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Stob Odhar - Highest Point in Knapdale

Stob Odhar - Highest Point in Knapdale


Postby iangpark » Wed Jul 15, 2020 3:36 pm

Sub 2000' hills included on this walk: Stob Odhar (Knapdale)

Date walked: 09/07/2020

Time taken: 4.5 hours

Distance: 16 km

Ascent: 914m

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Well I haven't written a report in almost 8 months, mainly for the fact that I've not climbed anything necessitating a report in all that time, really just climbing the odd already-well-documented marilyn or tump (the latter particularly during lock-down) but its good to see I can still bash one out when desired. Stob Odhar was well-deserving of a new report as JimboJim's two reports are now 6 and 7 years old respectively! Our caravan site in Argyll had just opened back up and it was high time I got around to climbing Knapdale's highest point. The parents were wanting to visit Ardrishaig so I got them to drop me off just below Erines 10 miles south, saying I'd be 2-2.5hrs - how wrong that was!


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I started the walk by having to walk almost a kilometre just to the forestry track, which could have been completely avoided by some simple prior mapping. Eventually I reached the bridge where you can turn off and there's a 'CRLS' sign - follow these to get to the top of Meall Mòr. The forestry track followed the stunning Abhain Strathain briefly before curving steeply north. A landy passed by me who I later saw at the top of the hill.

Burn-side track:
1 - track alongside burn.jpg


It was then some significant height gain up past where the forestry guys are likely staying, one of which had a caravan with possibly the most (in)appropriate name you could imagine. The wildflowers here were lovely - Selfheal, St. John's Wort and Tutsan (which I've learned doesn't appear to be invasive).

Oh dear:
2 - caravan.jpg


After this the path continued a little more flatly before eventually reaching a fork where another landy was present - again follow the 'CRLS' sign. The track continued to climb gradually with an ever-increasing view. Eventually the ridge in question came into view, albeit not where I'd be walking.

Higher track 1:
3 - higher track 1.jpg


Track to the loch:
4 - higher track 2.jpg


Southern ridge:
5 - west ridge.jpg


Eventually the summit of Meall Mòr came into view again too, but it was still a good half hour away. In a sense I was glad to have the track but was also getting bored of the endless serpentining! The sun was out and it was pleasantly warm although I was sweating buckets. A bit before the Meall Mòr ascent, Stob Odhar finally came into view as well, unimpeded by conifers, as did more of Kintyre.

Stob Odhar from a less inspiring angle:
6 - stob odhar from track.jpg


Higher track 3:
7 - higher track 3.jpg


NE Kintyre coast:
8 - NE kintyre coast.jpg


After one final bend and ascent I reached the hillwalk sign. I wasn't going to bother with Meall Mòr by this point as it had taken close to 1.5hrs from the drop-off to here and time was a little of the essence. I was surprised to find absolutely no human tracks at all despite the sign. Instead I jumped straight into the bog and got going - the terrain was pretty awful but was at least quite dry. I followed an ancient line of fenceposts down to a deer fence which was very difficult to negotiate as the wire was higher than the posts by a good couple of feet. After a fankle I was over and ascending the 10 minutes onto the ridge. Spotted a nice hind running off.

Hill walk sign:
9 - hill walk sign.jpg


Can you spot her?:
10 - red deer hind.jpg


Rest of ridge to the summit:
11 - rest of ridge to summit.jpg


This part of the ridge was much shapelier than I had expected and made for great walking with even some small scrambling opportunities. It was barely any time at all before I was at the trig but it had been 2.5hrs just to get there - a hard-fought marilyn if ever there was one!

Trig approaches:
12 - trig approaches.jpg


I was lucky to get some absolutely stunning views in all directions too.

