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I was on duty during the day on Friday, so needed a venue which didn't take too long to drive to after work. I remembered the three Grahams at Barcaldine were a neat little round - a stay at the walled garden campsite at Barcaldine would be convenient. Plus we could drive back via Glencoe on Sunday and pick off Sgurr a'Choise and Meall Mor, giving a tally of 5 for the weekend. Nice work in principle. An uneventful drive up Oban way - some sunshine, some showers. It was pleasant and dry when we got to the campsite and were able to sit outside eating our tea as the midges were scarce. Result!
Drove the 5 miles along the Bonawe road to the starting point - there's a bulldozed hollow as the road turns round to the right at the River Estragan that suits to leave a car, maybe 2. Through the gate across the road and up a track - initially gravelled then becoming a slightly soggy ATV track. This leads steadily up Beinn Bhreac. Clag was down, obscuring the summit of our third hill, Beinn Mheadhonach over to the right. There's a large cairn at the summit, but this isn't the Graham, only a Simm. For the Graham you need to continue on half a km then follow the ridgeline right, heading for the 726m spot height of Mam Hael. Down to the right is the line of travel to nearby Beinn Morlurgainn, to the left lies Creach Bheinn. I did swither about nipping up - it's only a kilometre - but I thought that would be pushing it a bit - Corbett second round isn't on the drawing board yet
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Al, on Flickr
Beinn Bhreac
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Looking towards Oban
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Al, on Flickr
Summit Mam Hael
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Descent line
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Al, on Flickr
We followed the curve of Mam Hael round to the bealach with Morlurgainn and set off up the grassy slopes - easy going on short grass and heather. Reaching the top there's a cleft to be descended into and climbed out of before the summit is reached. We paused for lunch and looked across at the undulating terrain heading across to Mheadhonach. The cloud was starting to lift which gave cheer.
Morlurgainn
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Al, on Flickr
Mam Hael, Creach Beinn
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Al, on Flickr
Summit Morlurgainn
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Looking to Mheadhonach
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Al, on Flickr
A steepish descent SE towards Meall Dearg - we saw several large groups of deer who made haste towards Loch Etive. As we walked on we could see the the mountains across the Loch - Stob Dubh then the Starav Hills - Starav looking particularly impressive with its great rock prow poking upwards. A glance up north revealed the long outline of Beinn Sgulaird. We continued on to Meall Biorach and looked upwards at the steep and rocky route towards to summit of Mheadhonach. Allison was keen to try some scrambling up one of the rocky outcrops. It was hot work, made worse by a sudden ked attack - horrendous things, burrowing into my beard hair.
Meall Dearg
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Al, on Flickr
Stob Dubh
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Al, on Flickr
Sguilard
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Al, on Flickr
Starav
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Al, on Flickr
Loch Etive, Starav
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Stob Gabhar
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Al, on Flickr
Mheadhonach
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Al, on Flickr
View up to Glencoe
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Summit Mheadhonach
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Al, on Flickr
We reached the summit and enjoyed lovely views over to the Firth of Lorn before heading easily down westward for the 619m point then continuing on to the 387m height - getting slightly lost when I took over navigating from Allison. From here the descent steepened and took considerably longer than I'd imagined it was going to. There's a gorge in which the River Estragan runs, so either cross this high up, or head left for Inversragan, which we did. Descending steeply through ferns, we headed for a set of fields, the middle of which has a gate opening on the road. We stopped to pick brambles for the morning porridge before continuing up the 130m rise back to the car
At least it was sunny.
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Knotgrass Moth Caterpillar
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Back at the campsite I made the tea and we had a pleasant evening sitting out before dusk drove us under cover. Dry overnight - such a boon to be able to put the tent away dry and clean. We packed up and set off along the road for Ballachulich. Sunshine and blue skies - we knew it wouldn't last - the forecast being for showers in the forenoon and heavy rain thereafter. But it was a pleasant change to set off in the warmth of a sunny morning.
Our route took us along past the school and headed along the track into Gleann an Fhiodh. The mighty shape of Sgorr Dearg dominated the skyline to our right as we wandered along easily. We could see Sgurr a'Choise and Meall Mor up ahead, with a rather significant looking drop between them. We crossed a couple of streams and walked further into the glen until we reached a cairn marker, then turned left to cross the River Laroch. We spotted another couple up of the slopes of Sgurr a'Choise - other people on a Graham???
Sgorr Dearg
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Al, on Flickr
Our hills for the day
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
The river crossing was fine, on stepping stones and we set off up the steepish hillside, following a faint path / deer tracks to reach a col about halfway along the back of a'Choise. We caught up with the other folk and continued easily along the back of the hill, which was rock interspersed with grass/heather. As we progressed the ridge narrowed somewhat to the summit. We stopped for lunch, surveying the sweep down to Meall a'Bhuige and further on to Meall Mor. The clouds came down, it drizzled on and off.
River crossing
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Al, on Flickr
View back along the glen
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
We followed a path from the summit to a gate in the deer fence then set off up the southern shoulder of Meall Mor. This proved easier going than either of us were expecting, given the steep profile of this hill when viewed from the Glencoe road. To our right, Meall Lighiche and Sgurr na h-Ulaidh disappeared into mist, to the left the fearsome walls of Bidean nam Bian rose into cloud.
Descent route
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Sgurr na h-Ulaidh/ Meall Ligichte
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Al, on Flickr
Looking back on Sgurr a'Choise...
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Al, on Flickr
...a shapely hill
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Al, on Flickr
Summit to the L
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Al, on Flickr
We made the summit then retraced our steps to head down the NW shoulder. The map shows forestry plantations but fortunately these have been cleared and the going was easier as a result. We made for a gate in the deer fence then continued on to Am Meall, with the transmitter mast atop. So far, so good. The clag was really down now and made navigating a little challenging - particularly as I'd misread the route instructions in the SMC Grahams book. We were to follow a fence line then head to the south of the quarry, but I'd plotted a route that followed a diffenent fence and went to the north of the quarry. Let's just say that what's shown as clear hillside on the map is most definately not, and we struggled through trees, bushes, ferns and god knows what before finally getting back down to the road. But apart from that, a good pair of hills.
A "halfway" celebration - should have been on the previous summit
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Al, on Flickr
Am Meall
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Allegedly clear hillside
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Allison also made it halfway through her Grahams - not on Meall Mor as we thought at the time, but on the earlier summit of Sgurr a'Choise.
