Tyndrum Hills - Ben Oss & Beinn Dubhchraig

Ben Oss & Ben Lui From Glen Cononish

A break in the extended winter weather afforded an opportunity to start getting hill-fit with a mid-April day out amongst the Ben Lui group above Tyndrum.  

Glen Cononish

High winds and on-going wintery conditions on the higher slopes suggested a complete round of all 4 peaks might be a touch ambitious so I opted for just 2: Ben Oss & Beinn Dubhchraig.

Beinn Chuirn Above Cononish Farm

Rather than taking the longer, more boggier and more difficult-going route from Dalrigh up into Coire Dubhchraig, I opted, as usual, for the shorter, dryer and easier-going line of approach from Glen Cononish.  A forestry track from Tyndrum Lower Station provides a neat short-cut into the glen where a wee footbridge across the River Cononish gives convenient access to the upper slopes.

The Key to the Route: the Cononish Footbridge

A 300m steady climb up grassy slopes leads to the NE shoulder of Beinn Dubhchraig which then leads much more gently to the summit ridge where 2 small lochans mark the junction.  From here, a 10-min walk leads to the small summit cairn of Beinn Dubhchraig (978m; hill of the black rock).

Beinn Dubhchraig

Retracing my steps to the lochans, the climb up to Ben Oss was harder going into wind.  Don’t be seduced into taking the path that traverses around the mountain's steep southern side above Coire Garbh.  Instead, bear right up the natural ridge-line over Spot Height 941 until the summit eventually comes to you - Ben Oss (1029m; hill of the elk).

Ben Oss

The obvious route home is to return to the 2 lochans and descend the way you came in, taking care not to descend too early into Glen Cononish therby avoiding some pesky crags. This is a good winter day route, which is just as well as this winter seems to be going on and on and on.......

Beinn Dubhchraig

Check out my plans for the coming season at:  http://www.hillways.co.uk/   

Winter Skills - Lochaber

Three days of quality winter skills activity under blue skies on pristine snow transmogrified into the usual ‘improvise and adapt’ kind of trip so common at this time of year in the Scottish mountains!

Steall Waterfall & Water of Nevis

Still, Karthik’s first venture into the winter hills got him to the top of Ben Nevis, an exploration of Glen Nevis and a few hours digging snow anchors whilst battling ferocious snow showers!

Upper Glen Nevis

Strong winds and driving rain prevented us from going high on the first day,  Indeed, they almost prevented us from going anywhere!  In the event, the weather relented just sufficiently to allow us to venture up Glen Nevis to inspect the Steall waterfall and for Karthik to practice his trapeze skills on the wire bridge.

Steall Bridge

Day 2 saw us climbing up the tourist path (currently undergoing some welcome repair work) on to a cloud-girt Ben Nevis.  We entered the cloud and snow about half-way up and it was full white-out conditions on top.  

Approaching Half-way!

Some of the summit navigation pillars were buried making progress difficult for some, but the wind was mercifully light which kept the wind-chill at bay.

Below the Snowline...

The Easter holidays ensured a busier than usual mountain for the time of year and the summit was anything but deserted.  So following the obligatory photo shoot, we headed down and were greeted with a glint of afternoon sunlight when we emerged below the clouds.  

Glen Nevis

Seven hours was a creditable time under the conditions and Karthik got to try crampons for the first time, so we got at least one winter tick in!

...And Above It!

Day 3 heralded the onset of frequent blustery snow showers on Aonach Mor which led the Nevis Range ski complex to review operations throughout the morning.

Improvising and Adapting!

We took the gondola up to 650m and traversed to the nearest useable snowfield where we managed to run through some winter skills in between the showers.  Mindful that the gondola might stop at any time, we did what we had to and then escaped down before things got too bad.

And Just Plain Suffering!

So, not quite the planned 3-day package, but we managed to tick all the boxes and went home happy to await the on-set of spring……..  

Check out my plans for the coming season at:  http://www.hillways.co.uk/   

Ben Nevis - A Season Opener

Winter on the Ben

A first visit to Fort William by James and Esther offered the chance of a winter ascent of the Ben.  The preceding few days had seen a significant thaw of the winter snow pack so the snow line was quite high with the snow not really deep enough for our planned winter skills activities.

Below the Snow Line!

The weather was forecast to deteriorate later in the day so we made an early start from Achintee Farm under leaden skies.  It was still dry though and the surrounding Munros were still clear on top.

Meall an t-Suidhe From the Red Burn

There was no snow on the lower part of the mountain so we made good time traversing around Meall an t-Suidhe, past its eponymous lochan and up to the crossing of the Red Burn.

