Hill: Cruach Choireadail
Date: Sunday 20th January 2013
Company: Myself and John
Distance: 7.2km, Ascent: 460m
Time: 2Hrs 30Mins


For the final day, of our weekend trip to the Isle of Mull, we decided to ascend something short and easy. In winter, there are only two ferries that run from Fishnish to Lochaline on a Sunday, so we wanted to be sure not to miss the last one.

On Saturday, on looking across to Cruach Choireadail from Ben Buie, we thought that an ascent of Cruach Choireadail from our Ben Buie parking spot looked much more pleasant than the usual steep direct ascent. We therefore returned to the same starting point, as the day previous. This turned out to be a good plan as we were able to follow a vehicle track for most of the route.

Click here to see a map of the route undertaken

From the parking place, we followed a very faint narrow path up the ridge to the East of Coire Clachach.

Looking towards Cruach Choireadail from ridge to the East of Coire Clachach:


After a few hundred metres, we were pleased to find a good vehicle track which we were able to follow most of the way towards the summit of Cruach Choireadail.

Looking West along the A849:


John ascending ridge to the East of Coire Clachach:


The vehicle track allowed us to make reasonably fast progress.

Looking towards Cruach Choireadail:


Looking towards Cruachan Beag (the Eastern top of Cruach Choireadail):


The snow was sufficiently soft that we didn’t need crampons and the slopes were of low gradient such that we didn’t need ice axes.

John ascending Cruachan Beag:


The views from Cruachan Beag were reasonably good but unfortunately not a third consecutive blue-sky day.

View from Cruachan Beag:


Cruach Choireadail from Cruachan Beag:


Looking across to Ben Buie:


Looking across to Creach-Beinn:


The final ascent up Cruach Choireadail was also straight-forward.

Cruach Choireadail from col:


John at the summit of Cruach Choireadail:


I took a close-up of John at the summit .

John:


View from the summit of Cruach Choireadail:


Ben More was again looking tempting today. I think I will come back in winter to re-ascend A’Chioch and Ben More.

Ben More and A’Chioch from summit of Cruach Choireadail (zoom):


View from the summit of Cruach Choireadail:


We returned to the car via the same route.

While driving back towards Craignure, John spotted several birds in the water. I stopped the car for a closer look and was surprised to find eight Grey Heron standing together. A soon as they saw me, they took off.

Grey Heron:


Grey Heron:


Grey Heron:


Seven Grey Heron:


This concludes an enjoyable weekend on the Isle of Mull. I think I will need to make more of an effort to get to Scottish Islands in winter.