West of Ben Hiant

We've had a fair bit of rain over the last couple of days, brought in by the same, persistent southeasterly wind, and the forecast for the next few days is dire.  But this morning, despite a sunrise obscured by a curtain of what we now know to have been hail, the forecast promised a brief sunny spell, so we grabbed the opportunity and set off for the western slopes of Ben Hiant.

We left the car at the turn just before Caim (see map at bottom of entry), crossed the Allt Choire Mhuillinn, and followed the track that climbs steadily towards the lower slopes of Beinn na h-Urchrach.  But we kept stopping to look back, because the clouds had been cleared by a cheerful southwesterly wind to give us some brilliant sunny intervals.  This view is roughly northwest towards the house at Caim and its backdrop of Glas Bheinn to the left and Meall an Tarmachain to the right.

Looking further round to the west the view was straight back towards Kilchoan.  Mingary Castle is to the left, and the highest point in the distance is Beinn na Seilg.  All the land in the foreground, across which we had walked, belongs to Ardnamurchan Estate, but it was once extensively worked by the people of the clachans of Choire Mhuillinn and Skinnid - look carefully and the evidence of their field systems is still visible.

This picture was taken from the shoulder of Beinn na h-Urchrach looking straight across the valley towards Meall an Tarmachain.  By this time the hollows between the grass tufts were full of the hailstones that had fallen earlier in the morning.

We then crossed the saddle between Beinn na h-Urchrach and Ben Hiant.  This picture looks up towards the summit of Ben Hiant, its slopes cut by innumerable little burns.  Although the 'usual' way up Ben Hiant is from the east, there would be no difficulty in reaching the top of the mountain from this side.

From the most southerly point of our walk we stopped to take in the view along the coast towards the distant headland of Maol Buidhe.  Mingary Castle is to the right, and on the point beyond is the slipway from which the CalMac ferry sails for Tobermory.  The houses in the distance are Ormsaigbeg.

By the time we began to descend the hill high clouds were beginning to obscure the sun and, although the wind was no stronger, it seemed much colder.  But we felt pleased with ourselves: by seizing an opportunity we had enjoyed memorable views, some lovely winter sunshine, and a walk across beautiful countryside.