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Mountain Photos | Scottish Landscape Art - Scottish Landscape Paintings - Part 7

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A day above Glen Shee

Posted by admin on August 24th, 2012
The Cairnwell from Carn Aosda

The Cairnwell from Carn Aosda

For the most part this week has been another one of painting and very little else.  We’ve been trying to fit in another walk but on the days available …when Nita’s not working and I haven’t been busy, well, the weather has been a bit rough.  From the mountain forecasts though, it did seem like there would be a brief lull in the inclement weather, either Thursday or Friday this week and so if we were to get out it would be on one of these two days.  As it turned out Thursday gave us the best chance of avoiding the rain and low cloud …especially if we went east and a little north …a big-ish day in other words!

Our original idea was to travel all the way up to Lochnagar on the Queens Balmoral Estate and after checking that there would be no stalking taking place, we got out the maps and a guide books for the area.  It looks a wonderful hill …one that I’ve always wanted to visit,  but when we got the road map out to find out how to get there, we realised that it would mean a drive of probably three and three quarter hours each way.  This is probably just a bit too far for a day trip, especially with only one driver and the prospect of a big and quite tiring walk once we got there.  If we’re going to walk Lochnagar, then we’ll need to stay over night somewhere near the hill I think.

Towards Carn Aosda

Towards Carn Aosda

That (at 22.00 on Wednesday evening) left us still not knowing where we were going the next day.  After a little more pondering I suggested we go back to Glen Shee and walk the three hills to the immediate west of the Glen Shee Ski Centre…. Carn Aosda 917m, Carn a’ Gheoidh 975m and The Cairnwell 933 m.   The first and last of these three hills lie close to the ski centre, (which itself sits at just over 600m) and so they are no more than a short if steep walk from the start point.  Both are littered with the paraphernalia connected to the ski centre ….ski tows, fences, and large bulldozed tracks … not to mention the big communications masts sitting atop The Cairnwell itself.  To the west of these hills though the country returns to the wild open moss and rock covered tops and it’s out here that Carn a’ Gheoidh lies.

We visited these hills seven years ago on a rather grim December day, our plan then, to start with The Cairnwell, then out to Carn a’ Gheoidh and finally Carn Aosda before the short descent to the car at the ski centre.   It’s a 3 hour drive to Glen Shee from Irvine and we’d left very early in order to arrive at first light.   We were walking up the steep slopes of The Cairnwell as the sun came up and we arrived after about 50 minutes to stand at the summit in bright sun and surrounded by snow covered hills.  Alas though, within half an hour low thick cloud had rushed in and that was the last view we had.  The trip out to Carn a’ Gheoidh that day was a difficult one with snow on the ground and thick cloud …it wasn’t quite a white out …but it was very white all the same and made for difficult and time consuming navigation.  In short we got a little lost on our way back and with the light fading had some anxious moments before finally finding our way back to the edge of the ski centre …and the very welcome sound of the ski tow generators down below in the glen.  Needless to say we never reached the top of Carn Aosda that day.

Nita at the summit of Carn a_ Gheoidh

Nita at the summit of Carn a_ Gheoidh

Yesterday however, with fine weather and long hours of day light, it was an easy and very relaxing walk and the views all around were extensive.  We got to see everything we’d missed in the cloud and snow the previous visit and found where we’d gone wrong on our return from Carn a’ Gheoidh that time.   Yesterday, instead of the mad dash down to the ski centre in rapidly fading light, we had a leisurely stroll down the steep but soft, moss covered slopes of The Cairnwell …45 minutes from the summit to the road.  For this visually impaired walker and his guide, descents are normally stressful, tiring and very long – yesterday’s was an absolute pleasure!

Carn Aosda from below the Cairnwell

Carn Aosda from below the Cairnwell

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12 hour long wander

Posted by admin on August 10th, 2012
NE from the summit of Carn Gorm

NE from the summit of Carn Gorm

To wander the hills for 12 hours on a fine day is a great experience …but a tiring one!  I’m sat at my computer this morning feeling rather tired with aching muscles and I’m no doubt still a little dehydrated.  The walk we did yesterday has certainly taken its toll but I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.  Indeed, after what has been a busy and at times, stressful couple of weeks, having a long day wandering in the Scottish hills was just what was needed.

