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Posts Tagged ‘WHW’

A long hot day in the Blackmount

This time last week, (Sunday morning) Nita and I were making our way along the West Highland Way between Victoria Bridge and Ba Bridge.  You’ll remember perhaps that we walked part of this section of the WHW a few months ago when we went to walk Beinn Toaig.  On that occasion the skies were as free of clouds as last Sunday, but the temperature was somewhat different with snow and ice on the mountains above about 600 metres.  Our lunchtime spot that day was high up on Beinn Toaig and we were sat looking out over the lonely glen through which the Ba River flows.    It has big mountains on three sides and is also the home of wee Meall Tionail, the craggy little hill sitting at the far end of the glen.

photo of Scotland - Blackmount

‘A very warm walk in the Blackmount’

 It was to this small hill that Nita and I made our slow hot way last Sunday.  It really was hot too as we walked the hard rough surface of the WHW, even at nine o’clock in the morning, but the views out over Rannoch Moor and to the surrounding mountains were beautiful.  Not surprisingly there were quite a few other folk out plodding their way along this famous path although to be honest, I didn’t envy them the prospect of continuing all day on this hard unyielding surface of the WHW.  By the time we had reached the beautiful Ba Bridge my feet were already quite sore and I couldn’t wait to get onto the soft grassy path that leads up the glen towards Meall Tionail.

Photos of Scotland - Blackmount

‘A very warm walk in the Blackmount’

One of my plans for the day was to make some new recordings of water flowing through the various streams, but after this unusually dry period, even the Ba River had precious little water flowing in it.  The last time we were here back in April 2012 all the streams and rivers were quite busy ……this time it was like they were all taking a siesta.  But that said, we did in the end get some interesting and what should be useful recordings.

As we moved slowly up the glen we became more sheltered from the occasional breeze and it became hotter and hotter.  It was idyllic however and so incredibly quiet and peaceful ….just the calls of birds, the buzz of insects and the trickles of water ….no human sounds at all.  By the time we were at the base of Meall Tionail we decided it was just too hot to do the short steep climb up to its summit and instead sat with our feet cooling in the small  stream  flowing off the hillside.  It had several little pools, into one of which Nita had plunged her feet.  After a short while she let out a yelp and moved her feet, saying that something, presumably a frog, had touched her foot!  She couldn’t see anything at first though but after several more minutes she saw the culprit  ….. a quite large brown trout, who’s home the pool must have been!

Photo of Scottish Highlands - Blackmount

‘A very warm walk in the Blackmount’

The walk back was if anything even hotter and we took numerous stops where ever we found places with a hint of a breeze.  We did get back to the car eventually, about ten hours after setting  out in the morning and both of us with very sore feet, but it had been some day and it was great to get back into the Highlands again.

A big little hill

Several years ago Nita and I spent a long day walking right around Ben Lomond, rather than climbing right to the top. It made a fascinating walk as once we’d left the main paths and descended around the “back” of this hugely popular hill, we saw no-one. What we did see though, was the very rugged nature of this side of the hill and it was a really worth while trip. On that day, our route bought us back to the main Ptarmigan path via the broad grassy ridge leading north across a high col to a small rounded top called Cruinn a’ Bheinn. At the time I remember thinking that it would make a fine view point but we never got around to going over there.

April colours, Loch Lomond

April colours, Loch Lomond

As you know, Nita and I are trying to regain our hill fitness after our long lay-off and we decided to tackle some of the smaller hills to start with. A couple of weeks ago we had two fine days over on the Luss Hills and having both survived and enjoyed these two trips, I got out my copy of Andrew Dempster’s “The Grahams” and had a look to see if there were any Grahams we’d over looked in the Loch Lomond area. To my surprise I found Cruinn a’ Bheinn which I’d completely forgotten about since our trip around Ben Lomond and which I’d never even suspected was a Graham!

Ben Lomond

Ben Lomond

So then, with a gap in what has been a very busy work schedule of late, we headed for this “wee” hill yesterday. The book reckoned the shortest way to its summit was from Inversnaid on the east shores of Loch Lomond. This requires a lengthy drive to get to it but in almost perfect spring conditions we drove the final 15 miles from Aberfoyle to Inversnaid gawping at the beautiful views over the lochs, woods and hills ….sometimes bright under the clear blue skies and at other times shrouded in banks of mist. Wow, it was quite a stunning drive.

