Ben Lui

  

Ben Lui

The 4 Munros of the Ben Lui group hide above Tyndrum and give only fleeting views as you drive up the A82 or along the A85 to Oban.  On this occasion, we elected to split the group into 2 separate days - at either end of the Knoydart & Mull trip.

 Beinn Dubhchraig & Ben Oss

Ben Oss & Ben Lui

We took my usual walk-in from Tydrum Lower Station into Glen Cononish.  The steep climb up the grassy slopes leading to the NE shoulder of Beinn Dubhchraig was straightforward, if a little damp, as the only rain of the entire trip welcomed Matt & Jenn back to the Highlands.

Beinn Dubhchraig

We did have clear views throughout the day, however, and were soon traversing the broad ridge past the 2 small lochans that lead to the summit of Beinn Dubhchraig (978m; hill of the black rock).

Ben Oss

Retracing our steps to the lochans, we descended steeply (but mercifully briefly) to the bealach above Coire Buidhe before climbing steadily up the narrowing ridge that leads to Ben Oss (1029m; hill of the elk).

Beinn a’ Chleibh & Ben Lui

Ben Lui

The last day of the Knoydart & Mull trip saw us parking in Glen Lochy, fording the eponymous river (relatively easily in this dry spell) and negotiating the low headroom afforded by the railway bridge before finally starting the climb up the day’s mountains!  Doctor Jon joined us for this last day having decided the current spell of great weather was just too good to miss!

Fording the River Lochy

Forestry works further complicate the ascent just now but a clearly marked and helpful diversion make for easy-going and we were soon breaking out of the trees and heading up into Fionn Choirein.  Once on the skyline, we headed west and climbed the easy slopes to the large flat grassy summit of Beinn a’ Chleibh (916m; hill of the chest).  Despite being one of the lowest Munros, its western position gives great views in that direction.  It’s a nice wee hill.

Beinn a’ Chleibh

We descended back to the bealach and started the main climb of the day up the steady incline that leads to the dramatic twin summits of Ben Lui.  The sudden drop down into Coire Gaothach is all the more impressive following the relatively viewless ascent of the mountain from the west.

Ben Lui From Glen Lochy

Today, light wispy cloud obscured the best of the views, but it is always a pleasure to stand on top of this, one of the finest hills in the southern Highlands: Ben Lui (1130m; hill of the calf).

Ben Lui & Beinn a’ Chleibh

Despite the cloudy summit, we descended in good spirits, negotiating all the obstacles before arriving back at the car to see both mountains bathed in sunshine and clear skies!! Ah well, that’s the way it goes…

Check out my plans for similar walks at: http://www.hillways.co.uk/summer/summer.htm

Knoydart & Mull

The Hills of Knoydart

As if in reward for the seemingly endless mild, wet and sunless winter just gone, May 2016 has seen a sustained period of warm, dry and very sunny weather in the NW Highlands.  As such, our timing was perfect for 2 of the finest areas on the west coast of Scotland: the remote peninsula of Knoydart and the special island of Mull.

Ladhar Bheinn

Ladhar Bheinn

This majestic mountain (one of Scotland’s finest), is best approached from the north where the full glory of the mountain’s defining feature, Coire Dhorrcail, can be fully appreciated.  Unfortunately, logistically, Knoydart is best accessed by ferry from the south (Mallaig) with the walk beginning in Inverie.

The Knoydart Ferry

Logisitcs won out this time so immediately after arriving at Inverie we headed north out of the village and over Mam Uidhe into Gleann na Guiserein. At this point, Ladhar Bheinn’s uniformly steep southern grassy slopes loom into view and the climb ahead is pretty straightforward.

Beinn Sgritheall & Loch Hourn

The track ends at the bridge immediately before the ruin of Folach, after which a path curves left around a conifer plantation and climbs steadily to the skyline ridge of An Diollaid.  From here, the view northwards suddenly unfolds with peaks disappearing as far as the eye can see. 

The Summit Ridge of Ladhar Bheinn

Then it’s along the ever-tightening shoulder to the 400m-long summit ridge which is punctuated by a half-demolished trig point, the summit cairn itself and one further cairn which gives one of the finest viewpoints in the Highlands - Ladhar Bheinn (1020m; hoof hill).