Where did we wander?  Well, it was around a group of high grass and boulder covered hills that lie to the north of Glen Lyon.  Although there are numerous fairly undistinguished tops in this area, the principal ones (all classified as Munros) are, Carn Gorm, Meall Garbh, Carn Mairg and Meall nan Aighean.  They are all a little over or under 1000m and are connected by broad ridges but to walk them all in one go makes for quite a long day.   About 5 or 6 years ago I did this same walk with a couple of friends, Irene and Steve, from the Air na Creagan Mountaineering Club.  On that occasion despite it being I think, July, it was a pretty foul day and more akin to a day in November!   We saw little for most of the day, the cloud sticking to all of the higher tops and it was cold and damp.  We had few views and it was a day to keep moving and at a bit of a route march pace, we finished the circuit in, if I remember rightly, something a little under nine hours.  This said however, we did see enough for me to realise that this would make a fine walk on a good summer’s day with time enough to wander and look and enjoy these high and wild hills.

The rock strewn summit of Meall Garbh

The rock strewn summit of Meall Garbh

So then, that is exactly what Nita and I did yesterday.  The forecast for the day was almost perfect; clearing skies, lots of sunshine, a light but cooling breeze (to keep the midges at bay) and wonderfully clear air.  I won’t bore you with all the details, hopefully the photos will show what a beautiful day it was and give you an idea of the nature of this high and wild hill country.  As you can see, on a fine day it really is a place to take your time …there really is no point in rushing.  We reached the summit of Meall nan Aighean – the last of the 4 hills, at around quarter to seven in the evening and sat for a short time taking in the evening light and colours.   We got back down to the road a little after nine o’clock as the light was fading and the air cooling.  We were shattered and still had the drive back to Ayrshire ahead of us …but it had been a wonderful day…..arriving back in Irvine at 00.30 …it had been a long one too!

Approaching Carn Mairg

Approaching Carn Mairg

Looking back to Carn Mairg

Looking back to Carn Mairg

Glen Lyon, evening

Glen Lyon, evening

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A short walk in the Angus Hills

Posted by admin on July 29th, 2012
'Heavy weather in the Angus Hills'

‘Heavy weather in the Angus Hills’

We had a very hectic week last week and by Sunday I was feeling pretty shattered.  Thankfully though, we’d arranged with our friend Norma, to visit her in her home in Angus for a couple of days to relax and get away from work and the studios.  The plan was to drive up to Angus on Sunday afternoon after first collecting our work from Eglinton Park at the end of the North Ayrshire Open Exhibition.  Work could be collected anytime after mid day and so we got there almost as the doors opened ….and I had a very nice surprise ….the larger of the two paintings I had exhibited in the exhibition, had sold on the last day!  Wonderful. It was a real boost after what has been a lean time recently.  Anyway, the painting was bought by a couple who had visited my studio six months or so ago …so….if you’re reading this …a big thank you and I hope you enjoy the painting.

This great bit of news certainly woke me up and made for an enjoyable journey up to Norma’s where we celebrated with a couple of bottles of beer.  Another friend, Lorraine, also joined us and the following morning we drove the few miles up to Glen Clova for what Norma had assured us would be a good walk.

"Loch Brandy"

“Loch Brandy”

Her plan was, to follow the path behind the Clova Hotel and up to the hidden little Loch Brandy.  This nestles in a small but dramatic and craggy little corrie, but one which can’t be seen from the road in the glen below.  It certainly wasn’t going to be a fine day with the clouds dark and heavy and the rain at times persistent.  We all though needed a walk whatever the weather and so we donned the waterproofs and set off up the track.  The Angus hills really are lovely.  The glens are steep sided but with the tops rounded and grass covered they make for easy walking once the height is gained.  As I say, Loch Brandy is tucked away and you don’t get to see it until the last minute.  Then, suddenly, there it is with the steep craggy corrie rising all around.  In fine weather it must be stunning, but in this gloomy weather it had quite a wild and lonely look about it.

The path climbs steeply up and then easy grass slopes lead all around the corrie edge before descending once again to the loch side.  We were lucky and the whole time we were walking, the cloud stayed away giving dramatic views across the loch and hills beyond.  Not a day for stopping and sketching but this could certainly be a place to do a painting at some point in the future.

The walk finishes back at the Clova Hotel …so a good excuse for a meal to finish off with.  Norma was right ….an excellent walk and an excellent hotel at the end. Another fantastic day on the hills.

