Beinn Fhionnlaidh - overnighter from Glen Creran

Now, I know what you're probably thinking… how can you need an overnight trip to do Beinn Fhionnlaidh from Glen Creran? Well the simple answer is that you don't need to. Actually, you could do this route in half a day, no problem. Thing is, we like our tent. And in this case, lugging the extra weight was a small price to pay for one of the best hill experiences we've ever had…

So here we are approaching Glenure House late in the afternoon of a hot July day. I'm sure the people who live here and absolutely lovely, but looking across their spreading lawn to the house, with a sun-drenched Munro in their back garden, one word came mind: basket weavers. OK, that's two, but perhaps you know what I mean.

Heading up the west shoulder of Beinn Fhionnlaidh…

…until we arrived at a likely campsite, near Lochan Cairn Dearg. There's a rush to get the tent up as a shower comes over the Ballachulish Horseshoe, heading in our direction.

A goat striking poses as the weather briefly closes in…

And there she is in all her glory: Tarpy. Oh, and Cruachan in the background.

There's a cracking prospect from the tent door up the slope to Beinn Fhionnlaidh. We could have headed up to the top, but my hop-along hip-along wife was creaking.

And after tea, showers over, the scenery starts to strike poses too. I spent ages wandering round the lochans on this plateau. It was mid-July, warm and still, but there wasn't a midge in sight. Bliss!

The Ben looming up behind Stob Ban…

Down Loch Creran towards Mull…

Over to the Etive hills…

To the Ballachulish Horseshoe in the gloaming…

The forescast for the next day had been good, but you never know until you open the tent door, eh? We needn't have worried…

Further round, the view over to Fraochaidh.

Breakfast done, up we go, with views past Beinn Sgulaird and out towards Mull.

The occasional miniature…

And the bigger picture…

For anyone interested, there was even a summit involved.

If you listen carefully, you should be able to hear the sound of this stream…

We idled here for ages. By now it was mid-morning, and it was hot enough for me to go for a swim…

Whadya mean, you need evidence of the swimming? Perhaps Ian Thorpe can help me out here… ah yes!...

Well, the camera never lies, does it? And Caroline assures me that this a fair and true likeness of the swimmy thing as she witnessed it. Whadya mean, you need evidence that Caroline isn't blind?

Once we had got back to the tent and packed up there was time to admire the erratic boulders…

And reluctantly, down to the Glen, with the ubiquitous shot of a dog cooling down. No Photoshop this time…

Now then, I'm toying with the idea of publishing this trip report. Obviously I'd need to add on some value to a commodity which is freely available, so I'm considering a leather-bound, gilt-edged, limited edition e-book and kindle version. You might like tae give me your opinions on this idea…