GrahamsBeinn a'Mheadhoin
|
Other hillsNone
|
BothiesNone
|
Distance/ascent5.3km. 391m
|
Time taken5h 30mins
|
NotesTake the style over the deer fence during descent
|
12 July 2025
Other than Ben Bhraggie a few years previously, this was Peter's first trip hiking and camping. I was concerned about the possibility of putting him of for life, so had waited for fine weather and I tried to find some easier hills. Also, I know Cannich campsite. I know the facilities to be good and there is the Bog Cotton cafe.
Things went partly to plan. The weather was very hot. At one point, Peter said that he wanted some rain!
The route up was straightforward, though at one point. Peter sat down and said that he could not go on. He said that he was exhausted. He was not even breathing heavily, so I asked him what he meant. "I feel like my limbs are about to falll off!", was the reply.
I had to come up with a plan. I offered to carry his pack as long as he went first. I told him that if I caught him up, I would return his pack to him. This worked during this psychological low point of feeling tired but the summit still a long way off. We were quite close to the point at which the gradient eased, by the time I caught him up and returned his pack.
On reaching more level ground, as we approached the summit, limbs intact, he seemed more energised. Reaching the top, he wanted to send his mum a joint selfie, adding "We did it! We made it to the top!"
Things went partly to plan. The weather was very hot. At one point, Peter said that he wanted some rain!
The route up was straightforward, though at one point. Peter sat down and said that he could not go on. He said that he was exhausted. He was not even breathing heavily, so I asked him what he meant. "I feel like my limbs are about to falll off!", was the reply.
I had to come up with a plan. I offered to carry his pack as long as he went first. I told him that if I caught him up, I would return his pack to him. This worked during this psychological low point of feeling tired but the summit still a long way off. We were quite close to the point at which the gradient eased, by the time I caught him up and returned his pack.
On reaching more level ground, as we approached the summit, limbs intact, he seemed more energised. Reaching the top, he wanted to send his mum a joint selfie, adding "We did it! We made it to the top!"
The summit selfie:
The descent started straightforward enough. I had annotated my map to say "Go over the style in the deer fence", but I ignored it and headed down right a bit early. The ground was a bit squelchy in places and there were a few holes. My main concern was the bracken lower down, which we could not completely avoid. While every living thing has its place within the ecosystem, ticks are the one creature that I would like to see exterminated to extinction.
For me, the walk back along the road was not too bad. It was around 30°C so I walked quickly in the parts where we were exposed to the sum and slowed down when in the shade of the trees, to cool down a bit. Peter was flagging a bit. I told hime "about 15 more minutes". Fifteen minutes!" was the reply. I broke the route up with comments like "This is the last little bit of uphill" and "We should be able to see the car park once we have got around this bend".
Once back, we headed for the Cannich General Stores for a drink, before going to the campsite to set up the tent and then returning to the village for a "burger on the bus".
For me, the walk back along the road was not too bad. It was around 30°C so I walked quickly in the parts where we were exposed to the sum and slowed down when in the shade of the trees, to cool down a bit. Peter was flagging a bit. I told hime "about 15 more minutes". Fifteen minutes!" was the reply. I broke the route up with comments like "This is the last little bit of uphill" and "We should be able to see the car park once we have got around this bend".
Once back, we headed for the Cannich General Stores for a drink, before going to the campsite to set up the tent and then returning to the village for a "burger on the bus".