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Seeing the best of Ben Nevis

Posted by admin on June 22nd, 2012
Ben Nevis CIC Hut

Ben Nevis CIC Hut

One of the most difficult things about painting the landscape is I think, working out how to convey how big everything is. Without a point of reference ….something man made, capturing the vastness of a moor or mountain can be very challenging. With my fuzzy sight, I have just as much a problem when I’m actually out walking in these wild places ….judging whether I have an hour to walk to reach the top of a crag, or five minutes, without the aid of a map, is tricky. Occasionally though, you go somewhere that just reeks its huge scale.

On Monday we went to just such a place ….the base of the North Face of Ben Nevis.

We walked this, Scotland’s and the UK’s highest mountain several years ago by the standard ‘tourist’ path and although I stood at the top, I never really felt quite how big this mountain was. On Monday though, I got the idea.

Ben Nevis North Face

Ben Nevis North Face

A very good path leads up through the forest before following the stream that flows out from beneath the great cliffs of the north face. Your first view is from a small view point created in the forest but at this stage it just looked to me like another mountain. Once above the forest line though I started to realise just how big a lump of a hill Ben Nevis is. I thought the first cliffs were quite near but as we continued to walk towards them I realised we still had a good distance to walk. As we got closer the dark crags grew bigger and bigger and what I had thought was a single line of cliffs, became a series of great buttresses and a deep corrie – Coire na Ciste. Tucked up at the head of the glen beneath this and complex face, is the CIC Hut. It has been very well built so that it blends in with its dramatic surroundings and it was to this that we were heading.

Our friend and walking companion Guy had in the past climbed a couple of the routes on the North Face and it was his idea that we walk up to the CIC Hut. He assured me that it would not be time wasted and that I just had to see and experience this magnificent setting …he also suggested that it would be an excellent place to do some drawing and painting. Well, I can’t argue, he got it right on all accounts! We sat gawping at the face, so big, so complex and so beautiful. On this occasion I just brought my camera but this is definitely a place to return on another fine day to sit and draw.

I’m not quite sure why, but walking up this magnificent glen underneath the North Face of Ben Nevis, reminded me so much of the time I spent in Speyer the other summer …walking around the massive cathedral there. Just like on Monday beneath Ben Nevis, I used to end up with a crick in my neck from staring up at its highest towers and buttresses trying to work out how it all fitted together and how I might do a drawing or painting of it. In the end, I solved the problem in Speyer by matching scale with scale …in other words doing a very large drawing …4.2 m long by 1.5 m high. As we stood, tiny against this great natural structure …the highest in Scotland, I remembered the Speyer drawing and started to ponder on whether I ought to attempt another …this time based on the North Face of Ben Nevis.

Dom drawing, Speyer

Dom drawing, Speyer

  ‘Photographs by Gjuy Hansford and Mike Lauter’

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Stob Ghabhar …at last

Posted by admin on June 16th, 2012
'The Bridge of Orchy hills from near Victoria Bridge'

'The Bridge of Orchy hills from near Victoria Bridge'

It’s been three weeks since we were last out on a hill and so we were keen to grab the first fine day that came along to get out again.   Tuesday seemed the best chance and so it was simply a case of deciding where to go.  We’ve reached a stage with the Munro’s that the ones we haven’t walked that lie within a day trip of Irvine, are either too challenging for me, or involve a long walk in.  There are however a few that don’t fall into either category ….Stob Ghabhar in the Blackmount being one.  It’s a fairly big hill, rising to 1090m and has a formidable east facing corrie.   One route to its summit takes a ridge leading across from Stob a’ Choire Odhair, but this is narrow and in one place very narrow and exposed …..not a place for me these days.

'From the slopes of Stob Ghabhar'

'From the slopes of Stob Ghabhar'

Our other option was to both climb and descend the hill by its gentler SE ridge….and this is what we decided to do.  This route though still had one potential problem …it involves crossing quite a large stream in order to gain access to the base of the SE ridge.  It certainly needs to be done when the river isn’t in spate and preferably when it’s low.  Thankfully, here in the west of Scotland, we’ve missed all of the heavy rainfall that has been causing so many problems recently in west Wales and the south of England and so we were hopeful of finding the stream crossable.

