free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
I had a job application to finish, but decided that I’d be in a better frame of mind for spurting mindless jargon if I’d managed to get myself a good day on the hills. I’d get out early and be back in plenty of time to get it done….
…or not, I didn’t get out as early as I’d have liked. But I was parked up at the end of the Glen Luss road (being a Monday it wasn’t busy and I easily bagged the single space) and making a very swift start as there were a few bugs out and about – is it really that time of year already?!
Walking up towards Edentaggart I managed to find the stile and beginnings of the path this time – managed to miss it last time and ended up annoying a farmer
Once out of the bottom of the glen the bugs had been blown away by the chilly breeze and I was faced with the long slog up Beinn Eich, definitely steeper than I’d remembered it
The good thing about the height gain was the view back down the glen towards Loch Lomond, and the fact that I had to stop to enjoy them
I was trying to work out which hill this was, to then discover that it isn’t a “thing” at all – horseshoes around there have since been discussed as it looks like a great area to explore
The thing-that-isn’t-a-thing
I was following bits of path and they led me on an interesting traverse across the hill – I followed it because I was curious and it ended up taking me so far around that I gave up and straightlined it upwards – who knows where I would have ended up
I remembered this weird raised section from last time
And then I was finally at the top – Beinn Eich, you b**tard
Looking North
Onwards – it was breezy and I had a job to apply for!
Looking back to the thing-that-isn’t
It was an easy descent from Beinn Eich down to the bealach which allowed me to give my poor injured self a bit of a rest…. Here was a decision to be made – do I go up Doune Hill first? The answer was a “hell no” so I set off on a traverse around to the next bealach over, passing some of Malcy’s pals on the way…
Cruach an t-Sithein ahead
My traverse was so good that I managed to not lose or gain any height, so I actually had to lose a bit to get down to the bealach! I managed to fall off a peat hag here which was both spectacular and undignified
The Cobbler hiding in the cloud behind what was looking like a tempting ridge…hold that thought!
Looking back to Beinn Eich and the-thing-that-isn’t
The bealach was a bit boggy but easily hopped across. I picked the easiest looking part of Cruach an t-Sithein and started heading slowly uphill. I had to stop for plenty of breaks
Looking down Gleann na Caorainn
Beinn Eich and Loch Lomond
Then I was there and I could see down Loch Long
Beinn a’ Mhanaich and Beinn a’ Chaorainn
Gleann na Caorainn
The Cobbler clear at last!
Cnoc Coinnich and The Brack
Doune Hill
On the summit of Cruach an t-Sithein at last
Loch Lomond behind Beinn Eich
It was cold so I sat down to enjoy a wee sandwich and study the map – I’d decided that Doune Hill was too far, so how to get back? I’d liked the look of the north ridge and contouring around into Glen Douglas but after looking at the map it turned out it was about 3 times further and more awkward than I’d initially thought. So no….
Gleann na Caorainn it was then! I went for a nosy at Creag Tharsuinn and dropped steeply into the corrie
Weird lizard thing
These crags are hidden from almost every angle so it was pretty cool to see them up close
Coming out the bottom of the crags I could see all the way down Gleann na Caorainn….it looked an awfully long way, and now sheltered from the breeze it was getting warm
I dropped down a grassy gully which was generally easy going and got me down quickly – I could see something of a path across the grasses and headed for that
Looking back up to Cruach an t-Sithein
It turned out that the path wasn’t really up to much, more of a sheep track and I was basically off-piste for miles. It was pretty though, and not as bad underfoot as a lot of things I’d been dragged along recently
Looking back I could see that progress was being made….
Creepy
The glen did flatten out and became much easier to walk on….I reckoned the track would kick in at the red house
Looking back
And then..at last..a track! This made progress much easier, although uphill to get around the end of Beinn Eich!
Finally back at the farm I skipped around it as asked (more uphill!) before dropping back to the car after a last glance at Beinn Eich, looked pretty harmless from here but I was feeling sore and had a job application to write…happy days
