Finishing Arran's Marilyns - Tighvein & the Urie Loch

[Chris Mac]

Tighvein.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

Afterb a thoroughly successful and enjoyable hike to Mullach Beag and Mullach mor on Holy Isle a few days before, the weather wasn't looking the best for the Sunday with the bigger hills still completely covered.

Luckily the smaller hills including Tighvein were clear so it was another short drive from Brodick to Lamlash to climb the last Arran Marilyn I had left to do. We parked at Dyemill picnic area, just like we had back in November 2006 when we last attempted the hill which, due to a misty & muddy route that day, we had turned back on.

The last time we did the route clockwise through the woods at the start so I decided to go anti-clockwise this time., crossing the smaller bridge further west instead of taking the forestry track along:
DSC_4410 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

It's a decent path taking you uphill and the Ross is soon in view during the ascent:
DSC_4420 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

On the way we tried some of the tasty brambles/blackberries:
DSC_4421 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The path quickly takes us to into the forest...
DSC_4424 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

the last time we attempted the hill this was a quagmire, much better today even with some recent rain:
DSC_4425 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

DSC_4429 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Long straight section:
DSC_4431 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

We were in for a surprise, at roughly the 220m mark on the path a new forestry track had torn down a swatch of trees, leaving a highway of sorts for us to cross, looking like an extension of the main forestry trail from Lamlash to Whiting Bay:
DSC_4434 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Once through there the path turns right after a while leading to a straight section up through the trees seen here:
DSC_4437 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

This section seemed familiar, it was at the end of this that Y wanted to turn back a few years ago!

At the end of the straight
DSC_4438 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

We get our first glimpse of Holy Isle through the trees:
DSC_4439 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Getting there, the path heads up the hillside and gets a bit steeper now:
DSC_4441 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Behind us to the north, Brodick's fairy hills the Sheeans (Sithein on the map) are looking good but Goatfell is still hiding in the distance:
DSC_4450 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Heading up the side of the Urie now, the hill giving the name to the Urie Loch which we are approaching on the way to Tighvein. We let this couple pass and said hello as they did:
DSC_4453 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Almost at the Urie...
DSC_4454 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Mullach Beag and Mullach Mor:
DSC_4455 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

We reach the large rock/summit of the Urie and the Urie Loch is now visible:
DSC_4467 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

DSC_4470 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Behind the loch is the summit of Tighvein, shown in the middle here with a trig point for those with eagle eyes:
DSC_4471 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The couple in front of us headed south around the loch, we would head north around this side of it towards Tighvein's summit:
DSC_4472 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

It would be one of the first walks where Y would have to deal with peat hags... this should be interesting!

It's a good thing we're on the smaller hills today, A'Chruach and Goatfell to the north were still covered:
DSC_4477 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

DSC_4480 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Urie Loch panorama:
DSC_4485 20180805_132146 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

We walked down to the shore and followed a path along the bank to the north:
DSC_4486 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The other couple at the other side:
DSC_4490 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The path ended at this point and I was hearing grumbles about no path ...
DSC_4494 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Quick, need a distraction... look a big hairy caterpillar!
DSC_4504 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

We were now onto the sponge bog of Arran's southern hills, typified by A'Chruach, not quite as bad further south on Tighvein but it still involved some routefinding in order to keep out of the boggier sections.

We passed the couple who went in front of us earlier, they mentioned walking to a stick summit, so I said that wasn't Tighvein's summit as it has a trig point but I don't think they were bothered about bagging the hill. Probably a good thing as if you are reading this you'll need to go back and summit properly!
DSC_4507 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

We headed towards the pole too but only because the walker was a tad easier slightly higher up:
DSC_4511 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Tighvein summit to our right, still a good 10 minute walk away:
DSC_4521 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Not Tighvein summit!
DSC_4544 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

We turned right and headed directly for Tighvein's trig pillar:
DSC_4545 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Almost there, no fanfare, just that last red balloon turning blue for me:
DSC_4546 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

I'll only be satisfied once I have visited every Hump and Tump on the island so my main task on Arran is still nowhere near complete.