'Approaching the summit'

'Approaching the summit'

Our trip didn’t start quite according to plan though.  The forecast had predicted 80% chance of a cloud free hill …but as we drove out of Irvine it started to rain and it kept on raining all the way to Crianlarich!  What was more, the cloud was dark and heavy and well down on all the hills around Loch Lomond……it wasn’t looking promising!  With the day light lasting well into the evening at this time of year, there wasn’t a rush to start walking and so we decided to stop at the Green Welly for a second breakfast ….in the hope that an extra 45 minutes might see an improvement in conditions.  We didn’t really believe it but what the heck, an excuse for one of the Green Welly’s superb bacon rolls and a big mug of coffee, well, we couldn’t miss that could we?!  As it turned out, it was an inspired move.  The bacon roll did me a power o good and by the time we emerged again it had stopped raining and the first small breaks in the cloud were starting to appear.  By the time we reached the start point near Victoria bridge, the cloud had all but lifted and there were bright blue patches appearing everywhere …it was looking good.

'Towards Rannoch Moor from near the summit'

'Towards Rannoch Moor from near the summit'

I’ve wanted to climb this hill for a good few years and it proved well worth the wait.  The stream crossing was a little problematic ….the water wasn’t high but even so, getting across it proved interesting for me!  It took us about half an hour to find a place where I could cross without too big a risk of getting a soaking before we had even started going up hill.  Once across though, the going was pretty straight forward up fairly steep grass and then higher up, rockier ground.  The views were stunning all the way up but became superb once we reached the crest of the ridge and could see into the huge corrie that is the main feature of this hill.  Wow …wonderful …it made you feel very small indeed.

'Our route home'

'Our route home'

As is so often the case when walking any other than the famous summits in Scotland, …we didn’t see any other walkers and so we had the summit to ourselves.  We had as I said, planned simply to return by the same route, but now with time in hand and the mountain spread out before us, we checked the map and decided to make a bit of a tour of it, first heading west along a broad grass and moss covered ridge and then down to a beallach where the map showed a stalkers path leading back to the forest and the track back to Victoria bridge.  It was a great decision and made for a really enjoyable circuit of this hill ….always much better than simply going up and down by the same route.

This was only the second ‘new’ Munro we’ve walked since I think February 2008 and takes my tally to 104.  The trouble is that I caught myself thinking …’only one more and it’ll be 105 …and with a bit of effort I could reach 110 by the start of the winter’ ….ahhhhhh ..I might have caught the Munro ‘baggin’ bug again!!!

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Back and busy

Posted by admin on May 25th, 2012
Anita near the summit of Ben Loyal

Anita near the summit of Ben Loyal

Well, as the title says, I’m back from Sutherland ….and it’s been a busy week.

Our holiday up north ended in grand style with our finally walking Ben Loyal on our last day.  It turned out to be a long day …eleven and three quarter hours to be exact and we got back to the car about a quarter past eight in the evening.  It was worth every minute though, despite it being another cold and for a large part of the day, grey affair.  We had the routine heavy snow shower at the top which we sat out, sheltering for about 45 minutes behind one of the huge rocks that mark the top of this wonderful hill.  After that we wandered along its broad summit ridge before finally descending from Carn Tionail and walking back to the car.  As I say, it was a long day and a lot of it over very rough ground.  It was amazing and when the sun finally came out in the early evening, it made for a perfect way to end the holiday.

Rough ground below Ben Loyal

Rough ground below Ben Loyal

Evening sun, Ben Loyal

Evening sun, Ben Loyal

Of course, it’s been hot and sunny most of  the time since we returned to Irvine and so despite being pretty busy this week, we still decided to get out walking again …this time to walk a couple of hills in the Southern Highlands.  One of them, Cam Chreag (884 m), sits quite a long way off the road and so we’ve never visited it before.  The walk in to it though was along a good track and through some stunning scenery with the Munro Ben Challum rising steeply above us on the other side of the glen.

Like many of the hills in this area, Cam Chreag is a mainly grass covered hill in the form of a long broad ridge.  The ridge is littered with small crags and rocky outcrops.  By the time we gained this height it was a very warm and sunny day …the early morning cloud having disappeared to leave a hazy and hot landscape.  It was so peaceful up there, no other walkers and far enough from any road to be perfectly quiet …and we had time enough to lie down in the sun and have a kip for almost an hour …perfect.  The route back took us over a neighbouring hill Beinn Chaorach ….another high grass covered ridge offering easy and relaxing walking.  It turned out to be another long day though …almost eleven and a half hours this time and in the heat we were both pretty tired.

