Peanmeanach.

Start. Lay-by A830, up the hill from the Loch Nan Uamh Viaduct.

Route. Lay-by - Gleann Mama - Loch Dubh - Mullochbuie - Loch Doir a'' Ghearrain - Peanmeanach - Loch Doir a'' Ghearrain - Mullochbuie - Loch Dubh - Gleann Mama - Lay-by.

Notes. A fabulous walk on a fine day with stunning views over loch, mountain and isle. We walked through a range of habitat including heath, woodland of oak and birch, upland marsh, grassland and reed beds. This walk turned out to be very pleasant, some strenuous sections slowed the pace including a steep ascent near the start.

Before the infamous Highland clearances upwards of 80 people lived and worked around Peanmeanach, eking a living from trading black cattle, cultivating the land for crops such as barley, kale and potatoes, one must presume owing to it's close proximity to the sea, fish would supplement the crofters diets. In the 1940s the land was cleared of it's few remaining occupants, this time by the MOD to be used for special forces training, not all the residents returned after the war.

We parked in a lay-by just up the hill from the Loch Nan Uamh Viaduct, a green finger-post invited us to our intended destination. With a good path under foot, probably the original route to the village we wandered through woodland of young birch and gnarled oak, passed Loch Dubh before a humpback bridge safely guided us over the West Highland Railway line, a steep graded path climbed into staggering views, we climbed with it. On we wandered above the cleared village of Mullochbuie with wonderful views over Loch nan Uamh to the small isles of Eigg and Rum. When the path swung south we descended passed Loch Doire a' Ghearrain to be greeted by views to Loch Ailort and our destination Peanmeanach village.

After fording Allt Loch Doir' a' Ghearrain we descended through ancient oak woods alive with primrose and bluebells, oak gave way to birch before we crossed the flat boggy outfields of the township. A few ruined black houses and a bothy welcomed us, a beautiful white sandy beach where we stopped for a brew and a bite to eat. We sat ages drinking in the atmosphere, chatting to other walkers some intending to spend the night in the bothy. Destination reached, lunch over, as we weren't intending to spend the night it was a case of re-trace our steps back over the hill.

view route map.

home.

Loch Dubh backed by the hills of Lochaber.

Sue teeters across a Highland burn.

Our first view over Loch Nan Uamh.

Looking down on Loch Doir a' Ghearrain.

Looking to Peanmeanach and Loch Ailort with the hills of Moidart across the skyline.

On the descent to the village outfields the path passes through this delightful birch cops.

View taken looking back from the outfields.

This vast boggy pasture would once have been used to grow barley, kale, potatoes and graze cattle.

All that remains of the community that once lived on the edge of the Ardnish Peninsula, a haunting reminder of a past way of life.

Eilean a' Bhuic as seen from the beach at Peanmeanach.

Wonderful white sand borders the beach.

Viewing Rois Bheinn from the ruins at Peanmeanach.

Ben nan Caber on view across Loch Doir a' Ghearrain.

Heading back across the Ardnish Peninsula with this stunning view for company, across Loch Nan Uamh and the Rhue the blue/grey island of Eigg.

On the path from Peanmeanach with Cruach an Fhearainn Duibh to her back.

Far below our feet, Loch Nan Uamh Viaduct spans Gleann Mama.

Above the cleared settlement of Mullochbuie enjoying stunning views to the islands of Eigg and Rum.

The many islands of Loch Nan Uamh.

Loch Dubh and the single track of the West Highland Line.

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