walkhighlands

Ben More path confusion

Date walked: 22/07/2022

Not intended as a full walk report, just to recount an experience I had yesterday when ascending Ben More (Mull) from Loch Na Keal, so by the direct and well worn path - or so I thought.

I set off up the lane which shortly turns left and ends at a white cottage, the Ben More path continues straight ahead off the bend. After a short while, beyond a gate, the path comes to a point where there is a small waterfall with a rusty old wire spanning the gap between fences on both sides of the burn. Unless you step over the fence, the fence forces you to swing to the left perhaps 30-50ft and then comes to an abrupt end so you are free to turn around the end of the fence and continue on a well worn grass path uphill. Because it has been some time since I last did this, I unwittingly followed this boring, boggy path for some considerable distance until it eventually rejoined the true path that I thought I remembered and to be honest I found that part of the walk an absolute chore with little to recommend it as I was constantly having to divert around really wet areas.

The original / proper path keeps the burn close by on the right hand side for the first part of the ascent and is much prettier / more interesting because there are numerous little waterfalls and clear pools somewhat reminiscent of the Fairy Pools on Skye - to ensure you take this path STEP OVER the fence at the rusty wire waterfall and continue on the rocky path which stays close by the burn. Eventually, just upstream of where another burn joins this burn via a waterfall tumbling down the far bank over horizontal layers of rock, this path crosses to the other side of the burn on a 'causeway' of small stones and continues uphill, keeping the original burn close by in a fairly deep gorge down on the left.

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Comments: 3


MacHairy






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2022

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