Cruinn a's Bheinn and Ben Lomond from the boggy col

Cruinn a’s Bheinn and Ben Lomond from the boggy col

To get to Cruinn a’ Bheinn, involves a two and a half kilometre walk south along the WHW before picking up a big estate track that climbs very steeply up the hillside above the loch and crosses a broad and wild col. With the narrow WHW path needing a lot of concentration to negotiate with my fuzzy eye it took quite a long time for us to reach the track heading up Then, as I say ….it was up hill…..very up hill.

The views were very fine though so our numerous stops were well rewarded. Eventually as we neared the top of the steep and the track started to make its way across the col, we got our first view of Cruinn a’ Bheinn ….and more is the point, of Ben Lomond. Quite impressive with all the gullies filled with snow.

Loch Lomond from the WHW

Loch Lomond from the WHW

From this point, it’s a case of leaving the well made track and heading directly towards the hill over very boggy and rough ground. It was surprisingly hard work but not as hard as the 300m pull up to the summit of Cruinn a’ Bheinn …which was very steep in places. We finally reached the small summit cairn four hours and fifty minutes after setting out, but it was well worth while as the views to Ben Lomond were fantastic. Even from two kilometres away, Nita could see lots of folk at its summit…..and yet we had our little hill to ourselves.

We got back to the car a little over nine hours after setting out, which was somewhat longer than the 3-4 hours mentioned in the guide book! Oh well, I feel somewhat better about this after just reading a report on-line, written by a chap who climbed this hill with some friends…. and wrote that he reckoned Mr Dempster must be rocket powered as it took them 7 hours to do the walk. So then, nine hours for a chap who is registered as blind ….can’t be too bad ….especially as I had to stop to try and record the sound of a Golden Eagle calling high above us. That’s my excuse anyway!

Thoroughly recommended ………. how ever long it takes you.

Spring colours

A remnant for the old Caledonian Forest

A remnant for the old Caledonian Forest

What a difference a few days make.  After last weeks very grey and cloudy walk on Tinto, this week we saw the Scottish landscape at its very best under almost clear blue skies.  The colours everywhere were stunning and although we only walked a fairly small hill we managed to spend over nine hours in the process.  It was such a stunningly beautiful day that it just demanded that we keep stopping to look and take in the scene.

I really love this time of year with winter still very much around, (we set off with frost covering everything and the bigger hills white with snow) but summer closing in rapidly.  It was great too that even setting off from Irvine at just after 06.00 there was light in the sky and the sun rose over the Glasgow sky-line as we crossed the Erskine Bridge heading north.

We were making for Tyndrum but not for Meall Odhar which had been our original target last week, but for its neighbour across the glen, Fiarach 652 m.  We’ve never walked this hill and it was only last week while pawing over the map with my magnifier looking for the route up Meall Odhar that I spotted it and started looking for a route to it too.  It’s basically the high point of a large area of wild upland ground  that is surrounded on all sides by the higher hills, Ben More, Ben Challum, Beinn Dubhchraig and Ben Lui …to name but a few.  It’s a fine location that just demands a perfect day ….and what better than a clear, cold early spring Wednesday in March?

Ben More from Fiarach

Ben More from Fiarach

As we wanted to stretch our legs a bit more this week, we decided to park the car in the village of Tyndrum and walk back along the West Highland Way the few kilometres to the big bridge crossing the river flowing out of Cononish Glen.  This is a beautiful little section of the West Highland Way ….a proper little footpath the meanders its way along through mixed woodland and alongside streams .  The views from this path alone were superb and we got good views of the hill we were going to walk.  From the river bridge we left the WHW and followed an estate track that lead over the railway and then lead around the flanks of Fiarach for a couple more kilometres to a large area of conifer plantation.  On the way it went through a fabulous area of the old Caledonian forest that made this truly highland scene even more so.

At the start of the plantation it was simply a case of making our way up the open hillside, at first along side the trees and then climbing above them.  I have to say that I’ve never been too impressed with these conifer plantations but on this occasion I was pleasantly surprised.  We stopped level with the top corner of the plantation and sat down in bright sun to catch our breath, give the aching calf muscles a rest and to take in the views.  As we did we were aware of all of the bird song coming from the dense trees to our left.  One bird in particular ….we think it was probably a Thrush, was singing at the top of its voice and it made the place even more special.

