Had we taken the direct route from the south up the backbone of this mountain we might have found the climb easier, but we strayed along the eastern flank, in part because of the fine views down into the valley below, and we soon found ourselves with a steep climb to make it to the summit. Having started in bright sunshine, the sky had now clouded over, but the increasingly strong east wind helped to push us up the incline.
There's a large cairn at the top of Beinn an Leathaid, which was just as well as it offered us some shelter from the wind. With the sun gone, the views away to the north - to the isles of Rhum and Eigg - had become mistier.
Occasional flashes of sunlight lit the slopes of the mountain to the east, Meall na Con, the hill of the dogs. At 437m it sightly tops Beinn an Leathaid's 401m.
To the north the ridge runs on to form Cathair Mhic Dhiarmaid, MacDiarmid's Seat. A small, un-named lochan nestles close to that summit
We set off back along the western slope of the hill, which made for more pleasant walking as it was sheltered from what was, by now, a brisk wind. This steep sided valley separates Beinn an Leathaid from Meall nan Con. We had expected to find deer sheltering in it but it was strangely deserted. This stream runs away to the north to reach the sea at Fascadale.A map of the area is here.
We've been up this hill a couple of times to search out the site where a light aircraft carrying fish came to grief. It took more than one trek to find it but there are still pieces remaining on the north end of the eastern slope, a couple of hundred feet down from the summit. Chrissie gave us details and said there was a stink of fish over Kilmory for some time afterwards. Sadly, the pilot was killed in the accident.
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