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.