Back in 2014 I climbed the Marilyn, Meall a’ Bhainne, but unfortunately didn’t include the Tump, Meall na h-Airigh, to the north.
With a forecast for frequent showers, I returned to Callop, south of the A830 Corpach to Glenfinnan Road. Immediately after going under the rail bridge, (if travelling west) a vehicle track runs south to cross the bridge over the Callop River and here there is a small car park, often busy with camper vans.
Walked briefly north-west on the vehicle track leading to Loch Shiel soon coming to a gate in the deer fence and a track into the forest where most of the trees had been harvested. The gate was padlocked so climbed the wooden structure at the side and onto the track which soon became an extraction track covered in brash.
Underfoot conditions continued to deteriorate but spotted a new looking track to the north. To gain it involved struggling through brash, long vegetation and some hollows. On reaching the path with initially some height loss, climbed west on an easy gradient. (Later learned that this was part of the Glenfinnan Viewpoint Trail starting from the Glenfinnan Monument)
Near the highpoint on this track (NM91327964) left it and climbed over the deer fence. A steady gradient through long vegetation, initially with some brash, but with height the vegetation became shorter. In the rain and low cloud crossed a couple of gullies then realised had walked beyond the summit so returned to the rocky Meall na h-Airigh, the highest point was marked by a cairn.
Descended east, rough going at times with some outcrops, then lower down lots of deer tracks through the long wet vegetation. On approaching the vehicle track to Callop Cottage some old stock fences were crossed before joining the vehicle track for the short stroll back to the car park.
- Time taken – 3 hours 25 minutes.
- Distance – – 6.75 kilometres.
- Ascent – 550 metres.