Ben Hiant.

Tuesday 13th July.

The intention was to go up to the Flow country in Caithness for a visit to the old hill fort on Beinn Griam Beag but due to one thing and another we ended up on the opposite side of the country.
The previous evenings forecast was for great weather out west so we filled a long term ambition and headed off to camp on top of Ben Hiant in Ardnamurchan.Across the Corran ferry  to Ardgour and then the long,and I mean long,forty odd miles to the lighthouse at Ardnamurchan.I`d bagged the westernmost point of mainland Scotland a long time ago with Big George and contrary to what people think it is not Ardnamurchan point itself.It`s at Corrachadh Mor about half an hours walk due south.
Having already bagged it though I could relax with a coffee at the tearoom near the lighthouse in the warm afternoon sunshine :)

We pottered around for an hour or so and then headed back,through Kilchoan,and back east a bit towards Ben Hiant...

Opted for the easy option and parked the Bongo off the road at NM551640 and packed the tents etc;
It was now about 6.30pm and the sun was beginning to ease off a bit thankfully.A well used path leaves this point and ascends the north east ridge.Although steep,it`s a pretty effortless ascent and my foot didn`t seem to object too much.

Yachts entering loch Sunart from the Sound of Mull...

There wasn`t a breath of wind at the summit and no midges either thank God as we pitched the tents about 10 metres away from the cairn overlooking the Sound of Mull....

A cup of coffee and then dinner was cooked followed by the swally which was awaiting nearby on the trig point...

Gavins bottle somehow didn`t seem to last very long and I was a bit suspicious when he took up position right next to mine :)

Just to be on the safe side Bob and I dispatched him to a small knoll a short distance away to watch the  sunset on his own...

Then the sun went down behind the Isle of Muck....

...and turned the Isle of Rum all sorts of colours...

When the light had finally died we had a look at the moon through Gavins Leica binoculars..

...before going to bed after midnight some time.

Sunrise was at 4.20am but I awoke at 3.50am in time to have a cup of coffee in readiness.True to form the sun put in an appearance rising behind Sgurr na Ciche ridge in Knoydart...

Bob and Gavin got up and we watched the differing array of colours that presented themselves until 7.30am when I went for another hours kip :)

The island of Carna in Loch Sunart sticks its head up above the cloud...

The campsite....

We headed off down at the back of 9 with the intention of going up the nearby Marilyn,Meall nan Con but it was warm,we were in holiday mood and my troublesome foot was beginning to hurt from the descent.The beach it was..the beach at Sanna and a walk round the coast.It was a perfect day to be out on a yacht....

....or even a tall ship come to that.