Blath Bhalg
Blath Bhalg 641m (g)
Distance: 7.29km Elevation: 285m Time: 1hr 52mins (2hrs 22mins )
https://www.strava.com/activities/4246996770
I was going to go up this hill last time I came back from Joe’s but the weather was very wet. It wasn’t much better today but there were gaps in the showers. I sat in the car and waited for the rain to stop then I set off. It soon started again and kept going until a was almost at the top. It was really great to be walking on my own….I missed my walking buddy and I like walking with friends but it is also good to walk alone.
Once back at the car I drove down to Joe’s for the start of a great visit.
Craigellachie in the rain.
Craigellachie 496m
Distance: 7.27km Elevation: 307m Time: 1hr 50mins ( 2hrs 10mins)
https://www.strava.com/activities/4224683948
Very wet! I was like a drowned rat when I got home!
The Buck
https://www.strava.com/activities/4163828328
The Buck (g) 721m
I needed to go to Huntly to drop off new jewellery to the lovely shop there. After i decided to have a wee jaunt up a little hill called The Buck and tick off another Graham. It was pretty windy on the top but great light.
Creag Ruadh
Creag Ruadh 622m (g)
https://www.strava.com/activities/4129081487
I picked this route out of my Grahams book, it seemed a good length for a short day walk and it was near the hills Joe and I were up a few weeks before so it is always nice to do a few in the same area. Chris joined me Dot was a bit broken after an epic walk a few days before. The route looked unlikely at first as we looked up a field to a dense wood that was to be our way up. In fact though there was a little path the went up and then there was a gap between the two types of woods. We emerged from the woods onto a little ridge that gave us wonderful views back down to Laggan. The ridge curved round and after climbing a deer fence we reached the trig point which was the summit. We aimed for another fence and wooded area via a boggy low bit that wasn’t as boggy as it looked. Though the gate and over rough ground until we picked up a way marked path that took us along another lovely ridge and down to a junction. We headed up to explore a old fort before a walk round via forest tracks to Chris van which was parked strategically to avoid a 2 Km road walk.
It was an excellent walk. I had my new watch which thought if we were going slower than 5km an hour we were stopped! Hence the odd details on strava!!
Geal Charn 926m and Glen Markie 
The path through the woods 
Chris walking up the ridge, Spey Dam behind and Beinn a Chrasgain 828m 
I think that the hill on the right could be Carn an Fhreiceadain 878m 
Crags on Creag Meagaigh 
looking towards Lock Laggan and Binnein Shuas and Binnein Shois 
Looking towards Creag Meagaidh 
Creag Ruadh 622m 
Looking back to Creag Ruadh 
Mull Beach Camp Day two
https://www.strava.com/activities/4091802930
Today was kenny’s birthday adn the weather excelled itself. Sunny warm and lovely. After breakfast and the sun had warmed things up with got the wet suits on and had an amazing scramble round the little island in the middle of the bay. We swam across little inlets and to the shore – it was fantastic. After lunch we packed up all the stuff and headed back to the van. It has to be said the return journey – which was my route did not tuen out as imagined. It was mostly hike a bike and deer fences. but character forming!!!
Once back at the van we returned to the spot last night. had a lovely tea and Kenny did some more fishing as the sun went down.
Mull bike pack adventure
https://www.strava.com/activities/4083413286
Day one of our wee epic adventure. We backed up the van and headed to Fionnphort, it was kenny’s adventure – he had it inmind where we were going. At first the farm that we were going to park had become very unfriendly – signs saying you stay you pay etc. We parked further down the road, and took a considerable time packing everything up. We had the fish caught earlier and a BBQ plus wet suits and the kitchen sink!!!
It was a lovely ride to the beach and only a little pushing!! and guess what – we had it to ourselves. A BBQ by the beach, I collected driftwood, just enough breeze to keep the midges away and a glorious sunset……I slept like a log.
Mull Day Three: A most Excellent day
https://www.strava.com/activities/4077678435
Today we decided to have a bike ride and there was one that I fancied that turned out to be amazing. the day was hot and sunny, we couldn’t believe our luck. The weather being way better than the forecast. We parked the van at the point that the track came up to the road so our little bit of road riding would be at the end. the ride had everything, single track, wild location, deserted villages steep cliffs hike a bike down a steep cliff, amazing views over to the Treshnish Isles, Coll and Tiree. A cave used for distilling, a Dun and iron age fort. what a day……
Post Lockdown Van Trip: Day Two
https://www.strava.com/activities/4077677983
This is the view we woke up to! Definitely a place to come back too. We were in no hurry so we had a leisurely breakfast which included blackberries I picked. Kenny had a fish and caught a little on which he put back.
Eventually we packed up and headed to the ferry at Lochaline, we had a little wait but I went buy postcards for Joe and Kai and post a parcel for Campbell and Fiona. We brewed up in the van and watched the world go by. After the ferry trip we headed to check out the ferry times to Ulva. It was a disappointment (especially for Kenny) that they were not running at all due to covid. We shall return, so we carried on round to Calgary bay. Had a walk along the beach and shore to an old jetty. It was fairly busy so decided not to stop the night there but carry on along the road we came. We had a place in mind that was free luckily. It had great views over towards Ben More and the Corbett that Joe and I climbed on our last visit in 2016. we watched a lovely sunset and had a nice tea and evening in the Van.
Our spot for the night
Below our wonderful spot for night two
The Dutchman’s Cap
First Road Trip Since Lockdown: Day one
We set out fairly late, the van packed food purchased and excited Kenny and Lynn in the Van. As it was getting late we sensibly decided to get a McDonalds drive through take away in Fort William before we got the Corran Ferry. We had a rough idea of where to park up and luckily we were able to find a brilliant spot on Loch Doire nam Mart. As it was dusk as we arrived and Kenny decided to wait until the morning before he did any fishing
The Binnein’s
Binnein Shuios 668m Binnein Shuas 747m
D: 18.1km El: 816m T: 5hrs 21mins (7 hrs 17 mins)
https://www.strava.com/activities/4040359660
The Forecast was for less wind but maybe some showers, I was not hopeful we would achieve our objective as it was raining on the way to the start and the sky looked very dark out west. Then the realisation that I had also forgotten our sticks!!! We set off in good spirits in the dry, we left the forrest road and headed up through tufted grass, climbed a fence and headed up towards the broad coll. we decided we had possibly left the track a bit early but i don think it would have made much difference. we had a bit of drizzle but nothing too bad. the summit of Binnein Shuios was windy so we dropped down a bit to have our lunch. then dropping back down to the coll and up the steep side of Binnein Shuas, we followed a rack and then walked round and up to the top. it was claggy on the top so not views but i was very pleased to reach the top. we dropped down out of the clag and picked our way down the even steeper hill to the track. wouldn’t like to do it in the clag but i am sure we would have managed. A great effort and my legs though tired were not broken. My longest walk for a while
Mountain Days and Photo Nights 