The Red Burn

Then came the 8 zig-zags which took us into the cloud, ice and snow which were to be our constant companions for the next couple of hours!  Predictably, the cloud thickened and the wind speed increased significantly approaching the summit plateau.  Picking out the navigation pillars became quite a challenge in the near white-out conditions.

Starting Up the Zig-Zags

Eventually though, the summit loomed into view (what there was of the latter) and we fought our way to the trig point as walkers and climbers emerged out of the white wilderness to converge on top of the mountain.  It was not a place to linger today and James and Esther needed no prompting to start heading back after the obligatory summit photo shoot.

Made It!

By now the snow had set in and the cloudbase had lowered so we were well down the zig-zags before the glen started to emerge far below us.  The snow turned to rain half-way down and this continued for the rest of the day (and weekend)!  We were back at the car in 6½ hrs, a commendable time in these conditions.  We hadn’t enjoyed much in the way of far-away views, but we had encountered full-on Scottish winter mountains conditions.  And, at the end of the day, that was the aim of the day.

That'll Be Winter Then!

The following day, relentless heavy rain (blizzards higher up) and high winds put paid to our plans for the Lost Valley in Glen Coe and even the drive home across Rannoch Moor proved challenging.  Winter - you just got to love it!  

  

Check out my plans for the coming season at:  http://www.hillways.co.uk/   

Kintail & Glen Carron

The Coulin Forest Hills From Above Glen Carron

Having enjoyed a successful couple of days in Glen Affric, we moved across to Kintail with the intention of finishing the Cluanie Munros as well as the remote hills above Glen Carron.  Unfortunately, the weather refused to co-operate and the loss of one day due to heavy rain forced a re-plan.

Mullach Fraoch-choire & A’ Chralaig

Mullach Fraoch-choire

These 2 steep-sided monsters above the Cluanie Inn were the subject of our first foray and a reasonably comfortable 6 hr day saw us achieve both summits. 

Stob Coire na Cralaig

Parking a mile E of the Cluanie Inn, we headed up the deep cleft of An Caorann Mor taking the vehicle track as far as its termination at 350m.  From here, we struck up across the open hillside climbing ever-steepening grassy slopes into Coire a’ Ghlas-thuill and finally on to the skyline at Stob Coire na Cralaig (1008m).

Approaching Mullach Fraoch-choire

As the clouds parted to give us a welcome, if murky, view along the ridge, we traversed the sharpening ridge high above the surrounding glens and up on to the shapely summit of Mullach Fraoch-choire (1102m; hill of the heathery corrie).

A’ Chralaig

Following a brief, windswept photoshoot, we retraced our steps to Stob Coire na Cralaig before continuing S along the ridge.  The return of the cloud denied us any view, but it didn’t take too long before the big distinctive stone pillar of our 2^nd Munro loomed out of the mist: A’ Chralaig (1120m; the creel).

Glen Shiel

Descending from the summit, we followed the long S ridge before plummeting down the very steep grassy slopes of Fuaran Mor Chluainidh as heavy showers swept up Glen Shiel.  Fortunately for once, most of them missed us!

Sgurr Choinnich & Sgurr a’ Chaorachain

Glenuig

These 2 Munros are sometimes done together with the remote lump of Maoile Lunndaidh but today we opted for just the 2 more accessible hills.  Starting from Craig, we followed the recently upgraded track up into Glenuig alongside the Allt a’ Chonais. 

Sgurr a’ Chaorachain From Sgurr Choinnich

Crossing the river at Pollan Buidhe was always going to be a problem and the 2-wire bridge did not inspire much confidence as a safe means of doing so!  Consequently, it was off with boots and socks and a short, icy wade to reach the opposite bank.

When the Going Gets Tough...

We followed the excellent stalker’s path up to a very windy Bealach Bhearnais before turning E and climbing the steep, well-defined ridge that put us on Jenn’s 200^th Munro: Sgurr Choinnich (999m; mossy peak).  Hat’s off to Jenn after some difficult weather on many of the summits, at least one thunderstorm and most of the peaks coming in only 4 years!

200 Up!

After an appropriate celebration, we descended E to the intervening bealach before completing one final climb to the trig point on the flat summit of Sgurr a’ Chaorachain (1053m; peak of the torrent).  There were great views for a while, particularly across to the very remote Munros of Lurg Mhor and Bidean a’ Choire Sheasgaich.  The weather had ensured we would have to return another time to capture these distant hills.

Sgurr Choinnich

  

The highlight of the descent was undoubtedly the sight of 2 golden eagles circling just above us - always a great event!  A few red deer also contributed to the Highland scene!

Check out my plans for the summer at:  http://www.hillways.co.uk/