Over The Hill

When I set the categories for the walks in the database, I used three descriptives; Munros, Corbetts and Other Hills; the later may lead one to the conclusion that walks in this category are somehow less arduous or maybe not so grand or picturesque as in the other two options. Not so with today's "Other Hills" walk, the ever popular and favourite local walk around the Luss Hills taking in the summits of Beinn Eich, Cruach an t-Sidhein, Beinn Lochain, Doune Hill and the un-named 701m top. Today we would be in the hills for longer than if we were climbing Ben Lomond, Beinn Ime or Beinn Narnain, we would also cover a greater distance , and, have a total ascent greater than that for any of the aforementioned Munros; all of this, combined with spectacular views all around ensures that this "Other Hills" walk can hold its head high amongst it' s mightier neighbours.

With glorious blue skies above we left Edentaggart Farm behind and headed up the steep grassy hillside towards the distant summit of Beinn Eich, a climb during which you must always remember to take a breather and look back to take in the views of Loch Lomond as the panorama opens up behind you. Beinn Eich is not the highest, but is probably the greatest by mass of today's hills, it's great whale-back shape making for an imposing ridge as you descend from it's summit towards the 544m bealach where on previous occasions we had continued towards Beinn Lochain, but not today.

Today we contoured along the 550m contour to the south of Beinn Lochain heading for the outlier of Cruach an-t-Sidhein, a dumpling shaped hump of grassy hillside which would be our objective after a leisurely lunch stop in a sunny spot on reaching the broad 515m bealach at the base of Cruach an t-Sidhein, A short distance, but steep climb from the bealach and we were enjoying great views from this remote and, probably, least visited of tops in these hills, which, at 684m offered a great viewpoint and a top well worth the effort to include in the round.

Having reversed our steps back to the 515m bealach, it was then a haul up to the broad open summit of Beinn Lochain, with its indistinct top, overpowered as it is by the immediate sight of the steep slopes leading onwards to the penultimate and highest of our tops for today, the 734m Trig Point atop of Doune Hill. The weather was holding fine for us, but, across Loch Long, the Arrochar Alps were lost in a grey squall of snow and sleet, while we were reminded that winter was still with us, as an icy wind blew fine flakes of snow around us, nothing of significance, but just enough to let us know that spring can still yield some fickle weather.

A short, steep descent from the trig point and we were standing alongside the small lochan sitting at the watershed in Bealach an Duin and ready for our final climb of the day, this time a short steep ascent and we were on the rounded top of the un-named 701m top, our fifth top of the day, and a fitting point at the end of this beautiful high ridge walk.

From here on, it was downhill all the way, with our descent down to the head of Glen Mollochan made easier than previously with the lack of the bracken which has yet to rise from it's dormant state, and a surprisingly dry glen floor, still squidgy wet, but much preferable to the lying water we has so often had to walk through before as we made our return along the glen towards our start point at the head of Glen Luss.

A great day, thanks Lawrie.