A cloudy Rhinns of Kells circuit

[McMole]

When I started walking from the car park at Forest Lodge at about 9:30am, mine was the only car there. I had reserved Sunday for my walk as the forecast at the time promised a dry day and sunny periods. Forecasts are not static, and now, several days later, the probability of rain had increased and the cloudbase height had reduced. In fact all the tops were blanketed by cloud down to about 500m. Perhaps it wasn't surprising that the car park was empty.

170827 Rhinns of Kells WH.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

The first part of the walk along good forest tracks was well signed and I was soon at the turnoff for the hills. This became a bit boggy, but soon reached the rickety stile. I ignored that and used the nearby gate instead.

Leaving the forest with Corserine hidden in the clouds

From there a narrow path led me up Corserine and into the clouds. Visibility was perhaps about 50m for the next four hours as can be seen by my entire collection of summit photographs.

The best views of the day!

There was only one short but heavy shower which chose it's time very carefully and waited until I was half way to Carlin's Cairn with my rucksac and overtrousers sitting beside the Corserine trig point. My trousers soon dried after their soaking - mostly by draining into my boots! At least I was wearing my kagool.

There were good paths along the ridge, though in a few places they became indistinct. The poor visibility meant finding the continuation took a minute or two instead of being obvious. On Meikle Millyea I headed first for the true summit 400m SSW of the trig point. There are a couple of cairns there plus a rock that my Garmin claimed was the location of the true summit as declared on hill-bgging.co.uk. I visited all to be sure before retracing my steps and visiting the trig point. The path led on beside a wall towards Meikle Lump, followed it round to the east, then suddenly headed northeast away from it. I wondered at first if it was the correct way, but as it descended below the clouds I saw it was heading towards the right part of the forest. There is one short section on the descent that is a slight scramble where you should take your hands out of your pockets. Possibly the only time you need to do so all day.

Down to the stile with the forest road visible beyond.

The path arrived at a stile into the forest and soon after at another good forest road. From there it was an easy downhill plod back to the car to find it joined by only one more vehicle with nobody in sight.

Only two vehicles in the car park

Warning notices

It had been a fine easy day with none of the problems of the Mullwharchar circuit a week earlier. Paths all the way and only shorts stretches of bog to enjoy. I must return and do it again when I can see it!