Monday 24 April 2023 - Craiganour Lodge (2) - Beinn Mholach

I'm having trouble with postings that aren't from home, and with email postings. And any comments I make seem to be Anonymous, even when I'm signed in to a Google account.

There is also a poor phone signal and slow WiFi here at Craiganour, so please bear with me - I'll try to add more at a later date if time permits.

So postings and pictures will be limited and brief for a while.

Today eleven of our group of 18 set off from Craiganour with the 841 metre summit of Beinn Mholach in mind. The other ten were all intent on climbing a scraggy little hill called Creag a'Mhadaidh on the way. That proved enough for Mike, who promptly turned around and headed back down the track.

The remaining nine nearly caught me up at my lunch break on the slopes of Mholach. But they stopped for their own leisurely lunch a little below the spot where I was perched.

After the 9:30 start, I reached the summit before 2pm. For a long time the top looked deceptively close due to the huge cairn that forms very good wind break.

Black grouse were seen on the ascent, and lizards on the descent. Others saw deer, hares and ptarmigan.
A slow descent had me expecting the others to pass me, but the only person I saw was Bee, our chef, out for a run.

Back at base, excellent tea and cake on arrival at 5pm, with the others strolling in a few minutes later, having taken a different descent route.

The picture above was taken on Mholach's summit. Note the iconic shape of Schiehallion in the background.

21km, with about 700 metres ascent, in about 7.5 hours. Map to follow. 

Later - More pictures (and a map) from today:

Loch Rannoch from our bedroom.

Getting ready to walk from the Lodge.

Through the woods to open ground with a view of Beinn Mholach in the distance.

Looking north from the slopes of Mholach, towards Loch Garry.

Still quite a way to the pimple that is in fact a big cairn.

A view from the summit, to Loch Rannoch and Schiehallion.

21km, 700 metres ascent, 7.5 hours.

Back at base, our dining room.