Creag na h-Iolaire, Assynt.

Creag na h_Iolaire

Creag na h-Iolaire, Assynt. Region A5.

Height – 357 metres. Map – OS Landranger – 15.

Climbed - 10 March 2011. Time taken – 1.75 hours.

Distance – 4 kilometres. Ascent – 275 metres.

Trip Report Details:

Another windy day in Assynt saw me scanning the map for another HuMP and discovering this 357 metre high hill to the west of the Quinag.

We drove east along the north shore of Loch Assynt to the house at Tumore where we found a parking space on the opposite, south, side of the road, and west of the dwelling. Directly opposite, a gate in the deer fence gave access to the path, signposted Glenlearaig 6.5 kilometres.

The path, which was initially wet and boggy, ran through an overgrown area but began to improve once through the second gate. We followed the path as it crossed the foot of the south-east side of Creag na h-Iolaire to the small lochan at Bealach Leireag with views of fresh snow cover on the Quinag.

From the bealach it was a steady climb of the east ridge of Creag na h_Iolaire, avoiding a few crags, to reach the summit area where we had views of the Assynt Hills and out to Loch Inver, Eddrachillis Bay and The Minch. Unfortunately the earlier brightness had been replaced by some cloud. There were a couple of areas of rock that could have been the highest point but I settled for the most northerly one.

The return was down the rough south ridge where we disturbed a large herd of deer and joined the path before the deer fence with a short wet and boggy walk back to the car.

Photos taken on walk.