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Big skies over Sgiath Chuil

Big skies over Sgiath Chuil


Postby HalfManHalfTitanium » Sun Apr 14, 2019 7:22 pm

Route description: Meall Glas and Sgiath Chuil from Glen Dochart

Munros included on this walk: Sgiath Chùil

Date walked: 02/04/2019

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We had done a walk on this interesting hill on a weekend trip to Killin in January. That time, we contented ourselves with the lower slopes above the pretty hamlet of Auchlyne, on a grimly clag-fast day.

ImageIMG_1086 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

But, doing that walk did convince me that the Auchlyne route would be the most scenic route to Sgiath Chuil. Reading other TRs, it also seemed like it would be much the least boggy!


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



It was a bright cold day in April, but the clocks were not striking thirteen, and Auchlyne was looking idyllic.

ImageIMG_0001 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

ImageIMG_0002 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

ImageIMG_0003 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

A cosy little house

ImageIMG_0004 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

A skylark was singing in the sky above me as I followed the winding lane up onto the hillside, where it joins the tumbling Auchlyne West Burn.

ImageIMG_0006 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The track climbs easily across the moors, with views ahead of Sgiath Chrom (crooked wing?) on the left and Sgiath Chuil on the right. The SMC book says "Sgiath Chuil is characterised by its prominent summit rock, resembling the prow of a ship." Perhaps the SMC are fans of JamesCameron's Titanic. I can imagine their committee members re-enacting the iconic scene.

ImageIMG_0007 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Waterfalls along the stream

ImageIMG_0008 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Moss campion?

ImageIMG_0009 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

A lochan on the moorland

ImageIMG_0011 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

More waterfalls

ImageIMG_0011a by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Sgiath Chrom from the track. The "overhanging cliff" is an optical illusion; this is not Scotland's answer to Mount Thor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Thor)

ImageIMG_0012 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

There is no path up the southern slopes of Sgiath Chrom, but I found myself leaving the track at the exact same spot, and naturally taking a near-identical line to last time, coming across remembered boulders and streams. Even some of the tufts of grass and heather had a familiar look, and I soon came across this pond which I remembered seeing (but not visiting) before.

ImageIMG_0012a by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

A better proportioned view of Sgiath Chrom, from the pond.

ImageIMG_0013 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Above the pond, it was a short step to dip in the hummocky, ill-defined ridge coming down eastwards from Sgiath Chrom, from where I took these two photos - looking east...

ImageIMG_0014 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

...and north.

ImageIMG_0015 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The terrain was easy going, but this area was confusing in mist, and was the deciding point for us heading back down when we were here in January.

Reaching the top of another hummock gave a view across towards the stormy clouds centred on Ben More.

ImageIMG_0016 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

And once I was past that lump, I finally had a view across the shallow corrie towards Sgiath Chuil and its "prow".

ImageIMG_0017 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Originally I had planned to include Sgiath Chrom in my walk, for the sake of the view across to Ben More. However nothing but gloom could be seen in that direction, so I crossed the shallow corrie to the north and headed straight for the top of Chuil.

A side view of Chrom from the corrie.

ImageIMG_0018 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The view back from alongside the crags of the prow, with a snow-capped Meall an t-Seallaidh, and the outline of Creag Mac Ranaich barely visible in the deep shadows its left.

ImageIMG_0019 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The topmost rock of the prow. This schist (presumably?) was beautifully textured. I should have put Kate Winslet's glove or something in it for scale.

ImageIMG_0020 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The view east from the top of the prow.

ImageIMG_0022 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The summit cairn, looking back across the corrie to the hummocky Sgiath Chrom ridge, Glen Dochart and a now more sunlit Creag Mac Ranaich.

ImageIMG_0021 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Meall Ghaordaidh

ImageIMG_0023 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Beinn Cheathaich and Meall Glas, with Beinn Challum just visible behind

ImageIMG_0021a by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Ben Lawers

ImageIMG_0026 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Beinn Cheathaich and Creag Mhor

ImageIMG_0025 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Beinn Challum and Meall Glas looking Turnerish

ImageIMG_0027 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Ben Lawers may be big, but it was dwarfed by this colossal cloud

ImageIMG_0028 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

By the time I got back to the track to Auchlyne, the day had turned more sombre. However Ben More and Stob Binnein finally appeared from out of the clouds.

ImageIMG_0030 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

ImageIMG_0031 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The final highlight of the walk was a little explore of the West Auchlyne Burn just above the village bridge.

ImageIMG_0032 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

ImageIMG_0033 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

ImageIMG_0033a by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

ImageIMG_0035 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

ImageIMG_0036 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Four candles, or is it six? (Be very grateful if you are too young to understand that)

ImageIMG_0037 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
User avatar
HalfManHalfTitanium
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 2992
Munros:119   Corbetts:28
Fionas:6   Donalds:6
Hewitts:152
Wainwrights:103   
Joined: Mar 11, 2015

Re: Big skies over Sgiath Chuil

Postby mrssanta » Tue Apr 16, 2019 9:42 pm

That was lovely. Your pics are much more arty than mine!
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mrssanta
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Re: Big skies over Sgiath Chuil

Postby HalfManHalfTitanium » Thu Apr 18, 2019 8:27 am

mrssanta wrote:That was lovely. Your pics are much more arty than mine!


Your photos are great! And you did well to manage both Munros. With a 300m drop between them, that was never going to be an option for me!

Tim
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HalfManHalfTitanium
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 2992
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Re: Big skies over Sgiath Chuil

Postby Alteknacker » Wed Apr 24, 2019 12:54 pm

Great report and great pics :clap: :clap: :clap: . These lot do look fine in this kind of mixed weather.
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Alteknacker
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Re: Big skies over Sgiath Chuil

Postby HalfManHalfTitanium » Wed Apr 24, 2019 6:07 pm

Alteknacker wrote:Great report and great pics :clap: :clap: :clap: . These lot do look fine in this kind of mixed weather.


Cheers Alteknacker - yes it was a great one for views of the surrounding (and bigger) hills - and the weather they were attracting!

Tim
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HalfManHalfTitanium
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 2992
Munros:119   Corbetts:28
Fionas:6   Donalds:6
Hewitts:152
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Joined: Mar 11, 2015

Re: Big skies over Sgiath Chuil

Postby EmmaKTunskeen » Wed Apr 24, 2019 6:36 pm

Beautiful dramatic photos and a great report. My legs feel quite wobbly after all those amazing stormy skies and the ship's prow an' all...
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EmmaKTunskeen
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Location: was West Sussex, now Ayrshire

Re: Big skies over Sgiath Chuil

Postby HalfManHalfTitanium » Thu Apr 25, 2019 9:15 am

EmmaKTunskeen wrote:Beautiful dramatic photos and a great report. My legs feel quite wobbly after all those amazing stormy skies and the ship's prow an' all...


Thanks! - enjoyed your report of An Teallach too - great photos - wonderful to see the sea eagle!

Tim
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HalfManHalfTitanium
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Re: Big skies over Sgiath Chuil

Postby Graeme D » Thu Apr 25, 2019 9:57 pm

What an amazing series of photos! :clap:
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