Cnoc Coinnich, 29th October 2022

 I was at camp!

We finally organised a massive group camp to Lochgoilhead for the 30th Glasgow, so 38 kids and 9 leaders boarded the bus at Cardonald on a wet and wild October Friday night and headed for the Goil.

I found some time on Saturday afternoon to do something I'd long planned on doing whilst there, take in Cnoc Coinnich. This hill was previously a Graham, but was promoted to Corbett status in 2016. I'm not bagging the Corbetts, but if the opportunity presents itself, then why not.

I packed my race pack and and at 1350, started my watch and passed my Explorers who were busy putting on harnesses for their climbing.

I ran steadily up through the forest to the meeting of the waters on the Donich Water. It was fairly warm, so off with the jacket.

Donich Water

Not long after, the Argyll Rainforest started living up to it's name and I was hit with a bit of a large shower.

On the Cowal Way

It all seemed nice at sea level, but once I left the forest properly, the cloud closed in. From 500m up, it steadily got worse.

By 600m, I was in zero visibility and the wind had really picked up. I did consider turning back, but I knew I was only a few hundred meters of distance from the summit, so I navigated by OS maps on the phone, and headed in a straight line for the summit.

By 750m, it was blowing a hoolie and shorts started to seem like a silly idea, however, the legs are moving and so don't really get cold.

I hit the summit at 1510.

The Wee Lochan on the top

Wet n' Wild

Summit Cairn

The wind was blowing from the corrie beneath and whipping right up onto the summit - wild weather!

I didn't hang about but followed a wee path back down to the east of where I'd come up and headed for the join of the Cowal Way, which was more of a wetter bog within a wet bog than a solid path. At one point both feet went from under me and I landed on my back, but I just got back up and kept running, though not at a particularly fast pace.

I made it back down to Lochgoilhead at 1555, just in time for my Explorers to tell me all about their exciting afternoon.

Here's the relive:

Relive 'Cnoc Choinnich'

Run Distance: 9.84km

Run Time: 2h 6m

Ascent: 735m

Cobetts Completed: ?