Paps of Jura with Beinn an Oir mostly hidden behind Beinn Shiantaidh:
13 - paps.jpg


The E Islay coast with (for exceptionally well-sighted readers) the Rinns of Islay in the background:
14 - E islay and extremely faint rhinns.jpg


Arran in all her glory:
15 - arran in full glory.jpg


The south ridge from above:
16 - southern ridge from above.jpg


Loch Fyne and some Arrochar Alps (and maybe even more):
17 - loch fyne and arrochar alps.jpg


Meall Mòr from above:
18 - meall mor from above.jpg


Lochgilphead through the turbines:
19 - lochgilphead through the turbines.jpg


As usual, I didn't hang about long at all - some pictures and I was off. This time though I decided to go back along the full ridge which was well worth it.

Rest of north ridge from its shapeliest point:
20 - north ridge from bump.jpg


After some more sweating and careful descending I was back to the bogginess. I followed a sightline of two quartz rocks up to the track and began the long walk (run) back. My cardio is appalling at the minute so even with frequent bursts of jogging it was just under and hour back to the road. Other than the guy in the landy, I didn't see anyone on the whole walk. The parents were waiting, parked, at a passing place, having managed to keep themselves busy for the 2 hours' time later than I'd said I'd be! That's all of Knapdale's marilyns bagged now! Kintyre next?
Last edited by iangpark on Wed Jul 15, 2020 8:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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iangpark
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 318
Munros:81   Corbetts:17
Fionas:24   Donalds:89+52
Sub 2000:80   Hewitts:13
Wainwrights:16   Islands:11
Joined: Dec 29, 2015
Location: Kelty

Re: Stob Odhar - Highest Point in Knapdale

Postby PeteR » Wed Jul 15, 2020 8:14 pm

Think I'll be returning to your report at some point, as I still have the sub 2000s in this area to do.

They might be small hills, but some great views by the looks of it.
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PeteR
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Re: Stob Odhar - Highest Point in Knapdale

Postby iangpark » Wed Jul 15, 2020 8:47 pm

PeteR wrote:Think I'll be returning to your report at some point, as I still have the sub 2000s in this area to do.

They might be small hills, but some great views by the looks of it.


Aye great views Pete - I'd recommend Cnoc Reamhar - a bit of a hassle to get to but stunning in my estimation!
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iangpark
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 318
Munros:81   Corbetts:17
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Wainwrights:16   Islands:11
Joined: Dec 29, 2015
Location: Kelty

Re: Stob Odhar - Highest Point in Knapdale

Postby malky_c » Fri Jul 17, 2020 11:28 am

I like the look of that - almost went up it when I was working down there a few years ago but didn't have time. I'm sure I'll be back that way at some point.
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Posts: 6342
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Re: Stob Odhar - Highest Point in Knapdale

Postby iangpark » Fri Jul 17, 2020 1:16 pm

malky_c wrote:I like the look of that - almost went up it when I was working down there a few years ago but didn't have time. I'm sure I'll be back that way at some point.


A decent-sized day out! Can't believe my ascent was the height of a Munro :lol:
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iangpark
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 318
Munros:81   Corbetts:17
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Wainwrights:16   Islands:11
Joined: Dec 29, 2015
Location: Kelty

Re: Stob Odhar - Highest Point in Knapdale

Postby Rickeera » Mon May 03, 2021 12:15 am

I really fancy this walk, but dont fancy punting my dog over the deer fence.... Thoughts?

Were there a lot of deer/sheep around?

Thank you
Rickeera
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Re: Stob Odhar - Highest Point in Knapdale

Postby iangpark » Mon May 03, 2021 5:49 pm

Rickeera wrote:I really fancy this walk, but dont fancy punting my dog over the deer fence.... Thoughts?

Were there a lot of deer/sheep around?

Thank you



It wasn't a particularly high one - just very weak everywhere! Depends on the dog of course but I think you'd find a way! No sheep at all that I can recall, but was unquestionably a handful of deer around. Best of luck :-P
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iangpark
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 318
Munros:81   Corbetts:17
Fionas:24   Donalds:89+52
Sub 2000:80   Hewitts:13
Wainwrights:16   Islands:11
Joined: Dec 29, 2015
Location: Kelty

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