06/08/2012 Beinn Fhionnlaidh 200 or bust Part V

Beinn Fhionnlaidh (m)

Length 9.9 miles 15.8km
Ascent 1015m
Naismith 4hr 51 min
Weather overcast, low cloud.


Anticipation was in the air, I had company in the shape of Mrs Halfaseesaw and Cb and her mum. A real family day out. After my trip on Fhionnlaidh's neighbour (Sgulaird; see previous post), I had revised my preconceived ideas about this hill. Sgulaird had proven to be dryish under foot with a couple of rocky tops and a nice summit. As it turned out my preconceived ideas about Fionnlaidh were in fact wholly accurate. (Boggier than a bog in Bogland).

I missed the path up the hill (fortunately as it turned out). It got off to a poor start when I drove pass the car park and had to do a 3 point turn on a forest track. After finding the car park we were set upon by clans of midges and only escaped by flinging on boots and running for the hills.

Car Park Hazard

Following the well signed track past the farm, I then failed to see the start of the hill path and we walked for a kilometre or so northwards until we broke out of the trees near a very remote cottage. It is always surprising to me to find how much water defies gravity when in the form of a bog. The hill was wet. And it pretty much stayed wet. All the way to the top of the hill.

Wet

From the small collection of lochans onwards, there was pretty thick cloud requiring map and compass work, most notably on the way down. By following the faint path back down the hill we actually found a bog that was wetter than the one on the way up.

As my wife and I have now added this tick to our increasingly extensive list we will not be visiting again. I am led to believe that there is a fine Grade II scramble on this hill. It may be worth seeking out in the winter when it is frozen and thus, might provide more sport.

We did see something interesting on this trip, a rock, some goats and a lifeboat.No it wasn't THAT wet.

A Rock

Some Goats

Self Explanatory

And some fungus

Life size, really.