Ben Challum from Beinn Chaorach

Ben Challum from Beinn Chaorach

On Cam Chreag

On Cam Chreag

Ben Challum from Cam Chreag

Ben Challum from Cam Chreag

Apart from the walk, this week has been one of painting and delivering and collecting paintings.  On Wednesday we popped down to the Waverley Gallery in Prestwick to collect four of the new small postcard sized paintings that they were framing for me.  Then up to the Dick Institute in Kilmarnock to collect the paintings that had been in the ‘Six into 12 plus Hornell’ exhibition.  Today we’ve been up to the Blairmore Gallery near Dunoon to deliver some new paintings and collect some old ones.  It was another hot day and the drive along the Firth of Clyde and the short hop on the ferry over to Dunoon, was very enjoyable.   Tomorrow we’re heading up to The Strathearn Gallery in Crieff to deliver five paintings for their forthcoming ‘summer exhibition’. ….Full details to come.

Finally, just to let you know that a number of the artists at the Courtyard Studios in Irvine will be holding an informal ‘Open Studios Weekend’ on Saturday / Sunday 2nd / 3rd June, as part of the Irvine Harbourside Cultural Festival.  There are a lot of events being organised at venues along the harbour so it should make for an interesting few days.  Our studios will be open:

Saturday 2nd June,11am – 5pm

Sunday   3rd June, 12 noon – 5pm

Entry as usual is free.

Artists taking part include, Alison Thomas (painting), Anita Groves (ceramics), Margaret Carslaw (painting), David Reid (painting), Sheila Kerr (jewellery), Chick McGeehan (painting), Brian Craig (painting & photography) and myself, Keith Salmon (painting).

So then, if you live in the region why not head down to the harbour side in Irvine that weekend and call into the Courtyard Studios …it is a great opportunity to see and buy the latest work.

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NE Sutherland Blog – part 2

Posted by admin on May 17th, 2012
Ben Griam Beg from the start

Ben Griam Beg from the start

Like all holidays, this one seems to have flown by and we are already on our penultimate day. Unlike a good few of our recent May holidays in North West Scotland, when it has been fine and warm, this year, it’s been quite wild and very cold for the whole of the two weeks. That said, I think we have seen a bit of the sun most days (in between heavy rain and snow showers) but what sun there has been hasn’t threatened to burn my increasingly balding head… the sun hat was removed from the rucksack at the start of this week.

Flow Country

Flow Country

We had just such a day yesterday, when we drove south into the Flow Country to walk Ben Griam Beg. Last weekend we had tried to walk this hill and its neighbour, Ben Griam Mor together, but after walking the latter, we were unable to get over to Ben Griam Beg – a rather over full small burn stopping our progress. Yesterday, we approached the hill from a different direction, thus avoiding the problem stream. We left Kips Cottage in bright sunshine but as we arrived at our start point the sky became very dark and the temperature dropped several degrees and it started snowing.

Snow arriving, Ben Griam Beg

Snow arriving, Ben Griam Beg

After waiting for about half an hour the skies lightened and we set off before Nita could eat all of her sandwiches! The first part of the walk, across the open, flat bog, was along a dirt track leading to a remote little house, perched beneath the hill. The sun came out on several occasions as we walked through this wild landscape and with the big skies and the bright colours, I think I should have plenty of new material for future paintings. Beyond the cottage, it was simply a case of striking uphill, to reach the long, broad stone and heather covered ridge and then up the final few hundred feet of steep ground to the summit. Easy really, but then the skies darkened again, the wind picked up, and we found ourselves walking into quite heavy snow. Thankfully, there were a few spots to shelter and we sat with our backs against a rock for half an hour or so until the snow eased and the thick cloud lifted. We set off again, but almost immediately walked into another heavy snow shower, but carried on regardless, as we clambered up the final steep slopes. It was exceedingly cold and very quickly the ground was turning white.

Retreating from the top

Retreating from the top

Stood on this lonely little summit in these conditions made me realise that despite its modest height of 580 metres, this was quite a serious hill walk. Ben Griam Beg is, according to the guide books, the site of Scotland’s highest hill fort and remnants of the walled enclosure still exist but with the snow still falling and no sign of a let up, we decided rather than looking for the fort, it might be more prudent to head back down. Of course, half an hour later, the snow stopped and the cloud lifted, so another year we may have to come back and search out the fort.