Nita at the summit of Fiarach

Nita at the summit of Fiarach

A little higher up and the steep slopes eased and we came into the first big patches of snow.  It’s a hummocky area of grass, moss, small crags and numerous little lochs and pools.  The biggest of these, Lochain Fiarach, was almost completely frozen and had varying amounts of snow lying on it …where it was just ice, it was a beautiful shade of blue, green, and grey and this turned paler to white around the edges ….it reminded me of the ‘white’ sandy beaches we saw last year on the west coast of Harris.

Despite the generally featureless nature of the ground up here, the summit itself was a surprise ….set atop a craggy little spine that rose 30 or 40 metres above the rest of the moor.  It made a great setting and a wonderful place to stand and take in all the bigger snow capped peaks around.  The nearest of these, Beinn Dubhchraig looked particularly massive and Nita could make out three tiny figures plodding up the heavily snow covered slopes towards its summit.  We  stopped numerous times to sit and look and enjoy the colours, textures and patterns …and were impressed  to find two other visitors to this little hill ….a pair of what we think were Golden Plovers.

The summit of Fiarach from Lachain Fiarach

The summit of Fiarach from Lachain Fiarach

This really was a fine day …..it had a similarity to the wee hill, Ghlas Bheinn on the edge of Rannoch Moor that we tend to visit most years.  I definitely think we’ll be back to Fiarach again next spring.

‘Winter afternoon, Beinn Dorain’

188-winter-afternoon-beinn-dorain-acrylic-pastel-2011-80-x-80-cm-web

‘Winter afternoon, Beinn Dorain’

‘Winter afternoon, Beinn Dorain’, Acrylic & Pastel, 2011, 80 x 80 cm

This is the latest of the new 80 x 80 cm paintings and is one of two pieces based on the slopes of Beinn Dorain on a rather drab winter afternoon.  This hill appears most dramatically as you drive north between Tyndrum and Bridge of Orchy.  From the high point of the A82 just beyond Tyndrum it appears as a very steep sided cone but as you get closer its huge western flanks rise up from the floor of the glen in a long wall that runs all the way to Bridge of Orchy.  Contouring around its base is the railway line that crosses the Auch Gleann in a great curve on viaducts.  This is just a wonderful spot whether you’re driving along the A82, a passenger on the train, or walking the West Highland Way.

Just right…

On Ben Inverveigh

On Ben Inverveigh

In the past when I had more time, I’d be happy to go out walking even if the forecast was for very low cloud and rain and general gloom. It’s interesting and quite a challenge. As my work has developed though, to take up more of my time, I’ve started to realise that the walks I go on need to be both work and play and as such I tend now to be a little more selective about the weather conditions on the days we walk.

Over the last few days it has been just the case. We’ve wanted to get out again on a fairly regular basis in order to build up our fitness again but looking ahead this week, the forecasts were pretty miserable. Bands of rain and hill snow coupled with low cloud didn’t look too promising. That said however, Wednesday seemed to offer the best chance of getting a few breaks and slightly higher cloud …although it did appear that we might get quite wet too.

We chose to walk Ben Inverveigh, the very modest little hill we’ve visited several times before. It lies close to Loch Tulla and makes for a gentle walk in an excellent location.

Frozen lochan on Ben Inverveigh

Frozen lochan on Ben Inverveigh

As it wasn’t going to be a great hike we didn’t set off too early and stopped for a quick late breakfast at the ‘Green Welly in Tyndrum. The forecast seemed about right and the cloud was very firmly settled at around 650m but with quite a number of breaks offering occasional brightness and even a brief glimpse of blue sky. The snow was a little lower than I’d expected and seemed to start at around 500m. It’s just a short drive from Tyndrum over to our starting point at the Bridge of Orchy and as we approached it we got the first view of our hill …definitely snow topped and with its upper slopes in mist ….but it was dry and so things were looking good.

The big hills of Beinn Dorain and Beinn an Dothaidh were well shrouded in mist but the corrie that lies between them looked great..the steep crags on each side of it appearing out of the whiteness of snow and mist.

Our route followed the West Highland Way from Bridge of Orchy gently uphill through some forestry before emerging onto open hillside …the northeast end of Ben Inverveigh.

