An Arran Scramble.
Beinn Bharrain – Mullach Buidhe (g) 721m
D: 9.63 km El: 749m T: 3hrs 6 mins
I had this hill on my radar for a wee while and thought that it would be a perfect warm up for the Ladies Arran meet. I took the ferry across on the Thursday evening and found a nice park up by the sea. I was joined by other vans later on but that was fine. In the morning I drove to the start and set off. I decided to be brave and go up the scramble to get to the summit. I was dithering a bit as different reports have different options about the difficulty but it was short and supposedly escapable. so i went for it and was glad I did. Good to be walking at my own pace.
A Wee Hill
Na Maoilean 350m ( Sub 2000)
https://www.strava.com/activities/14404731249
I had planned a bigger hill day but I wasn’t really feeling it and the day started badly with a flat battery on the van. That would need to be sorted another day!! This little hill was just the job and looked over at the bigger hills I had planned.
After coffee and a strawberry tart at poppies I went across to Kerrera on the ferry rode to the marina and had a very nice meal, ferry back to Oban and a ride in the dark back to the van. nice evening.
https://www.strava.com/activities/14409784969
Fraochaidh
Fraochaidh 879m (c)
Bike: D: 4.88km El: 210m T: 41mins
Hike D: 8.69km T: 2hrs 54mins El:646m
Bike D: 4.16 km El:9m T: 15mins
https://www.strava.com/activities/14383109781
https://www.strava.com/activities/14385692817
https://www.strava.com/activities/14385971224
I had been to visit Kenny in the marina while he was working on his new boat! 🤦♀️. This hill had been on my list for a while. A nice ride up which was all up hill on good tracks so looked good for a nice descent. Once the track deteriorated I left the bike and walked first up the track and then open hill side to the top. Fantastic views towards Glencoe and the other way the sea and islands. I nearly had a dip in the little Lochan but it was a tad windy.
Small Hills
Carn Breugach 189m (sub 2000)
Bike: D: 4.31km El 112m T 28mins
Hike: D: 1.5km El 82m T: 29mins
Bike D: 3.76 km El:39m T: 22 mins
You have to love a wee hill. They often are mountains in miniature and this one was no exception. I took the ferry over to Kerrera to see Kennys new boat and as i had my bike I thought a wee bike hike up the highest point – which happened to be a sub 2000er.
Carn Mor
Carn Mor 829m (c)
Bike – D: 5.59km El: 114m T: 41mins
Hike – D: 12.1 43m El: 798m T: 4hrs 31mins
Bike: – D: 5.59 km El: 43m T: 28mins
second hill of the trip, a little slower but a grand day.
Didn’t expect the Police
Squrr cos na Breachd Laoidh 835m (c)
Bike:- D: 2.58km El: 42m T:16mins
Hike:- D: 9.74km El: 806m T:3hrs 32mins
Bike:- D: 2.58km El: 10m T: 11mins
this was a two day trip, my first day was a solo jaunt up a Corbett that i had had my eye on for a while. a glorious day, a lovely horse shoe. I got back to the van and met up with Janet who was going to camp. we had a jolly evening and went to bed in anticipation of another hill tomorrow. There was no signal at the car park and Kenny worried that he hadn’t heard from me since I was half way down the descent call the police. Two officers were dispatched to check up on me. about midnight they knocked on my van to check I was ok!!!!! Took me ages to get back to sleep and it was well into the next day before i got a signal and could talk to Kenny boy!!!!!
Journey Hill
Dumyat 418m (sub 2000)
D: 7.11 km. El: 293m. T:1hr 40mins
https://www.strava.com/activities/14262989202
I nice wee hill and I walked out to the fort on the way back. A good park up to break the journey. This time I headed straight home. As I have been away about 3 weeks.
Back Home.
Black Fell 664m (h)
D: 5.67km. El: 118m. T: 1 hr 22mins
https://www.strava.com/activities/14234142557
We arrived back at joes from Kai’s at lunch time. It was such a lovely day I put some washing in and then said to Joe. “We should get out and enjoy the day” so being Easter Sunday we just headed locally to the pennies at the back of Penrith. A quick jaunt up black fell from the top of the Alston Road. Little did we know it was a boy racer meeting place! We found somewhere to park and shot off away from the engine noise and fumes! A nice we walk! Back in time for tea.
Beinn Tart a’Mhill and the Giants Grave.
Beinn Tart a’Mhill 232m (sub 2000 )
D:6.94km. El: 174m T:1hr 54mins
https://www.strava.com/activities/14203191930
It was our last day and yesterday was wet so we visited distilleries. So it was lovely that today was sunny. Still windy! We are both getting a bit tired it has been a busy holiday but we pushed ourselves to get out and we were rewarded with fantastic views across to Ireland from the top of the hill. We then noticed that there was a chambered cairn in the woods near by to we decided to go and explore and try and find it which we did. It was dense woods with boggy breaks. What fun. Deffo worth it for the lovely 5,000 year old chambered cairn. After a late lunch at the campsite we walked over the rocks to port Charlotte. We saw an otter and had an ice cream. Now chilling in the van looking out over the bay. Saw the otter again
Glengarrisdale Bothy
The walk in
D: 7.08km. El: 138m. T: 2hrs. 4 mins.
https://www.strava.com/activities/14174773800
We had a slow start, the weather had broken but not badly. Sunny spells and a few showers but we decided to go for the bothy walk I was pleased and glad joes knee wasn’t going to stop us. We drove to the end of the very long road. Passed our furthest point from yesterday.
Eventually we came to the parking place at the very end of the road and after a fair and appropriate amount of faffing we set off. Oh and a bit of lunch.
At first it was a track. Then we turned of onto an Argo track which was boggy in places but nothing that couldn’t be avoided. It undulated and then dropped down eventually to the bothy.
What a beautiful place and a lovely little bay and beach. No one else here we settled in to the lighter room with an excellent fire place. After a walk on the beach to find the cave. We did! And look at the tide coming in we came inside and lit the fire. It got quite cosy and an excellent evening was had. The dehydrated meals. The orange ones we ok and we enjoyed a can and later some Cointreau out of my new flask.
A great day.
Bothy porn. Love this bothy. best fire ever.
The Walk Out
D: 7.19 km. El: 187m. T:2hr 5mins
https://www.strava.com/athletes/3236700
It was a hard walk out after the paps on Friday and the walk in yesterday. But worth it. Finally back to the van we went to Luss Gin distillery and had three different tastings. Bought loads of gin. Managed to get the van back to Craighouse and had mac and chips at the hotel. Days don’t get much better.
Mountain Days and Photo Nights 