A pleasing route up Donachain, spotting the Greater Mossbird

[TheTortoise]

I hadn't been looking forward to this hill since failing to climb the Catnish bridge a few years ago, then being told by my more agile friends who had gone across that the day wasn't very enjoyable. Also the thought of walking a significant way through plantations did not appeal. However with short winter days, the approach from Glen Orchy seemed best. First we checked out the Catnish bridge (now has a notice 'unsafe, closed permanently'). Then we started from the forestry commission car park further up the glen. It was much nicer in the forest than expected, with helpful signposts, many open sections and passing alongside a burn

Frosted Trees

then into the Caledonian Pine Reserve (more birches than pines). A partially frozen ford provided a bit of entertainment, luckily most of the stepping stones were still ice free. We headed for Lochan Coire Thoraidh. Before we got there, as the ground levelled out, a splendid new track set off uphill. We decided to carry on to the loch and found a new species of bird!

The Greater Mossbird, only found in forestry plantations

When we were in sight of the loch, we followed another track going upwards into a firebreak to the open hillside. We ascended Cruach nan Nighean, admired the views, and set off over bumps and a ladder stile to the summit. There was a lot of frozen water around on the way across, which must have come from snow melt. We just had to be a bit careful on the steeper slopes.

Looking towards the summit

We popped out at the summit, which had a small cairn just below the high point, and another one a bit further on.

Summit cairn, towards Cruachan

We visited both, then returned for a slightly sheltered lunch spot between the two, with a good view of Starav.

Lunch view, Starav

On the descent, the wind had got up and it was quite chilly. We passed two similar shaped lochs.

Not the Heart Loch. looking to Achaladair

Heart Loch, looking to Ben Lui

Back at Cruach nan Nighean we could see that the first new track that we had ignored would have taken us more directly right to the open ground, so we headed for that on the way back.
Then it was back through the pine forest,

Pine

and I couldn't resist a short stop at a splendid picnic table. We were quite relaxed about returning down a forest track in the dark, but it turned out that this time we had allowed just enough time to return in daylight.
Our approximate route

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