The WHW climbs over this shoulder before descending down to the wee road near the Inveroran Hotel. Our route though left the WHW at its highest point and followed a green track across rough ground before petering out not far below a prominent little top at just over 500m. We’d just got into the patchy snow and in the gloomy light it made everything come alive. Ben Inverveigh is just a long broad grass, heather and stone covered ridge or lump but it is superbly located with bigger hills all around and the beautiful Loch Tulla below.

Descending Ben Inverveigh

Descending Ben Inverveigh

As we went along this ridge we were surprised at the snow ..it was a good covering of 10 – 15 cm with occasional drifts and banked out hollows. There are a number of small lochans along the way and these were coated in a thin layer of ice which was then covered in snow …care was needed, especially when the cloud came down, not to inadvertently walk over …and no doubt into one of these icy little baths. The summit is at the far end of the ridge …about an hours walk, and is marked by a small cairn perched atop one of the numerous rocky outcrops. We were lucky and arrived in clear conditions and had good views around us ….it was even dry and with very light winds it made for a pleasant if short lunch spot. We retraced out steps back along the ridge and down to the WHW and then followed the track down to the Inveroran Hotel before walking the single track road back to the Bridge of Orvhy.

Loch Tulla, late afternoon

Loch Tulla, late afternoon

As we descended though, the cloud started to lift and break all around and we got wonderful views of Loch Tulla and the remnants of the Caledonian Forest all shown to their advantage in the bright late afternoon sunlight. But the best was saved till last. As we followed the road back to our starting point, Beinn an Dothaidh and Beinn Dorain became clear of mist and were illuminated by the last rays of the fast sinking sun ….quite stunning and the best view of these hills I’ve ever had.

We got back to the car just after the sun had set and after changing out of the walking gear, decided to check out the Bridge of Orchy Hotel. Perfect timing …they started serving food at six o’clock. With a warm fire, friendly service and great food it made for the perfect end to our day.

Last light, Beinn Dorain

Last light, Beinn Dorain

We had a fine day the previous Saturday at the preview to the exhibition at The Strathearn Gallery. The show, comprising paintings by myself and a wonderful selection of glassware and sculpture by Scott Irvine, looks great …even though I say it myself! I was very pleased with the way it had all gone together and Fiona, the gallery owner, had done a fantastic job at hanging and presenting all the work. We had a pretty good turn out despite forecasts for snow. So, if you haven’t had a chance t get along to see it …well, I think you’ll find it a worth while trip.

A perfect October walk

Breaking through the cloud, Beinn Odhar

Breaking through the cloud, Beinn Odhar

It’s been ten months since we were last out on a hill with our friend Guy but on Monday we made up for it in style. I’d been trying to fix a date for a walk with Guy since returning from Germany and when we had to cancel the other week due to a problem with the car, it looked as if his comment earlier in the summer, that we’d probably need our axes and crampons by the time we got out together again, might come true!

By the weekend though the forecast for the week ahead was looking good ….especially in the west of Scotland and so with my paintings for the ScotlandArt exhibition finished and both Nita and Guy not working, we booked Monday as the day. We planned to go back to Beinn Odhar above Tyndrum, but this time instead of just doing the quick walk to the summit and back, we aimed to do a bigger circular walk. This ascended by the same route but returned via a long broad grassy ridge stretching behind the village of Tyndrum. We’d looked at this ridge a few times in the past and this seemed the perfect day to test it out …it’d be more than a short walk …but not too big a day for our rather unfit legs!

Towards Ben Lui

Towards Ben Lui

After meeting Guy at the station at just after half past six in the morning we got to Loch Lomond as it was getting light and things were looking good. Ben Lomond was clear as were many of the other hills and the cloud was breaking higher up. The drive up to Crianlarich along the shores of the loch at this time of year on a fine day is great. The trees are all turning to their autumn colours and with almost no wind, these were all reflected in the loch. The higher tops of the Glen Falloch hills and Ben More were still holding cloud but it all looked very promising …exactly how promising though we were still to find out.

On the ridge to Meall Buidhe

On the ridge to Meall Buidhe

Ben Odhar was clear and its upper slopes were catching the early morning sun as we set off up the West Highland Way out of Tyndrum heading for the base of the hill. It was definitely autumn and there was a real chill in the air and frost on the parked cars. We left the WHW at its high point between Tyndrum and Bridge of Orchy and headed straight up the hill. There’s no messing with this route, its steep grassy slopes for much of the way, passing some old mines about half way up. It never ceases to amaze me that people came to work here each day at some point in the past.

Towards-Meall-Buidhe

Towards-Meall-Buidhe

Very quickly as we gained height, a thick blanket of low cloud rolled in and we were soon in mist with no views to ease the steepness of the climb. But it really wasn’t very substantial cloud and we had a feeling that we might just bob out of the top with a bit of luck. And that is exactly what happened. Around about 750m the sun broke through and we found ourselves looking out over a layer of white cloud that stretched south of us. Above was clear blue sky and the sun was very warm. But it’s the views of all the other hills sticking up out of the cloud that really catch the eye …it was stunningly beautiful. We could see the chain of hills from Ben More to Ben Lomond, along with Ben Lui and its neighbours. Strangely north of our hill there was little or no cloud and we could see all the way down into the glen below in this direction.

Just below the summit

Just below the summit

Just above this point the steep slopes ease to a small level section in which a small loch sits immediately below the final steep and boulder strewn section of the hill…..a perfect spot sit and just take in the beauty of the location and these amazing conditions. The final clamber up to the cairn at the top of Ben Odha at just over 900m opened up even bigger views and all of our cameras were working overtime!

Our route back led first down steep slopes SE to another wee loch and then followed the broad grassy ridge in a southerly direction across to Meall Buidhe at 653m. By this stage much of the mist had cleared and so the whole time we were walking in warm bright sun. From Meall Buidhe it was a case of following the ridge to its end and then descending to a bridge over the railway and onto the West Highland Way again. We were now at a point a few kilometres south of Tyndrum and so it was just an easy and very pleasant walk back along the WHW to the car.

This was a fantastic day and the circular route and stunning conditions made for a perfect October walk.

A walk last March

Approaching A'Chailleach

Approaching A'Chailleach

It’s amazing just how quickly a year passes. Earlier today I was thinking about where we could go for a walk later this week. I decided to see where we went this time last year and found that we’d been up on the ridge above Glen Coe. My old friend from college days, the sculptor Keith Barrett was over from North Shields for a brief visit and so we decided to have a day on the hills.

The walk we took him on is not a difficult one, but it is in one of the most spectacular regions of Scotland. After an early start we arrived at the base of the Devils Staircase (the point where the West Highland Way climbs up away from Glen Coe and over to Kinlochleven. I had hoped for beautiful weather so that Keith could see the amazing scenery around …but alas we found thick heavy low cloud shrouding all the hills and there was rain in the air.

Breaking weather, above Glen Coe

Breaking weather, above Glen Coe

We headed off all the same, following the well built path of the West Highland Way as it gained height and zigzagged its way onto the shoulder of the hill. At the high point we turned left, leaving the popular and well used path and headed off up along the broad grassy and very wet ridge. The weather hadn’t improved at all and we were into the cloud … not even the slightest of views …so infuriating after travelling for almost two and a half hours to get there! It was looking like being a bit of a miserable day but as we gained height we got into some big patches of snow and even in the cloud this makes things look so much better.

After a while the ridge narrows somewhat and you follow the edge of a fine escarpment …which if we wanted to could be followed all the way to the start of the famous Aonach Eagach ridge. To our amazement as we gained height the cloud started to break and brightness started to appear. The escarpment had the remains of a cornice all the way along …in places you could see where it was breaking away, creating deep cracks in the snow that were a deep blue colour.

The Glen Coe mountains

The Glen Coe mountains

A strong bitterly cold wind was blowing now and clearing the cloud…all around us appeared snow capped peaks …it really was an amazing sight. We sat near the top of A’Chailleach ( just over 900m), sheltered from the wind by a large crag and just enjoyed the wildness and splendour of Glen Coe. We hadn’t seen a soul since leaving the WHW and it remained like this as we wandered our way back in bright sunshine. A classic little day in the Scottish Highlands …we had a bit of nearly everything.

Hopefully we’ll get something equally good later this week when we head out with another old friend from Falmouth School of Art. The last time I walked with him it rained heavily for six hours; better luck this time!

Photos by Anita Groves

114 'Towards Am Bodach, Glen Coe', Acrylic & Pastel, 2009, 30 x 30 cm

'Towards Am Bodach, Glen Coe'