The Ridges of Beinn na h-Imeilte - 2

The whole of the great block of high land that reaches its peak in Beinn na h-Imeilte is a series of ridges and valleys carved by innumerable burns into the gabbroic rocks of the Ardnamurchan Ring Dykes.  This view looks down one of the valleys to the township of Portuairk, famous as the centre of the known universe.

We set off last Sunday in indifferent weather to explore the area - see earlier post here.  Sadly, as the morning progressed, conditions deteriorated.  For once, the best of the weather forecast sites, the Norwegian Yr.No, had got its predictions comprehensively wrong, as it had a big yellow sun promised for the whole morning and we mostly had.... rain.

As we climbed, we came across two small groups of hinds.  They are so well camouflaged at this time of year that, if they had stayed still, we probably wouldn't have noticed them.  As it was, as soon as they saw us they ran, then stopped again to watch us before finally moving off.

We climbed one of the many ridges to find the cairn that is marked on the OS map at the 160m contour  at NM457667 before crossing a couple more valleys and then, despite the weather looking increasingly nasty, heading up to the summit of the main ridge, at 216m OD.

To the left is the Kilchoan-Portuairk road, at centre is Lochan an Aodainn - aodainn means face in Gaelic, so presumably is the lochan of the face - and the hill in the centre distance is Beinn na Seilg, the hill of the hunt.

It hadn't stopped raining but, as we reached the summit of Beinn na h-Imeilte, a whole new view opened before us.  This picture looks into the centre of the Ring Dyke, to the township of Achnaha and the ridge on the other side of the Ring.  The Isle of Eigg is clearly visible, as are the distant Black Cuillins on Skye.

Looking along the Ring Dyke to the north, the highest point is Meall Sanna, and we have Muck and Rum beyond.  Not visible in this picture, but clearly visible to us was the Isle of Canna, just to the left of Rum, which was bathed in bright sunshine.  It had obviously benefited from the sunshine forecast for West Ardnamurchan.

An interactive map of the area is here.