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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.
IMG_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!
It was a bright cold day in April, but the clocks were not striking thirteen, and Auchlyne was looking idyllic.
IMG_0001 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
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Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
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Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
A cosy little house
IMG_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.
IMG_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.
IMG_0007 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Waterfalls along the stream
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Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Moss campion?
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Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
A lochan on the moorland
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Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
More waterfalls
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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)
IMG_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.
IMG_0012a by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
A better proportioned view of Sgiath Chrom, from the pond.
IMG_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...
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Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
...and north.
IMG_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.
IMG_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".
IMG_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.
IMG_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.
IMG_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.
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Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The view east from the top of the prow.
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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.
IMG_0021 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Meall Ghaordaidh
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Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Beinn Cheathaich and Meall Glas, with Beinn Challum just visible behind
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Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Ben Lawers
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Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Beinn Cheathaich and Creag Mhor
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Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Beinn Challum and Meall Glas looking Turnerish
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Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Ben Lawers may be big, but it was dwarfed by this colossal cloud
IMG_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.
IMG_0030 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
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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.
IMG_0032 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
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Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
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Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
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Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
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Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Four candles, or is it six? (Be very grateful if you are too young to understand that)
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Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr