We set out early this morning in overcast weather to explore a new hill, Dubh Chreag, the Black Crag, and ended up sitting, in turn, on the summits of three. With the highest at 259m these are mere molehills compared to Ben Nevis, but the difference between our walk and scaling the nation's highest mountain is that we saw not another soul all day whereas Ben Nevis attracts a quarter of a million climbers each year, an average of 680 per day, and we had the additional privilege of watching an eagle soar above us until he was chased off by a pair of peregrine falcons.
From Ormsaigbeg we climbed westwards, traversing the flank of Druim na Gearr Leacainn, the Ridge of the Short Forehead, which The Diary takes to mean the Frowning Ridge, a good name. From its summit we descended into a steep-sided, north-south running valley and then climbed Dubh Chreag, a short, sharp climb but well worth it as, when we looked around from the peak, bright splashes of sunshine had begun to chase each other across the peninsula. Due north, we looked across the tiny crofting township of Achosnich to the Isle of Muck and the distant mountains on Rhum.
Down again into another valley, and up the un-named peak to the west of Dubh Creag, from the summit of which, with the weather clearing by the minute, we watched Cal Mac's Clansman pass in front of a view southwestwards towards Tiree, not usually visible except on very clear days.
To the northwestwards, over Ardnamurchan Point Lighthouse, we could just see another famous lighthouse on the tiny islet of Hyskeir, beyond which the mountains of the Outer Hebrides were just visible.
We then headed inland hoping to reach the top of Beinn nan Ord, the Round-hilled Mountain, but lingered beside Lochan nan Cloiche, the Stony Lochan, another of those lochans which perches high in a valley with magnificent views from its edge, in this case, across the Sound to Ben More, the highest mountain on Mull.
We finally stopped on the slopes of Beinn nan Ord to eat lunch before turning home, pausing to watch Cal Mac's Lord of the Isles on her way to Tiree.
Some cracking photos of fabulous scenes there! I particularly like both the second image and its view.
ReplyDeleteI know that you already have your "Walks around West Ardnamurchan" book. Perhaps you should consider a guided walks service? I'll bet you could do it two or three times a week through the tourist season and raise some serious beer (or whatever) money! :-)