Over The Hill

A double bonus in store for me as we approached this weekend’s walk: the weather forecast was for fine clear skies, and The Steeple was a hill I had passed by on occasions but had never climbed.

However, bonus one was certainly not in evidence as we left the carpark in Lochgoilhead and headed south along the shore road with low cloud shrouding the hillsides around us and very little signs of the promised blue skies. All this being borne out as we passed the “weather stone” displayed outside one of the cottages, dry yes, but no sign of a shadow, so no sunshine. Just over a kilometre from the start, we left the narrow roadway and made a climbing contour up through the pine forest on a narrow path to merge with the main forest track. Here we did an almost complete 180 degree about turn to head north along this higher level track and return to a point not to distant from our start point, albeit above the shoreline, and where we joined the Cowal Way as it leaves Lochgoilhead enroute to Arrochar. It was to be a short meeting with the Cowal Way as a few moments later we were to leave the easy paths and tracks behind, and begin the climb towards our main objective for today, The Steeple.

Now on a much narrower path we climbed steadily, initially through grass and scrub, and then onto a slightly rockier path through the trees as we approached the crags which line the minor top of Toman Mor, a fine viewpoint from which to look west over Loch Goil towards the tops of Beinn Bheula and Beinn Lochain. Now above the treeline, our way ahead was clearly visible over the wide open grass and heather hillside as we gazed towards the broad north ridge and prominent summit of The Steeple. Leaving the views from Tomin Mor behind we headed generally east over the hillside heading for a point on the skyline a few hundred metres north of the actual summit of The Steeple. I would describe this section as mostly pathless, with only short parts where there were traces of footfall, most probable from those who like us had at some point just made a beeline for the obvious point on the skyline from which to approach the summit of The Steeple.

Having reached that “point on the skyline” we were then able to turn south and head directly towards the 378 metre summit of The Steeple on what was a rough grassy path, distinct at times, not so at others for the final few hundred metres to the summit, from which the views are certainly well worth the effort in getting there. The blue skies were still eluding us, but the clouds were breaking a little and the views were wonderful as we made ourselves comfortable for a pleasant lunch break, a slight breeze just enough to keep the midges at bay.

Directly north of the summit lies the path of the Cowal Way, and so, after our break, we retraced our final approach to the summit, only this time continuing to descend north to meet the Cowal Way as it enters the Argyll Forest Park on the south side of Donich Water. Back in the shade of the pines we headed east into the forest a short distance before crossing Donich Water and making a short steep climb on a fine path up through the trees to break out of the forest onto a well defined track which would lead us downhill towards Inveronich and a fine walk through some wonderful pine trees into Lochgoilhead for the end of a fine day in the hills.

Great walk Mike, thanks to you all everyone for your company. John