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With a good day forecast and few hills done this year, it was a difficult choice whether to go for the hills, or a good bike ride. Big Jesper was still working, so it gave me the chance to fly solo again and the attraction of two nearby hills, with limited navigational issues, proved too much to resist.
I left home early and about 8a.m, drove past the bridge where one starts, not paying enough attention, probably gazing at the hills too much. Five minutes later it clicked, I had gone too far and soon found the right spot to park, though it is a little inconspicuous at first, so just watch for that.
The track up to the farm, then left up the hill is straight forward enough. If wishing to tackle Beinn Eunaich first, keep your eye out for a wee cairn about two/three feet high on the right, which marks the path up a very steep slope. Not for me, I can tell you, though I did meet one rather mature chap, coming the opposite way, who had just done it and said, he was ready to do some running! Good luck, mate.
- Wee cairn by roadside.
Anyway, I carried on the track, to where it branches up to the right and as per the route described on the WH site, followed that up about another 100 yards before turning NW onto the hill proper, gradually finding a track, the higher up I went.
- On the ridge.
Once on the ridge proper, it was a fairly straightforward walk out to Beinn a'Chochuill, enjoying some good views towards Cruachan.
- Mighty Cruachan.
- Snow still deep, 3'
- Towards cruachan from Beinn a'Chochuill.
- Ben Cruachan.
- Westward to Connel Bridge.
After a quick snack, it was back along the same track, then a further drop down to Lairig Lanachan, with a good view of the track up Beinn Eunaich, which didn't take too long to reach.
- Route up Beinn Eunaich from Beinn a'Chochuill
- Cairn Beinn Eunaich.
- Beinn O'Chochuill from Beinn Eunaich.
- Kilchurn
- Loch Awe & Kilchurn.
Visibility and the views were good, but I remember being surprised at the steep drop, not far to the east, which I thought might catch you out in poorer vis. From the top, I enjoyed a fairly hasty, but comfortable treck down the ridge towards Stob Maol, though the descent from here, back onto the road, as mentioned earlier, is very steep.
Back at the car in about four and a half hours. A braw day!
- Coire Chreachainn.