" photo. Lying in the sun in a sheltered spot after a climb is one of life's little pleasures. We always make time to stop frequently these days and enjoy the surroundings.
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Border Reiver
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Re: Fionn Bheinn for a rest

Postby railton22 » Mon Jul 14, 2014 8:49 am

Ah remember this little beauty. It was our second Munro ever...and we got midged to death on the ascent. :-x Had to scrape the pesky blighters off our faces and the dog's ears took a battering too. It didn't put us off though...but we DO now have midge nets!
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Re: Fionn Bheinn for a rest

Postby Bod » Mon Jul 14, 2014 2:34 pm

Nice one, and very well done the pair of you! Recognise the "happy face mugs" .... now where did I see those :D :D :clap:
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Re: Fionn Bheinn for a rest

Postby AnnieMacD » Mon Jul 14, 2014 9:12 pm

Nice to see this in good weather. I was up on a miserable day and all I remember (other than the views into the corries) are the miserableness! Good to know the café in Achnasheen has opened again.
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Re: Fionn Bheinn for a rest

Postby Huff_n_Puff » Mon Jul 14, 2014 10:31 pm

Lovely - did this hill 15 years ago and had to laugh when you said you were almost lost in a bog - that was almost my fate too :lol: :lol: Thanks for the memories :lol:
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Re: Fionn Bheinn for a rest

Postby mrssanta » Wed Jul 16, 2014 2:28 pm

Border Reiver wrote:Enjoyed this report, especially the "having a rest" photo. Lying in the sun in a sheltered spot after a climb is one of life's little pleasures. We always make time to stop frequently these days and enjoy the surroundings.

that was lovely as there was no wind to make us cold.
railton22 wrote:Ah remember this little beauty. It was our second Munro ever...and we got midged to death on the ascent. :-x Had to scrape the pesky blighters off our faces and the dog's ears took a battering too. It didn't put us off though...but we DO now have midge nets!

I forgot my midge net on this trip - BIG mistake!
Bod wrote:Nice one, and very well done the pair of you! Recognise the "happy face mugs" .... now where did I see those :D :D :clap:

Thank you! we were thinking of you on An Teallach and hoping the cloud did not come in on your summit as well. Glad to hear you had a good day
AnnieMacD wrote:Nice to see this in good weather. I was up on a miserable day and all I remember (other than the views into the corries) are the miserableness! Good to know the café in Achnasheen has opened again.

The cafe was very pleasant, and the toilets at Achnasheen station are spotless.
Huff_n_Puff wrote:Lovely - did this hill 15 years ago and had to laugh when you said you were almost lost in a bog - that was almost my fate too :lol: :lol: Thanks for the memories :lol:

it is amazing how deep some of these tiny ponds are!
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mrssanta
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