Thursday 14 May - Creag Bhan

Julie's continued assault of the 1550 'Marilyn' (relative hills separated by a 150 metre drop) summits proceeded to summit number 1396, where she was joined by me and Tom on the 510 metre monolith known as Creag Bhan.

After parking in a lay-by on the A830 road beyond Glenfinnan, we soon found the path that goes under a small railway bridge near Lochailort.

Looking back, the Corbett summits of Moidart beckoned, but our objective today was in the opposite direction. 

We rose gently to a good viewpoint overlooking the iconic railway line. A horn blared but no train appeared. We continued upwards, failing to capture an image of the DMU as it passed below.

I've been wanting to walk up this path for some years, as it is a TGO Challenge route from the Lochailort starting point, notorious for failed attempts to find Prince Charlie's Cave, and the difficult shore line of Loch Beoraid. In the event our path took us to the left of the cave, becoming an easy grassy slope up the flanks of Creag Bhan.

Here's the view along Loch Beoraid. At least I established that the route so far as I went was on a good path.

Up at the summit, after my hat had blown away and been recovered from a pond, it took several attempts to negotiate the windy, rocky ramparts, but Tom did eventually gain a position from which to record me and Julie on the top.

It was windy.

We enjoyed good views to Moidart, as well as to Eigg and Rhum.

A good spot sheltered from the wind was found for lunch.

A direct descent to the path on which we had started up the hill got us all the way down with no incidents. Here's Julie on the last part of the descent. 

Here's our route, just 7 km with 500 metres ascent. It took Julie and me a good 4 hours. Tom ran down a little quicker and had gone to his next appointment by the time we reached the lay-by. 

Thanks go to Julie for suggesting this jolly excursion. 

Wednesday 13 May 2026 - Beinn a'Bhacaidh

A drive to beyond Fort Augustus had me realising how far we had cycled yesterday.

Anyway, after just a 45 minute journey, Julie and I set off in fine weather up this small hill that qualifies as a 'Marilyn' (a relative hill). There were soon good views down to nearby Loch nan Lann.

Julie got way ahead as I faffed with clothing adjustments on the showery morning. 

But the summit never seemed far away. 

Here's the view from a promontory on the way up.

And we soon made it to the summit. 

We didn't stay long, but a break in the weather did allow a coffee interlude on the way down.

Further down, here's the ford by a small cairn from where steep grassy slopes had earlier led easily to the summit. 

Continuing on our 5 km walk, we saw an impressive building in the distance.

We were soon back at the car for lunch in comfort. Others - Sue, Roger, Tom and Paul - lunched elsewhere in a bothy after climbing Stob Ban in the Grey Corries area.

Here's our route - 5 km with 350 metres ascent to the 555 metre summit. It took us little more than 2 hours.

A good choice for a rainy day. 

Tuesday 12 May 2026 - A Bike Ride to Fort Augustus and back

On a showery day I joined Paul and Jeanette for a leisurely bike ride. We are pictured above at the start.

The view across Loch Lochy displayed a cloud covered Ben Nevis.

We soon got good views along the loch.

After four miles of newly surfaced road we took a right turn along a forest track. Soon we came across Paddington, near a new looking bothy.

By the time we reached Laggan Locks, it was time for elevenses. 

Once we got going again we found ourselves in lovely woodland next to the Caledonian Canal. 

There is evidence of a railway line that never reached its planned destination due to competition for different routes.

The waterway was quite busy today.

We arrived in Fort Augustus in time for lunch.

Returning the same way, we crossed the canal at Culochy Lock.

The showers had certainly dampened the old railway track.

We paused for a while to admire the 14:30 from Fort William.

Oops - it ran out of track...

Before leaving the canal in favour of woodland paths, we appreciated the coconut aroma from the densely packed Gorse bushes.

Today's route followed the Great Glen Way and Sustrans cycle route number 78. There was a well signposted diversion around a new hydro project.

Soon after this, we reached the road and an easy ride back to Taigh Mor. We had cycled 76 km with nearly 700 metres ascent. It took us a leisurely 7 hours.

There were some interesting features on this route that will be revealed in a couple of weeks  time in an edit.

Monday 11 May 2026 - Meall an t-Slamain

While others chose more demanding options, I joined Julie for the ascent to a magnificent viewpoint at 467 metres.

Setting off from the shore of Loch Linnhe at Camusnagaul, we clinbed through the forest for about 200 metres on a good path. That was it. The path left us to scramble steeply up to a communications mast at 291 metres.

Just beyond the mast, a trig point provided the foreground for the view ahead, and the mast served the same purpose for the view back towards Fort William. 

The continuing pathless ascent rewarded us with views towards the summit, which didn't appear to be far away.

A series of false summits revealed that we had further to go than we anticipated! Here are Julie and me at one of them.

Fine views.

Are those the Paps of Jura in the distance?

A few photos from the 467 metre summit....

....before a 45 minute break for lunch, during which we were treated to several fly pasts by flocks of swifts.

Meanwhile, Sue and Roger were busy summiting Aonach Mor and Aonach Beag. Here's Sue at a lunch point, and one of her views.

Elsewhere, two members of our group were failing to rise above the 2 metre contour line for their lunches.

After our very leisurely lunch, Julie and I pottered off to descend to the communications mast, taking avoiding action by contouring to bypass the false summits. 

We continued to enjoy good views all the way to the communications mast, from where we descended to the coast road via the mast's rubbly access track.

Here's our route - all of 8.7 km, with about 500 metres ascent, taking a little more than 4 hours. At a very leisurely pace.

I didn't hear any cuckoos or see any lizards today, but numerous flora is in flower, including the  following:

Primrose

Cuckooflower

Lesser Celandine 

Gorse

Common Dog Violet

Dandelion 

Bluebells

Wild Strawberry

Sundew

Orchids

Cotton Grass

Lousewort

Milkwort

Tormentil

Wood Sorrel 

Wood Anemone 

Butterwort 

Bog Asphodel 

Here are a few of those that littered the verge of the A861 road back to Camusnagaul.