The Hollow Mountain

We undertake a unique meander this week as we attempt to go under and over a mountain in an effort to explore the highest point in Argyle and Bute, Ben Cruachan.
Ben Cruachan is one of the best-known mountains in Scotland and certainly one of the finest, with soaring ridges, dramatic cliffs and breathtaking views. Situated on the pass of Brander near Oban it is also referred to as The Hollow Mountain, Cruachan is unique in that it has a power station concealed within its hollowed out rock.
Our planned itinerary of exploration is to go under the mountain today and then up and around the ridge above its dammed reservoir tomorrow.
To go under the mountain we call in at the visitor centre on the shores of Loch Awe and sign up for a Guided Tour that take’s us on a short journey deep inside the mountain to the power station one kilometre inside.
Once inside the mountain we are taken up the visitor's walkway, past sub-tropical plants that grow well in the warm humid conditions within the mountain, and then on to the visitor's viewing gallery. Once there, we see the generating hall that houses the four generators that are used to produce electricity from water stored in the Dam 1300ft above.
The station is capable of generating 440 MW of electricity. It can go from standby to full production in two minutes, thus it is used to deal with periods of peak demand on the grid. If the turbines are on "spinning reserve" (turning in air, awaiting the rush of water) full output can be achieved within 30 seconds. It can operate for 22 hours before the supply of water in the top reservoir is exhausted. Although Cruachan can operate like a conventional hydro-electric station, using run-off water collected by a network of tunnels driven through the hills above Ben Cruachan and draining into the reservoir, the normal operating mode is pumped storage. In this mode, the generators are used as motors to drive the reversible turbines to pump water uphill from Loch Awe to the reservoir, using the relatively cheap electricity available during periods of low energy demand, usually overnight. This ensures the station is always ready to meet peak demand during the following day.
The subterranean tour lasts for about 40 minutes, as we depart the electric powered touring bus we are treated to the sight of a couple of Ospreys nesting across Loch Awe.

On arriving at Oban we find our overnight accommodation is unavailable for a few hours, undeterred we walk down to harbour to seek out some early evening cruises. Oban occupies a beautiful setting in the Firth of Lorn. Oban Bay is a near perfect horseshoe bay, protected by the island of Kerrera. To the north lie the mountains of Morvern and Ardgour. It is the main ferry terminus for Mull, Colonsay, Coll, Tiree and Lismore; and there are also sailings from here to Barra and South Uist in the Western Isles. It is too the long low island of Lismore that we choose to briefly visit. As our mode of transport pulls in to the pier we look on in amusement as we realise that we are about to aboard the smallest ship in Caledonian MacBrayne’s fleet. The MV Eigg has a car capacity of 5 and seating for 75 many of which look as though they have been purchased in a fire sale from a local primary school.

The ferry takes a sedate 50 minutes to cross Loch Linnhe and offers stunning views over Oban, Mull and beyond. Lismore has a growing population, of 168 at present, and enjoys one of the most unique locations, and some of the most spectacular scenery in the UK. Farming and crofting remain the Island's chief industries, but tourism is becoming an increasingly important part of the economy, with approximately 12,000 visitors per year. The peaceful island, in the Firth of Lorne, is also the home to around 300 species of plant and 130 species of birdlife (including buzzards, tawny owls and guillemots). Sadly, our short excursion affords us only a minimal time to take in the visual splendor of the island before we are summoned to re-board our chariot of the seas back to Oban.

The relaxed excitement of travelling under the mountain yesterday is replaced with the apprehensive feeling of exhilaration as we prepare to tackle the 3694 ft summit of Ben Cruachan and its surrounding peaks. The Cruachan is not a single peak, but a sequence of 4/5 peaks forming an arc around the north of the reservoir. The lower part of the walk is on grass/heather/peat which becomes increasingly sparse with increasing height.
The weather conditions are typically Scottish as we arrive at the car park close to the power station, wind; mist and poor visibility engulf us as we walk up the rough road which leads under the railway crossing and onwards to the Dam at 1300ft. As we head north to the end of the reservoir the low clouds covering the ridge, pass at an alarming speed which alerts us to the reality that today’s climb will be fraught with danger. This perception proves to be well founded as we attempt to traverse the south ridge towards the summit, the full force of the head on speeding winds make the task of standing upright impossible. So with a heavy heart we decide to admit defeat to the forces of nature and turn around and clamber back down to safety and draw the line between bravery and stupidity. On returning to the car our hearts grow heavier as the weather breaks and the clouds disperse to welcome brilliant sunshine over the peaks we had tried desperately to keep upright on shortly before.

Our forced abandonment of the climb affords us some spare time which we make use of by calling in at Kilchurn Castle at the head of Loch Awe.
Kilchurn Castle is a ruined 15th century structure on the northeastern end of Loch Awe. It was the ancestral home of the Campbells of Glenorchy, who later became the Earls of Breadalbane also known as the Breadalbane family branch, of the Clan Campbell. The earliest construction on the castle was the towerhouse and Laich Hall. Today, its picturesque setting and romantic state of decay make it one of the most photographed structures in Scotland. We spend a pleasant hour here basking in the sunshine before capturing one final shot of the dam dominated by the now welcoming peaks we failed to traverse a few hours previously.