Breaking cloud, Ben Griam Beg
Breaking cloud, Ben Griam Beg

This was a proper mountain walk and made for a great day. Recommended.

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East Sutherland Blog – part 1

Posted by admin on May 11th, 2012
Ben Loyal from Kyle of Tongue

Ben Loyal from Kyle of Tongue

We’ve had an interesting few days in East Sutherland. We have been staying in Kips Cottage, in Kirtomy – a small community perched on the north coast.

We have had a great mix of weather since we arrived last Saturday, bright sun, heavy rain and even snow – real May conditions. As I type this (Nita’s doing the typing really – I can’t feel the keys on the laptop!) it is blowing half a gale, but there are some bright skies around now.

We had planned to go back to Ben Loyal today, having turned back in cloud and quite heavy snow on Tuesday, when we were just half an hour from the top. We didn’t get as far today! It was raining hard when we got up and we had hoped the brighter conditions would arrive by the time we got to the start point for the walk…but they didn’t. A lot of water had come down overnight and the streams were fairly whooshing along and it seemed unlikely that we’d even get further than the small river immediately below the hill. We crossed this easily on Tuesday but in spate, as it would have been this morning, it would have been difficult. So then, after sitting in the car listening to the rain and drinking our flask of coffee, we decided to call off and do something else today. Typically, as we drove the forty minutes back from Tongue to Kirtomy, the rain eased and the first patches of blue sky came in from the north. I cursed, but Nita reminded me we still wouldn’t have got across the river.

The Flow Country

The Flow Country

On Wednesday, we drove along a small, single tracked road out across the heart of the Flow Country. It really is quite amazing, such a large, empty area of bog. To the west we had great views of the snow topped, higher mountains, Ben Hope, Ben Klibreck and Foinaven. Our aim though, was to check out two smaller hills that rise out of the bog, Ben Griam Mor and Ben Griam Beg. They are both just below 600 metres high, but should offer huge views all around across this wild and lonely landscape. We found the start point and even a small place to park the car and we are heading there first thing tomorrow morning, in what is forecast to be better conditions.

Ben Loyal emerging from this mornings deluge

Ben Loyal emerging from this mornings deluge

With the wind still blowing hard and cold outside, this might be an afternoon for lighting a fire and sitting in front of it with our books and a glass of beer!

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A tale of two Meall Tionails …..

Posted by admin on April 26th, 2012
The view from Ba Bridge

The view from Ba Bridge

For anyone out there who reads these blogs, you might remember that about a year ago I wrote about my plans to walk a wee hill tucked away amidst the bigger mountains of the Blackmount.  The hill in question was Meall Tionail …a rocky little hillock of just over 500m in height.  We’d been planning to walk this hill ever since my partner Anita saw it from one of its bigger neighbours and said that she’d like to sit and eat her sandwiches at the top of it one day ….it really is in a wonderful location, surrounded on three sides by bigger dramatic mountains and looking out on the other side to the expanse of Rannoch Moor.  Suffice to say that we didn’t make it last year as planned and so it had to wait until Monday this week before we finally got to go there.

Looking towards Meall Tionail

Looking towards Meall Tionail

With a pretty good forecast and following a reasonably dry period (the walk in involves crossing several streams) …it seemed the perfect place to go ….and so I rang our friend Guy to see if he wanted to join us.  Wanting to walk a tiny hill in the middle of much bigger ones seemed to be a daft enough proposal to him and he was all for it ….we’d pick him up from the station at half past six the next morning.

