Creag Dhubh and the Argyll Stone

I had a bad night’s sleep and then didn’t feel good when I awoke this morning. Nevertheless, John suggested I went out to take some photos with my camera while Loch an Eilein was calm. I’m glad he did. I think I got some lovely shots.

We’d planned an 11 mile hike up Creag Dhubh (843 metres, 5hrs 15mins) today and, over breakfast, debated whether I felt up to it. We decided against just wandering round the loch and forest, and decided to shorten the mountain hike by doing an out and back to the summit, rather than a big circuit.

Having hiked past the loch, on which waves were glistening now the wind was rising, we headed off the main track onto a beautiful path through ancient Caledonian Forest. The path became steeper and more difficult as we followed a pretty babbling burn tumbling downhill, waterfall after waterfall. Heather and prickly spruce kept barring our way and scratching our bare legs, as we clambered up the alternately rocky and boggy mountainside through the towering Scots Pines. Quite a workout!

Finally we emerged through the heather and trees onto the barren hillside. I say barren, but it was amazing how much life we saw… pretty lichens, new spruce shoots poking through the soil, heathers, mosses, grouse, a lizard and even what John thinks was a Golden Eagle!

The ascent was now less steep and the path was easier, so we soon reached the Argyll Stone or Clach Mhic Cailein, an enormous granite boulder near the top of the mountain. After climbing it, taking photos and eating lunch, we made our way to the summit of Creag Dhubh, just a few metres higher than the stone, and far less interesting!

For me, the hike went downhill from here, literally and figuratively! We’d decided to do the full 11 mile walk because I felt good and didn’t fancy retracing our steps and battling with heather and spiky spruce again. However, there was no path for the next few miles and I found the terrain on the way down almost as difficult… squidgy moss and dry scratchy lichen, hiding rocks and bogs, waiting to catch me out! Also, strong gusts of wind trying to blow me over!

Finally, we left the mountainside and joined a wide track back to Loch an Eilein. This was easy to hike along but seemed to go on forever and, despite being pleasant enough, got rather boring. I was very pleased to get back to Molly Moho and, now I’m washed and refreshed, I can say it was an excellent day 😃