Core Dhorrcail From the Eastern Summit

 views north and east are to die for so try and keep the mountain for a clear day. Immediately below you, the eye is led across the mighty chasm of Coire Dhorrcail to the fjord-like Loch Hourn and the mountains of Kintail and the Rough Bounds of Knoydart.  If you’re a hillwaker, try and make this viewpoint at least once!

The View Up Loch Hourn From the Summit

We returned the same way (no golden eagles this time, as on my last visit), and the long miles back up Gleann na Guiserein led us eventually to the welcome refuge of the Old Forge and much-needed sustenance!  

Luinne Bheinn & Meall Buidhe

Luinne Bheinn & Meall Buidhe From Loch Nevis

This is a walking day, much more than a climbing day.  The 2 Munros are not particularly high, complex or difficult.  But they are a long way from home however you do them and from Inverie, you will cover a little over 27Km to gain both summits.

Gleann an Dubh-Lochain

This time, I elected to do them in a clock-wise direction, starting with the long 10Km walk up Gleann an Dubh-Lochain to the pass of Mam Barrisdale (450m).  It is better to do this long walk-in in the morning, whilst relatively fresh, instead of facing it at the end of the day when the miles can feel very weary!

Luinne Bheinn 

From Mam Barrisdale,  we turned right and followed the line of fence-posts for 500m before traversing left up on to Bachd Mhic an Tossaich and the skyline ridge that leads to the summit of Luinne Bheinn (939m; angry hill). Again, great views in all directions await you with the green sward of Barrisdale immediately below you to the north.

Sgurr na Ciche

From the summit, we traversed over the slightly lower eastern top before descending steeply to the connecting ridge between the 2 Munros.  A good path leads over or around all the lumps and bumps before the final steep (but relatively short) climb up to Meall Buidhe’s eastern top. The view east across the Rough Bounds is superlative with the graceful cone of Sgurr na Ciche a particular highlight.  It’s a short hop across to the 2^nd Munro summit of the day: Meall Buidhe (946m; yellow hill).

Meall Buidhe

Not for the first time, the view west out to sea from this summit was bathed in sunshine with a sparkling sea and the islands of the Inner and Outer Hebrides proving to be a great reward for our efforts.  The view stays with you as you descend westwards - and will live long in the memory if you choose the right day!

The View West From the Summit

The most expeditious descent from the mountain’s W ridge begins just as it begins to narrow into Druim Righeanaich. You have a choice between steep grassy slopes or easier-going stony ground.  However, once June arrives, the waist-deep bracken will make any descent here tricky so plan accordingly!  Once down into Gleann Meadail, aim for the obvious bridge immediately east of the choke-point below Torr an Tuirc and pick up the track that leads all the way back to Inverie.

Mull - Ben More

Ben More From the Abhainn Dhiseig

We started, as I’ve always done, from Dhiseig and headed up the signposted track/path alongside the Abhainn Dhiseig.  Ben More doesn’t take long to climb - it’s a very straightforward route, mostly up grassy slopes with some volcanic scree as you approach the summit. 

A' Chioch From Ben More

There’s no walk-in as such, you just get out of the car and walk up the mountain.  The views across Loch na Keal expand steadily as you climb and Iona and Staffa are clearly visible to the west.  In the other direction, looking towards the mainland, there are mountains everywhere!

Although early in the season, we had plenty of company on the hill, but there was no summit string quartet as on a previous visit!  The summit itself is a fine viewpoint as you would expect from the highest point on any island.  This particular summit, however, is always a pleasure to visit: Ben More (966m; big hill).

Check out my plans for similar walks at: http://www.hillways.co.uk/summer/summer.htm

Ben Lawers - East & West

Ben Lawers & An Stuc

Whilst the 7 Munros of the Ben Lawers group can be tackled in one (very) long day, assuming you have 2 cars, it is considerably more enjoyable to split the group up into 2 or 3 more manageable chunks.  With just 67 summits left to complete her (first?) Munro round, Jennifer was very happy to start her 2016 campaign adopting this strategy.