Looking east from near the base of Meall Tionail

Looking east from near the base of Meall Tionail

Meall Tionail is as I say, just a small hill …it’s the getting to it that takes the effort.  We chose to park the car at the Glencoe Ski Centre and walk the West Highland Way back south to Ba Bridge, then follow a path up the side of the river for around three miles to the summit of the hill…..I guess in total (though I haven’t made any accurate measurements ..about 13 – 14 miles for the day ….with a few hundred metres of ascent thrown in for good measure.  The weather was indeed, pretty good, the cloud was quite high and all of the bigger tops were clear …the upper slopes white with snow and looking very dramatic.  The sky was a mixture of dark clouds and bright sunshine and it made for some wonderful views and a great range of colours.  Needless to say we did a lot of stopping to look and snap away with our cameras and time went by faster than the miles under our boots.   Thankfully the path up the glen by the river proved a good one with small bridges over the numerous small streams.  At one point though the path appeared to disappear….and we were left scratching our heads and pawing over the maps ….we were confronted by a sizable stream and no sign of the path on the opposite bank.  Nothing for it but to splash our away across ….thankful now for the dry weather over the preceding weeks….and still we couldn’t figure out quite where we were or where we’d gone wrong.  We could see our hill though and on heading towards it and back towards the main river found our path …quite how it had got there was a bit of a mystery!

Lunch, but not at the top!

Lunch, but not at the top!

At around this point we’d been walking for about three hours and we still had a good distance to go to the base of the hill …let alone climb the thing.  As we’d set out at 9.15 am, it was looking like being a late finish…..much to my dismay there were murmurings in the ranks that perhaps we’d only get to the base of the hill.   In all honesty though we were running a little late and when we got to the base of the hill we did in fact decide that that was as far as we could go ….ahhhhhh, after all these years waiting to come here and the long drive and the four hours walk in …and not to get to the top …well, it was a bit galling.  We could have got to the top and back down to the car before it got dark …but we’d have had to have rushed it which was completely against the whole idea of going there in the first place.  Nothing for it but to return some time in the future …and allow more time.

We’d had a great day and seen some wonderful scenery, but I hadn’t realised how disappointed Anita was at not getting to sit and eat her lunch at the summit.  When we finally got home she said, ‘how about going back on Wednesday …the forecast is almost as good?’  I saw from her face that she wasn’t joking …and well, we haven’t done anything as daft as that for a long time …so Wednesday was booked and with an extra early start …up at 03.50, out and away from Irvine at 05.15!  Mad or what?!

Some of the mountains surrounding Meall Tionail

Some of the mountains surrounding Meall Tionail

Heavy skies over Rannoch Moor, wednesday morning

Heavy skies over Rannoch Moor, wednesday morning

This time though the weather wasn’t as good as the forecast had predicted and on reaching Loch Lomond it started to rain and both the Luss Hills and Ben Lomond disappeared into a grey wet slurp.  It continued to rain all the way to the edge of Rannoch Moor where at last we saw a few bursts of sunshine over to the east.  The mountains were all shrouded in mist and it was a very different scene from just 48 hours earlier.  This time Anita and I started walking at 07.50 and with fewer things to photograph and less stops we made good time.  It stayed dry all the way to Ba Bridge but after that the rain came back …and stayed for the next almost eight hours.  The beautiful snow covered and dramatic peaks bursting with colour in the bright spring sunshine of just two days earlier,  had been replaced by an equally beautiful scene of dark brooding hills disappearing up into the cloud.  It was cold and very wet …but we could see our little hill up ahead …its summit well below the cloud base ….one advantage of climbing a wee hill!

Wednesday morning ...poor weather

Wednesday morning ...poor weather

We arrived at the base of Meall Tionail and after a brief stop headed uphill on a mixture of grass and stone, crossing numerous small streams that were coming to life again with all the rain.  By this time the wind had picked up and it was blowing the rain along in sheets, but as we reached the top of the hill, it really didn’t matter …as Anita said, ‘This is even better than I had imagined’ …and indeed it was.  The summit is topped by a series of crags …the outer edge like battlements of an ancient castle …the views out over the glen towards Rannoch Moor quite stunning even in this wild weather.  Big mountains rose all around us, occasionally giving glimpses of the snow covered ridges for the most part hidden in cloud.  Wow, what a spot.  Anita did finally get to eat her sandwiches on the top, albeit hunched against the wind and driving rain ….but what the heck …we’ made it and it felt very special.

From the summit of Meall Tionail....at last!

From the summit of Meall Tionail....at last!

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A big little walk

Posted by admin on April 20th, 2012
Doune Hill from the slopes of Tullick Hill

Doune Hill from the slopes of Tullick Hill

One of the things I love about Scotland is that however well you think you know an area ….there is always something new to explore tucked away around the corner…..it’s great. Glen Douglas is just such a place. It runs from the western shores of Loch Lomond over to the eastern shores of Loch Long and a small single track road runs along its length connecting it to the main roads at either end. For year’s we’ve been driving past the end of this little road heading for other glens, or other hills and we’ve never really noticed or thought about it. On our annual visit to walk Beinn Dubh and Mid Hill however, we do, albeit briefly, get a view down into Glen Douglas …but that’s all we’ve ever seen of it ….until last Sunday that is.