Summit mound with trig point, cairn back left is slightly lower:
DSC_4549 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Bein a big, round, heathery and peat hag hill, the view isn't too great from the top with the hillside blocking most of it such as the view east to Holy Isle:
DSC_4551 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Looking south towards Cnoc na Garbad and the other Soothend Tumps:
DSC_4556 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Ailsa Craig just about visible, not the best day for the hills:
DSC_4559 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

I head over to the cairn for a seat and snack:
DSC_4561 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Looking back at the trig point:
DSC_4574 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Summit rock, this is just higher than the ground at the base of the cairn, no doubt about Y summiting unlike the couple from earlier who never made it this far:
DSC_4586 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

It was slightly chilly and drizzly but not too bad and looked like it may be clearing up a little...
DSC_4594 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Looking north to the Corbetts:
DSC_4601 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Definitely clearing...
DSC_4612 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

We sat and snacked while I pointed out some of the landmarks around us then decided to set off back downhill and head around the south side of the Urie Loch, Holy Isle in view on the way:
DSC_4618 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

We headed back the way we came but veered right a bit:
DSC_4621 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Approaching Urie Loch again:
DSC_4625 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Just up the hill behind the loch was a good spot for a photo, on any other day...
DSC_4629 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Urie Loch:
DSC_4631 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

We reached the south side of the loch and headed around before finding a faint path again:
DSC_4632 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

I was worried about the part with the reeds but it proved a lot easier to travserse than it looked:
DSC_4634 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Mushrooms:
DSC_4640 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Around the loch we followed the path back to the Urie summit:
DSC_4646 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Looking back at the Urie Loch and Tighvein:
DSC_4647 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Tighvein summit zoomed with trig pillar visible:
DSC_4650 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Down we went, back onto the main path:
DSC_4652 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

DSC_4659 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Holy Isle:
DSC_4661 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Typical... the view I was wanting only starts to clear on the way down:
DSC_4676 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Lamlash down below:
DSC_4680 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Back past the quit-point from a few years ago, luckily not a torrent of mud and water today!
DSC_4682 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Crossing the new forestry track again:
DSC_4688 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Back down through the fir tree avenue:
DSC_4691 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

And back out the forest onto the path:
DSC_4694 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

DSC_4695 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

No stags or eagles today, it was one for the little creatures:
DSC_4704 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

We pass the brambles again:
DSC_4708 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The Ross in view again:
DSC_4713 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Further down there are lots of options for paths to chose from and we lucked out and picked the best one, heading down beside the burn and passing a few pools and waterfalls:
DSC_4714 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Pools:
DSC_4717 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Waterfall:
DSC_4735 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Another pool:
DSC_4738 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

In no time at all we crossed the bridge at the start back to Dyemill car park:
DSC_4744 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Starved of a good view of the Corbetts and with the afternoon weather clearing a little, I of course had to stop at the viewpoint atop Lamlash hill for a few pics:
DSC_4746 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Beinn Tarsuinn in full glory, from Beinn Nuis on the left, right to the summit with Beinn a'Chliabhain & A'Chir it's two Graham tops, Arran's underrated mountain by far:
DSC_4749 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Cir Mhor:
DSC_4752 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Finishing with Goatfell:
DSC_4754 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

I felt quite chuffed and enjoyed turning my final Arran hill marker from red to blue when I got home. So it's only an Arran Marilyn completion but it's a start, not sure how long it will take me to complete anything else but i'll continue ticking them off as I go. Along with a few ridge walks in the Corbetts to bag some missing tops I've now got a focus on the Humps and Tumps of Arran for my next visit although i'll do these solo no doubt, I fully expect a lot more off-piste walking and from the Tighvein walk I know that it will only be me that enjoys it!