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I was working at Carsaig on Saturday - weather was nice, cold, north wind blowing, but the air was nice and clear and some of the hills looked great. Ben More and the Cioch had a nice early dusting of snow.

I didnt have a lot of time to go exploring - this work business keeps getting in the way.... but anyway, I managed an hour or so up on the high ground just south of Glen More near the Craig quarry. Craig quarry itself is a great place to go exploring if you are a geologist - great for seeing gabbro up close and personal.

Anyway, the hills around this part of Mull have lots of gabbro in them - not as impressive as the Cuillin of Skye, or even the Rum hills which are also gabbroic in characte, but these Mull hills have their own special "feel" to them

In my previous blog entry, I mentioned a little hill called Cruach Doire nan Cuilean , near Kinloch and how the views were good from it. Anyway, I didnt have time to go to the top, but the lower point is called Caigeann Doire nan Cuilean That's where I took a stroll. Caigeann is a great Gaelic word - it can mean a couple, a pair, as in yoked beasts, or a rough mountain pass, as in this case. One of my Gaelic tutors used to be very fond of it. I believe that in Tiree it is used to mean "a few"

Anyway...

And I saw no-one either. Another bonus when you need some space. Been a hectic week. Here are the pics all taken from the Caigeann!:


Looking over to Ben Buie - the sunshine filled the glen with light.


Another view over to Ben Buie. Note: the forestry here is quite thick, the ground is boggy, the tussocks are man-eaters. Oh and there are fences as well. High ones. Oh yes, had to wade the river as well.....


Now, here's the good stuff. Ben More and A'Chioch, 'neath snowy raiment as the late W A Poucher would have said.


This is just a close-up of the summit of Ben More and the narrow ridge on the right hand side connecting it to A'Chioch. A narrow scramble in summer, slightly more interesting when plastered in snow....


This is the hill Cruach Choireadail with Craig cottage below.

A quick saunter down the main road (you can see it in the pics) and it was back to the car and then back to Tobermory.

Note to students: Class as usual on Monday night - hopefully the next field trip will be soon, maybe even next weekend. Iona if the weather is very nice, otherwise it 'll be Carsaig or the Ross of Mull.

Bye for now!

MM

PS: Just another interesting Gaelic aside: On the map, near where I was walking there is an area of land, completely surrounded by rivers. This area is called "Eilean a Chlarsaire" - the Harper's Island. Must be a good story behind that one..