Cononish and Beinn Chuirn

If you are wondering what happened to my updates... relax.. I didnt fall down a mine shaft .. I had to attend family matters in Ayrshire for a couple of weeks and didn't have access to my photos. Im now back on track and have a few hikes to update .. but first I will finish my walk in Cononish

Leaving the summit cairn of Meall Odhar, we headed for the great gash on the side of Beinn Chuirn where the Alt Eas Anie burn tumbles down the cliffs. I suspected this was the site of the gold mine. On the way, I was concious of passing what looked like a car park where a couple of tin huts were located but didn't realise the Gold mine entrance was there too..so I missed it :(

I did find the two lead mine adits on the cliffs on the Eas Anie. This one looks as if someone has cut a hole in the grating to gain access. They are braver than me as I didn't fancy exploring underground. Some research on the net told me that the lead mines actually join up with the upper levels of the gold mine.

Above the mines, the Alt Eas Anie burn tumbles over the cliffs in a spectacular waterfall

Happy at finding the adits, we then started the steep assent of Beinn Chuirn. The views soon opened up and Ben More and Stobinian looked great capped with snow

As did Ben Oss and Beinn Dubhchraig

But none matched the magnificence of Ben Lui and its centre gully

Beinn Chuirn is one of those hills with many false summits but eventually we reached the lip of Coire na Saobhaidhe ..

And followed the lip to the top where we ...

Finally reached the summit cairn. Russel is checking his GPS to make sure it is 880m high. I didn't doubt it was as my weary legs were now quite stiff.

We had our lunch on top as we admired the views over to Ben Cruachan ..

And back again to Ben Lui before heading for home.

Although we missed the gold mine entrance.. it was a gem of a day on a jewel of a hill.

Im just sorry Holly my dog missed that walk..but she was still suffering from her broken claw from a couple of days before :(
Its now sorted .. my vet pulled it out with a pair of pliers :-o but Holly was brave and has enjoyed a few good walks since :-D

My thanks again to Russell for accompanying me on one of the best walks so far this year :-D

Cononish and the Gold Mine

Just before reaching the summit of Sron nan Colan, I caught my first glimpse of Ben Oss and Ben Lui reflected in a little lochan. It was one of those rare days when the sun is shining in clear blue sky, yet the atmosphere is as clear as can be. We could see for miles. :-D

Moments later we arrived at the summit cairn. Beinn Dorian was just coming into view to the north east. It was also capped with snow.

Looking west, I could see our next summit, the rounded top of Meall Odhar standing above the forest line. Above that the spectacular corrie of Saobhaidhe on Beinn Chuirn caught my eye and to the left, Ben Lui looked magnificent capped in snow

As we started walking along the ridge towards Meall Odhar, I zoomed in on the view towards Ben Lui. The Cononish Gold mine is just beside the tin huts in the foreground of this shot. Above that the great gash of Eas Anie cuts the flank of Beinn Chuirn and hides the remains of two more lead mines. And topping the photograph is Ben Lui and its Centre Gully.

That view brought back memories of climbing the gully many years ago, on a cold misty winter's day. I was dreading reaching the summit in case the snow cornises were too dangerous to cut through and it could have meant a long slow descent back down the gully. Although I was with a friend, we didnt have a rope, so I was very relieved to find a route already cut through the top cornise :-D

Looking back the way we had come, Ben Challum was receeding into the distance.

To the south appeared some unidentified hills.. possibly some corbetts or grahams just north of Ben Vorlich on Loch Lomond ?

Finally we arrived at the summit cairn of Meall Odhar. That is when we decided to extend our walk to take in the Top of Beinn Chuirn. After all .. it was such a lovely day .. all the gold in the mine below couldn't buy the experience of being on the hills that day

To be continued ...

Cononish and the lead mines

Sunday's forecast was looking very promising and when Russell phoned to ask if I wanted to go walking around the hills at Cononish.. I just couldn't say no. I have been researching the mines on the Ochils lately so a change of venue and the prospect of some new mines made my mind up :-D

The forecast proved true to prediction and it was a beautiful morning as we started walking up the old mine path on Sron nan Colan

It was obvious that it had been a large mine in this area, due to the amout of spoil littering the hillside. I guess the miners in days gone past were like rabbits digging burrows, the spoil from the hole was just dumped behind them as they burrowed into the hillside ?

We quickly gained height on the steep path and great views of Ben Challum opened up above Tyndrum. A sprinkling of snow against clear blue sky highlighted the rocky ridge to the summit.

The lower tops of Meall Buidhe and Beinn Odhar, although clear of snow, looked just as inviting

But it was Ben More and Stobinian to the south east, that really sparkled on such a beautiful day.

Near the top of the hill we were walking on, was a fenced off area which indicated we had arrived at the mine adits. (An adit is an mine entrance) Although I had no intention of entering the mines, I wanted to get a photo or three so clambered over the fence and approached the first adit.

Happy with my photo, I then made my way to the second adit but this was more like a winze. (A vertical shaft between mine levels) I could not see the bottom but it was a long way down. I didnt go any closer as I didn't want to find out how deep it was by falling in. It is only one of the dangers of old mines. Winze can be in the floor shadows and down you go without seeing it..that is if gasses that have collected underground dont get you first .. or a rock fall entombs you forever.. nope..not for me ...give me an open hillside anyday :-D

These mines were lead mines and first started in 1741 and finally exhausted in 1923. A large exposed vien of lead ore was open mined down the length of the hillside. Happy with my exploration, we then headed to the summit of Sron nan Colan to see the views to the west... and look for the gold mines ..

To be continued ...