 Meall nan Tarmachan From Meall Corranaich

Stunning spring weather and sensible start-of-season planning combined to produce a great couple of days high above Killin tackling the westernmost 2 and easternmost 3 of the range.  This has left Ben Lawers itself and Beinn Ghlas for another time - the end, in fact, as Jenn has decided that the UK’s 10^th highest peak would be a fitting candidate as her last Munro!

The Ben Lawers Range 

Ben Lawers (West):  Meall a’ Choire Leith & Meall Corranaich

We parked beneath the large cairn beside the road at the head of the pass into Glen Lyon.  The outlying grassy lump of Meall a’ Choire Leith is awkwardly placed some way north of the main Lawers ridge.  

Meall Corranaich

There’s no convenient direct path from this direction so we traversed across the open country using the contours to negotiate an intermediate mound and then around the NW shoulder of Meall Corranaich into Coire Gorm before finally arriving at the mountain proper!  Whilst we paused for refreshment, a lone fell-runner appeared from over the summit scattering a herd of at least 25 red deer that disappeared into Coire Liath.

 

Meall a’ Choire Leith

Having intercepted the main ridge path (at last), we followed it up the short, easy southern ridge of Meall a’ Choire Leith to the flat summit (926m; hill of the grey corrie).  This is much more of a Glen Lyon hill than a Loch Tay one and  you can see why, given the commanding views you enjoy of that glen from the rounded summit.  A pair of ptarmigan surveyed our upward progress; their white winter plumage almost gone.

Ben Lawers From Meall a’ Choire Leith

We returned down the mountain’s southern ridge which in turn lead conveniently on to the northern ridge of our next peak.  This was excellent ridge walking now and steep grassy slopes on either side helped reinforce the airy feel about the walk.  We side-stepped a couple of large snowfields and it did get a touch breezy, but in no time at all we were standing on our 2^nd summit and Munro of the day: Meall Corranaich (1069m; crooked hill).

Last of the Snow on Meall Corranaich

Ben Lawers (East): Meall Greigh, Meall Garbh & An Stuc

Meall Greigh

Day 2 saw us parking at the private lay-by opposite the bone-carving shop in Lawers village.  Having happily paid our £5 contribution to bone-carving research and Highland industry, we headed up the pretty wee path that winds up through the mixed woodland alongside the Lawers Burn.  It’s a lovely spot.

Ben Lawers, An Stuc & Meall Garbh

A lack of wind was beginning to make the sheltered woodland too warm for comfort when just in time, we broke out on to the open hillside and a most welcome breeze.  At 550m, we left the burn and climbed up the featureless grassy slopes to intersect the ridge (and path) that lead to the very welcoming summit of Meall Greigh (1001m; hill of horse studs).

Meall Greigh From Meall Garbh

Intermittent high cloud and occasional gusty winds kept the temperature down, but we could see for miles and the sun shone for much of the day.  A second fell-runner appeared silently out of nowhere immediately behind us prompting a near-coronary event (she could have worn a bell!); ironically, our only human contact of the day.  The easy path and decaying fence posts lead us along the broad grassy shoulder and up to the rather more interesting summit ridge of Meall Garbh (1118m; rough hill).

Meall Garbh

Once here, the view became dominated by Ben Lawers itself and right in front of us, the sharp wedge of today’s final Munro: An Stuc.  It’s less than a kilometre away but you have to descend steeply to the narrow bealach between the peaks and then climb even more steeply up the fairly eroded path that leads up a greasy gulley to the small summit of the mountain – An Stuc (1118m; the peak).  This is perhaps the most photogenic and interesting of the Lawers range and is well placed directly above the feline-shaped Lochan nan Cat which sits snugly beneath the encircling cliffs of An Stuc’s eastern aspect.

An Stuc

We descended SW to the Bealach Dubh (black pass) and then peeled off left and descended steeply to the W shore of the lochan - usually fairly straightforward, but complicated today by a most inconveniently-placed snowfield that required some careful attention!  Once down, we traversed the open ground beside the lochan and followed it until we picked up the morning’s path for a very entertaining descent back down to Lawers village. 

An Stuc Above Lohan nan Cat

So, after another prolonged winter in the Highlands, spring has finally arrived and these 2 fine hill days have hopefully set the scene for a cracking summer’s hillwalking……

Check out my plans for similar walks at: http://www.hillways.co.uk/summer/summer.htm