On Tullich Hill

On Tullich Hill

The three hills to the north of Glen Douglas have not been completely out of mind though. I did a short winter walk with my friend Guy about ten years ago ….from Tarbet up steep slopes to the summit of Ben Reoch and it did make me realise what a great view point this group of hills made …especially of the Cobbler and its neighbours. So then, last weekend we decided to go and walk all three of these hills to the north of Glen Douglas ….making an interesting and quite strenuous little day.

Turning off the A82 just beyond the Inverbeg Inn, we were immediately impressed by how quiet and beautiful the glen was….a real little hidden gem. Indeed, in the bright spring morning light …well it looked stunning ….and these very modest hills somehow looked much bigger and more dramatic. The circuit we planned to do took in Tullich Hill, Ben Reoch and Beinn Bhreac, starting and finishing at Invergroin.

The Arrochar Alps from Tullich Hill

The Arrochar Alps from Tullich Hill

Access to the open hillside can be gained through a gate just beyond the bridge at Invergroin and from there it’s simply a case of making your way, at first, gently and then more steeply up the very obvious SE ridge of Tullich Hill. We’d only gone a very short distance when Anita spotted a very large bird …with several small birds following it. I barely saw it but Anita watched it for quite a while with a monocular and she was happy that it was a Golden Eagle she was watching ….a great start to the day. About half way up the ridge a small band of crags appears, but a steep band of grass leads through them and onto easier angled ground. Beyond this the ridge is a little more defined with the ground falling away steeply on your left with increasingly impressive views across to Doune Hill, Loch Long and as the ground eases as you near the summit, all the way to Arran and Ailsa Craig beyond. It’s a steep little climb and we were well glad of a sit down, sheltering from the cold wind behind a rock and just taking in the beauty and quietness of our surroundings.

The North Peak of the Cobbler, Beinn Ime and Beinn Narnain from An t'Sreang

The North Peak of the Cobbler, Beinn Ime and Beinn Narnain from An t'Sreang

Our next objective was the slightly higher top of Ben Reoch (661m) about 2km to the north east of us. To get there though is no easy stroll ….it involves descending just under 300m to the wild little col of An t’Sreang and then climbing very steep slopes to regain the height …plus a little, in order to reach the next summit. The views across to the Arrochar Alps were superb all the way. The Cobbler and Beinn Narnain had a little snow on them but their bigger neighbour Beinn Ime had a good covering and looked very dramatic against the now darker and mainly cloud covered sky. Near the top of the steep slopes my legs started to cramp and I made an undignified slump to the turf to wait for it to clear. It gave me a good chance to moan ….but then I remembered the views and forgot for a short while, about my complaining legs!

North from Ben Reoch

North from Ben Reoch

As you reach the small cairn marking the top of Ben Reoch, the views in the other direction really open up. The ground drops away in front of you and you can see for many miles up and down Loch Lomond. Across the water is Ben Lomond and to the north east the easily recognisable snow covered summits of Ben More and Stob Binnian.

Towards Beinn Bhreac

Towards Beinn Bhreac

By now it was about half past three and we still had quite a way to go across to our final summit of the day …Beinn Bhreac at 681m. Thankfully there isn’t another steep descent and climb between these two hills, just a gentle loss of height and a wander along a broad gently rising ridge. The final few metres are topped with small crags and the trig point sits atop a prominent little knoll high above Loch Lomond. It’s a lofty little spot and a great end to a fine circuit. The descent on steep grassy slopes back to Invergroin was easy albeit a little long winded ….with me going at my normal snails pace …but the views were still fine and as we got lower the late sun came out to give a bit of warmth and finish the day in style. We were tired though …we’d been walking for just on nine hours …..and as I said …there was quite a lot of up …and down ….Nita’s quote of the day as we walked the half kilometre back along the wee road to the car, ‘I’ve got legs like those of a rubber chicken!’ I knew how she felt …only thing for it was to head to the Inverbeg Inn for some much needed food.

Loch Lomond from the summit of Beinn Bhreac

Loch Lomond from the summit of Beinn Bhreac

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