18-21st April 2013- Isle of Mull

Wednesday evening I took the last train from Lichfield to Birmingham New Street and waited for two and a half hours and then caught the Megabus at 2:35. I got a few hours sleep before arriving in Glasgow, where not knowing at the time I was meant to change. I stayed on the bus and realised when I was in Dundee, I needed to get back to Glasgow. I was put on a bus to Glasgow and had to wait four/five hours for the next bus to Oban, so finally got there about 9pm. I managed to get into a hostel and got my head down so I could get the first ferry in the morning.

Mull on the Horizon

Friday morning, I walked out the hostel and the sun was already out. I caught the first ferry to Craignure and enjoyed the amazing sun on the top deck. With not a cloud in the sky I enjoyed the views of sea and mountains. I arrived on Mull and started walking at 8:30. I walked on the road for a bit and then headed up a track up the side of Dun Da Ghoaithe, I got off the track for most of the way up and it was hard work on the tough terrain.

Trig on Dun Da Ghoaithe

I made it to the trig point and then carried on to the actual summit along a broad ridge. I followed along to Beinn Thunacaraidh and then went down into Glen Forsa where I walked into the forest and followed the river until I was able to cross. I found a track and was able to follow this to Tomsleibhe bothy.

Bothy with Beinn Talaidh behind

I stopped at the bothy for lunch and got my stove out to make a coffee and plan where to go from there. I headed off and walked up Beinn Bheag and then up the steep, scree covered eastern face of Beinn Talaidh. It was hard work and after scrabbling up the scree slopes I made it  to the top to be rewarded by great 360 views, including a good one of Ben More which was free from clouds.

Ben More in distance

I headed down the north-west side of the hill and then through a small gorge to Glen Cannel, where after finding a decent place to cross Glencannel river I walked to Loch Ba. I followed a rare path alongside the loch until I turned off following another path into Glen Clachaig. The sun was starting to go down, so I settled up by  waterfall to camp. I pitched up, had some tea and enjoyed a dry and relatively calm night.

Pitch in Glen Clachaig

Saturday morning, I woke popped my head out the tent and it was quite windy, cloudy but at least dry. After breakfast and packing up I walked further into the valley and started the ascent up to the pass between A Chioch and Cruachan Dearg. A Chioch from Glen Clachaig is a triangular peak (as seen the day before) and this morning the top 100m was under cloud.

The pass before entering the clouds on A Chioch

The ascent up the hill was mainly in the clag and seemed to take forever. I then started up a steeper rockier slope which involved a bit of scrambling. After making it to the top marked by a cairn I headed along a ridge to Ben More. The clag made it difficult to see much in front but after a bit of scrambling I made it to the summit.

Shelter on Ben More summit

My first Munro at 966m and the highest point on Mull. It was grim on the summit with a strong cold wind. After writing my initials in some snow in the summit shelter, I headed off Ben More the easy way down the northern slope marked by a path. I hadn't seen anyone since 9am the previous day but passed about ten walkers and about thirty fell runners (on a race).

Loch na Keal off the side of Ben More

After the long decent I came to the shore of Loch na Keal, it was sunny off the mountian but the cloud still hugged the peaks at 700ish metres. I followed it a few miles until I came to Knock where I turned onto the path which took me to Loch Ba. I walked alongside the loch and at the end of the loch turned off the path and across boggy ground with a couple of river crossings until I came to the foot of Beinn na Duatharach.

Loch Ba

The ascent was steep up a grassy hill, but I made it to the top. But despite the good views, I  didn't stick around as the wind made it rather cold. I headed down the other side and then back to Tomsleibhe bothy at about 5:30. I had something to eat and settled in for the night. It was a cold night in the bothy, but at least I was dry as it was raining outside.

Night in the bothy

I woke on Sunday after a decent bit of sleep and I checked my feet (we're sore at the end of the previous day) and had flapjack and coffee for breakfast. It was spitting outside so with waterproofs on I started walking. I found a place to cross River Forsa and then headed up the steep grassy slopes to Beinn Chreagach Mhor.

 Beinn Chreagach Mhor

I made it to the top, but there wasn't much to see as it was cloudy and miserable on top of the hill. After walking round the top after loosing my bearings a bit, I carried on to Beinn Mheadhan where it was equally miserable, so I picked a way down back towards Craignure. I went down into the grassy hillside until I came to a river with a long name, which i followed into Salen forest.

Waterfall above Salen Forest

The weather was better low down and I was enjoying the sun again. I came to the road which follows the coast and I followed it back to Craignure. It was still only early afternoon, so after catching the ferry to Oban I had a couple of hours to spare before catching the megabus at 6:30.

Oban

I got off at Glasgow at 9:30 and then got on the megabus at about 11:00 for Birmingham and arrived at 4:00am (total Megabus fees = £2.50 return). I waited at New Street for the first train to Lichfield at 6:05 and so was home at 7:00 and was able to make it to work just before 8:00 on Monday a little bit tired.

Trip Stats
Day 1- 19.1 miles 5620ft ascent
Day 2- 15.2 miles 4870ft ascent
Day 3 - 10.3 miles 2455ft ascent