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A little mist round Beinn Ghoblach

A little mist round Beinn Ghoblach


Postby TheTortoise » Wed Aug 26, 2020 9:40 pm

Fionas included on this walk: Beinn Ghobhlach

Date walked: 15/08/2020

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We followed the WH route, deciding that it would be good to have a shorter section of path on the return. We'd been along to Scoraig the previous day, when the cloud sat firmly on the tops all the time, so we knew that it was a good path. Following WH guidance, we chose what we thought looked like a good route through the steep heather, tussocks and crags. We were wrong, or maybe there really isn't an easy way up the first bit. It was very warm and humid. Each step kicked up clouds of midges, and I discovered that I couldn't see well though the midge net when walking towards the sun. Both of us ended up on different bits of steep too-deep heather and had to reroute. I was not at all happy, and we'd only just started going up! However it wasn't really very long before we popped out onto easier ground, but I still couldn't have a break because of the midges. Then it was much easier, sloping up gently, then a flattish grassy boggy area, though it has been so dry recently that this wasn't a problem. The view of the two tops from here is very impressive, and this approach, going up through the corrie is definitely recommended.
GHob.jpg
View of the twin peaks
The final steep grassy, then heathery, and finally stony slopes to the western top were more straightforward - out of the midge zone now, and cooler. We had lunch on the first top, looking across towards An Teallach and watching sea mist come slowly in.
IMG_20200815_132617Ghoblach.jpg
Watching the sea mist creep in
Then we continued on round the ridge, with a glimpse of Ullapool. This too was easy going, and we soon reached the summit where more hills came into view. We then followed the ridge a bit before a steep descent, easy at first then grassy, to the lochans.
IMG_20200815_142119Ghoblach.jpg
Looking over to An Teallach, and the way back between the lochans
Which beach to head for? The more circular lochan with crags above, the other larger, disappearing into infinity into distant mist, with little headlands. I chose the latter for a quick dip and the Hare paddled. It was very refreshing, giving me strength to go round the lochan, up and over and down steep grassy slope to the Scoraig path for the last section.
IMG_20200815_160154Ghoblach.jpg
Looking back at the summit

Here is the approximate route

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

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TheTortoise
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Re: A little mist round Beinn Ghoblach

Postby jmarkb » Thu Aug 27, 2020 12:34 pm

A fabulous little hill! I don't think you missed an easier route up the first section when you leave the path: we never seem to take exactly the same line twice, and it's always a bit rough going.
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jmarkb
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