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Day 2 of our October holiday mini-break in Ullapool and having had a pretty decent day yesterday on Stac Pollaidh, the forecast for today looked a lot more unsettled. The morning was spent hanging about the studio apartment procrastinating, until Debbie finally announced that she didn't want to go hillwalking today. She was going to wander into Ullapool for a few hours after lunch to explore, so I decided that I would nip up the Sub 2K Marilyn immediately at the back of us during what looked to be a decent weather window of a couple of hours in the early afternoon. We had spied the hill on Wednesday evening when we wandered into Ullapool via the hill path and nipped up to Ullapool Hill on the way. It looked like a fairly substantial hill with a bit of character, more so than many of these hills on my done list.
I quickly packed a little day pack before the weather gods had a change of heart and headed up the drive and the road that leads up to the transmitter masts at the top of the Braes.
The accommodation - Braes Studio Appartment The target from the service road to the transmittersAfter passing through the gate, I detoured down to the left a bit to get views over Ullapool before returning to the gate where I turned right onto a fairly boggy path rather than following the hill path further round to where I knew there would be decent access onto the hill.
Ullapool from just beyond the gateThis path followed a series of fire breaks deeper into the forestry until I eventually found myself faced with a dead end. Fortunately however I could see daylight and open hillside beyond the trees in the cul-de-sac. It looked like I only had 30 or 40 yards or so between me and the open hill, and the trees weren't too densely packed.
Beinn Eilideach from the transmitters Loch Broom and a transmitter close up and personal A rather boggy affair in the forestry Dead end aheadA quick clamber over a deer fence followed before I was spat out onto the open hillside. I climbed a little further to pick up a broad shoulder which looked like it would give me fairly straightforward access to the upper slopes and summit beyond.
Beinn Eilideach from the deer fence at the top of the forestry Hazy Fannaichs beyond Loch Broom This little hill has a bit of character about it!Although this hill has a bit of character and substance about it (it felt more Corbett like in many ways than a mere Sub2K), it is mostly about location, location, location, with grand views to the big attractions of Coigach and Assynt to the north, the Scoraig and Dundonnell hills to the west and the Fannaichs and Beinn Dearg hills to the south, as well as the views up and down Loch Broom and the seascapes stretching out to and beyond the Summer Isles towards the Minch.
Back down to Ullapool and Loch Broom with Sail Mhor and Beinn Ghobhlach dominating the skyline beyond The Coigach Grahams A hazy An Teallach Scrambling opportunity ahead Coigach Still looking a bit iffy over the Fannaichs Beinn More Coigach - I'm such a sucker for a view over a lochan!The summit did not come easily on this one - a few false summits and rocky knolls and a couple of dips before reascent had to be negotiated before the beast was in the bag, but eventually I stood at the summit where in keeping with the general feel, the summit infrastructure was more befitting of a bigger, loftier hill than a wee Subbie.
Substantial wee shelter within the outer perimeter of the shelter cairn It may not be one of the big boys but I have thoroughly enjoyed this wee hill Beinn Ghobhlach - a target for tomorrow? Coigach againThe rain threatened but came to nought until I was literally turning back into the driveway of number 18a The Braes (having decided to forego the forestry experience and take the longer way round via the stile at the far corner of the trees and the hill path back round below them). A bit of perfect timing for once. Maybe not An Teallach (again!!!!), but still a very worthwhile lesser light amongst the hills of Wester Ross.
The long and knobbly road home from the summit