Date: Sunday 26th March 2017
Company: Just myself
Distance: 8.7km, Ascent: 715m
Time: 3Hrs 50Mins
On Sunday morning I drove towards Loch Buie for an ascent of my one remaining Fiona on the Isle of Mull. I parked in a small parking area used primarily to get to a small stone circle.
Click here to see a map of the route undertaken
From the parking area I set off a short distance along a wet track before taking to the hillside. Once onto the south-west ridge, I realised I had made a stupid error. I had forgot to refill my water bottles. I was heading uphill on a hot, cloudless day with no water. I debated with myself whether to continue on or turn back. I opted to continue on.
Looking back towards start and Loch Buie:
The ascent of the ridge was pleasant via short grass with some gabbro slabs and outcrops.
Creach-Beinn:
Creach-Beinn provides great views across to neighbouring Ben Buie. The two hills are frequently climbed together. I ascended Ben Buie in January 2014 on another lovely blue-sky day.
Ben Buie:
The ascent of Creach Bheinn Bheag was straight-forward.
Ascending Creach Bheinn Bheag:
The views looking back towards Loch Buie were already good. It is a lovely part of Mull with some fantastic birdlife. On driving along the road to get to the hill I passed around twenty bird species.
View from Creach Bheinn Bheag:
Looking back to Loch Buie:
Seeing Creach-Beinn ahead it certainly looked rocky.
Creach-Beinn:
Loch Airde Glais:
I skirted just below the summit of Creach Bheinn Bheag and stopped to get a drink of water. As there was no flowing water, I found some clean-looking sphagnum moss and squeezed out a few mouthfuls.
Creach-Beinn:
Looking back to Creach Bheinn Bheag:
Despite Creach-Beinn having numerous rocky outcrops, its ascent was not difficult and there was no need to put hand to rock.
Ascending Creach-Beinn:
Ascending Creach-Beinn:
Ascending Creach-Beinn:
The views towards Jura were similar to the views the day previous from the summit of Corra-bheinn but even better.
View towards Jura:
I stopped a few times during the ascent to take photographs. As I was again thirsty, due to the heat, I also ate some clean snow by removing the upper layer. Eating snow to get water is not a good idea in cold weather but it certainly was not cold. Ideal to get fluid and to cool down.
Loch Spelve:
Looking towards the Garvellachs, Scarba and Jura:
It was nice to again see Ben More hiding behind Ben Buie. I have ascended Ben More twice previously, in 2004 and 2015.
Ben Buie and Ben More:
Ascending Creach-Beinn:
View down to Loch Spelve:
Each rocky band looked tricky from a distance but was straight-forward closer-up. However on a misty day with poor visibility, the ascend and descent may not be so straight-forward.
Ascending rocky Creach-Beinn:
Approaching the summit of Creach-Beinn:
I was delighted to reach the trig point and then the summit rock circa 15m from the trig point. This was my final Mull Fiona and my final island Fiona.
At the trig point looking towards the summit rock:
View from trig point:
Ben Buie and Ben More from the summit of Creach-Beinn:
View towards Jura from the summit of Creach-Beinn:
After taking numerous photos, I returned via roughly the same route. The descent was steep in places as had been the ascent.
Steep descent:
On passing a puddle I noticed a frenzy of bubbles and splashes as around eight to ten frogs were particpating in some kind of amphibian orgy!
Frog porn:
I didn't stop to drink during the descent so by the time I got back to the car, I was parched.
Looking back to Creach-Beinn:
On reaching the car I drove back to Craignure where I visited the shop and bought two pints of milk and two cans of juice. I drank all four one after the other. I was indeed thirsty!
While it is great to have completed the island Fionas, not to mention the island Corbetts and Munros, the island hills are my favourite hills. I will continue to visit the islands to reclimb previously climbed hills and also to ascend more Sub2000ft Marilyns.
9 Fionas remaining.