Farragon Hill

I left my car on waste ground north of Laigh of Cluny, Edradynate, accessed from the minor road on the north side of the River Tay, north-east of Aberfeldy, and continued on foot up this tarred road with numerous pheasants running off into the undergrowth or taking flight.

Start of route
Start of route

Immediately beyond the bridge over the Cluny Burn I reached Blackhill which was a private house with gated entry so progress on the track shown on the map wasn’t possible. I therefore worked my way round the old farm buildings using a couple of gates and crossing a wooden fence to gain the vehicle track on the north side of the property.

Strath Tay
Strath Tay

This track was just marks in the grass and led across a couple of fields where sheep were grazing and pheasants running free.

Route from Blackhill Farm
Route from Blackhill Farm

I followed a number of these tracks through the bracken and passed pheasant pens to a gate giving access to a vehicle track that came in from the east. I headed west along this track to the forest edge then north through the trees. No red flags were flying so stalking wasn’t taking place according to the signage.

On passing through the gate at the north end of the forest I left the vehicle track and followed the edge of a deer and electric fence which I thought was a bit over the top. I later left the fence to visit the summit of the Tump, An Guirean, before descending north-west through long heather to the col with Farragon Hill.

Loch Derculich from An Guirean
Loch Derculich from An Guirean
Route onto Farragon Hill
Route onto Farragon Hill

It was then a steady climb through more heather, shorter as height was gained and avoiding the rocks, to reach the cairn marking the summit of this Corbett.

Rams near summit of Farragon Hill
Rams near summit of Farragon Hill
Creag an Lochain and Lochan a' Chait
Creag an Lochain and Lochan a’ Chait
Beinn Eagagach. Beinn a' Ghlo and Ben Vrackie beyond
Beinn Eagagach. Beinn a’ Ghlo and Ben Vrackie beyond

I descended steeply north, avoiding the rocks and visited the Graham Tops, Farragon Hill North Top and Creag an Lochain and the minor summit Creag an Lochain North Top, a Sub Simm.

Meall an Fhearna and Beinn Eagagach
Meall an Fhearna and Beinn Eagagach
Route from Farragon Hill
Route from Farragon Hill

The descent south-east took me round the north side of Lochan a’ Chait then I ascended the Sub Simms, Beinn Eagagach West Top and Meall an Fhearna.

Lochan a' Chait and Creag an Lochain
Lochan a’ Chait and Creag an Lochain
Schiehallion and Loch Tummel from Meall an Fhearna
Schiehallion and Loch Tummel from Meall an Fhearna

It was then a short and easy walk to the Hump and Graham Top Beinn Eagagach where wasps were swarming around the summit as was the case on Farragon Hill.

Old mine and Farragon Hill
Old mine and Farragon Hill
Beinn a' Ghlo and Ben Vrackie
Beinn a’ Ghlo and Ben Vrackie
Tom an Fhuarain from Beinn Eagagach
Tom an Fhuarain from Beinn Eagagach

I descended to the vehicle track high on the south face of Beinn Eagagach and followed it east, on a fairly steep descent, to below Tom an Fhuarain. I then climbed this Graham Top through some long heather and grasses.

Beinn Eagagach from Tom an Fhuarain
Beinn Eagagach from Tom an Fhuarain

The route south took me to above the cliffs then I traversed west mostly on deer and sheep trails to reach the vehicle track east of Farragon Hill. I followed this track to Brae of Cluny and the start.

  • Time taken – 7.75 hours.
  • Distance – 20.25 kilometres.
  • Height climbed – 1090 metres.