Lindsay Munro: We decided to tackle this hill from the vicinity of the stone circle at NR197569, having been discouraged from using the obvious track up from Kelsay Farm by a sign reading, 'MOD leased property. No public access'. Bad move. As soon as we crossed a gate onto the open hillside a fat guy on a quad bike appeared. He told us abruptly, in a thick Geordie accent, that we couldn't go up the hill, as it was 'all MOD up there'. On hearing that we didn't believe this and intended to go anyway, he lost the plot completely and became extremely threatening and aggressive.
Reluctantly, we retreated and went straight to Bowmore where we reported the incident to the tourist office and the police. It turned out that the hothead was a Mr Wilson from the neighbouring farm, Coultoon, and the police warned him about his behaviour. They also contacted the farmer's wife at Kelsay, Mrs MacNaughton, who gave permission for us to use the track up from there. We just had to phone first to let her know when we were coming.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of the matter. Three days later, on the final day of our holiday, we headed back towards the Rhinns, stopping to phone Mrs MacNaughton en route. She said that she'd discussed our proposed visit with her husband and we couldn't use the track after all as, 'it wouldn't be fair on everybody else'. With our time on the island running out, I ended up making a solo ascent of the hill's rough and unpleasant east side.
Back at home I contacted the MOD to request clarification of the situation on Beinn Tart a'Mhill. They confirmed that access along the Kelsay track was not permitted but that the 'MOD has no reason to stop access by any other route'. The exact opposite of a corridor route, and bad news for Mr Wilson.
See pages 13, 26, 27, and previous issues of Marhofn. Currently popular choice for the most shameful Marilyn of all. Hardly anyone seems to have a good word to say for it. However:
Trevor Littlewood: Starting from SO170214, follow a grassy road south, and others clearly shown on OL13, until you are within a few tens of metres of the summit. No gates, fences, hedges, walls, keepers or pheasants, and no problems.