Hill: Meall Mor
Company: Myself, Becky and Cuillin
Date: Sunday 16th October 2016


I set off with Becky this morning to ascend one of the Barcaldine Fionas. However on arriving at my intended starting point, I could see no way up that would avoid ploughing through in my case chest-high bracken and in Becky's case above-head-high bracken. I was not going to subject Becky to such an ascent, so we needed a plan B and unfortunately I did not have one planned!

From Barcaldine, we made our way up the coast towards Ballachulish and then along Glen Coe. It was already now late morning and there was rain forecast in the early afternoon which actually arrived at 12:30! We had wasted the better part of the morning.

We did not have time to ascend a high hill unless we wanted to venture up into the cloud and get a soaking in the early afternoon. I recalled ascending a Sub2000ft Marilyn at Rannoch Moor which it turns out I last ascended exactly six years ago to the day. Today I would repeat Meall Mor with Becky.

I parked at the roadside next to a wet, grassy track leading up to the transmitter.

Meall Mor from the A82:


I didn't bother tracing our route on Viewranger as it was hardly worth it given the very short and easy nature of this hill.

Looking back to the transmitter and car:


For such a small hill, on such a dull day, the views were not too bad, especially the view down to Lochan na-h Achlaise.

Looking along the A82 towards Loch Tulla:


Lochan na h-Achlaise:


Our only stops during the ascent and descent were to take photographs.

Becky with Lochan na h-Achlaise in the background:


Becky ascending Meall Mor:


Lochan na h-Achlaise and Loch Ba:


On reaching the large cairn, which does look to be the high-point, I noticed on Viewranger that according to the Database of British Hills we were not at the summit. The summit is allegedly a rock 60m away from the large cairn.

Becky at the large cairn:


Becky at the large cairn:


We therefore also visited the summit rock just in case the Miserable Marilyn Measurers decide to deny Becky another hill claiming she has not visited the true summit - the summit of Muncaster Fell was recently measured and found to be 74cm lower than another point on the hill. We have been advised that we can no longer claim to have ascended this Marilyn even though we visited what was believed to be the true summit at the time. I am tempted to add 75cm of earth to the original summit.

Becky on the summit rock (circa 60m from cairn):


Descending Meall Mor:


It was somewhat disappointing not to get a new hill myself but given I strained my back the day previous having such an easy day was probably a good idea.