Only three left to do!
Closing down my last 10 or so Munros seems to be taking ages. I've come to the conclusion that I'm no longer in a target-rich environment, so it is getting progressively harder to tick off new hills. The days when I was doing 60 new Munros a year have gone(although that's probably a blessing as I managed to wreck my knees in the process).
Munro bagging in 2007 ended with a climb up Beinn Bhrotain in the Cairngorms on 30th December with an alpine start for the long walk in under a starlit sky up past White Bridge in Glen Dee.
Later in the year, Sgurr Mor - another long walk in up Glen Dessary and Glen Kingie was done solo on the Scotland meet in April, followed by a very wet walk up Ben More on Mull, the day before the nice dry spell in May started. The end of May bank hol was used for a three day backpacking trip into the Fisherfield Forest for the remotest of Munros - A'Mhaighdean and Ruadh Stac Mor, done in brilliant sunny and clear conditions.
The two Munros of Liathach(Spidean a'Choire Leith and Mullach An Rathan) where ticked on one of the few reasonable days in July(a great hill- recommended), followed by a trip over to Braemar, in search of dry weather in the east to do Beinn Bhreac(a repeat) and Beinn a'Chaorainn.
That leaves three Munros left for 2009, all of them remote. Bidein a 'Chorie Sheasgaich and Lurg Mhor - a pair of hills together off Glen Carron, and Ladhar Bheinn(pronounced Larven) in Knoydart.
M Bagger
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
September 2007 - Nos.263 to 272
September 2nd - Five Sisters of Kintail (Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe(No.263), Sgurr na Carnach(264) and Sgurr Fhuaran(265)).
September 3rd - Creag a'Mhaim(266), Druim Shionnach(267), Aonach Air Chrith(268), Maol Chin Dearg(269), Sgurr an Doire Leathain(270), Sgurr an Lochan(271), Creag nan Damh(272) - otherwise known as the South Cluanie Ridge.
(Okay, that's ten Munros in two days, at that rate I should have completed the Munros ages ago, I could have turned to drink by now and saved you the bother of reading this.)
Glen Shiel is on the west coast just inland a bit from the Kyle of Lochalsh, you speed down this glen on your way to Skye, sometimes oblivious to the sheer volume of Munros in the glen that you're passing. Any look at a Munro map reveals a mass of little triangles in the area. The north wall of the glen is made up of the Five Sisters of Kintail, a fine ridge boasting three Munros on its crest; the south side of the glen starts at the western end with the fine Munros of The Saddle and Sgurr na Sgine, then a wee Corbett splits the ridge and leads onto what is regarded as the South Cluanie (or South Shiel) ridge proper, with a continuous line of seven munros along its crest.
Both outings are long days and to be bearable require cars left at the extreme end of the ridges to avoid long walks back on tarmac or hitch hiking. We were utilising the excellent bunkhouse at the Kintail Lodge Hotel (recommended) which sits rather conveniently at the western end of the Five Sisters ridge, so this criteria was automatically met on our the first day and all that was required was an early drive to the small car parking below the Bealach an Lapain, the sharp 600 meter ascent of this pass is a rather brutal awakening but the crest of the ridge is soon reached, climbing more gently to the top of Sgurr nan Spainteach (peak of the Spaniards - possibly named around the time of the Spanish Armada, when Spanish ships were wrecked on the coast).
Further on the ridge becomes narrower with some pleasant scrambling sections before the first of the 'Five Sisters' is reached, the munro of Sgurr na Ciste Duidhe; the munros then come thick and fast with Sgurr na Carnach and the dominant peak of the group, Sgurr Fhuaran. Okay that completes the munros on the ridge, but we decided, as purists to complete the five sisters taking in the top and fourth sister, Sgurr nan Saighead and the minor top and fifth sister, Sgurr na Moraich before descending the recently much improved path down the waterfalls of the Allt a'Chruinn.
Somewhat tired after the previous days outing, it was another early start for the South Cluanie ridge on the following day in almost perfect conditions. We parked a car at the western end of the ridge, at the foot of the path descending from the Bealach Duibh Leac and continued the drive up to the Cluanie Inn.
The old tarmac road (which used to be the main road to Kyle of Lochalsh before the reservoirs of Loch Cluanie and Loch Loyne were built and follows a completely different course to the current road) is followed for a couple of miles to the foot of the first munro of Creag a'Mhaim, where an excellent stalker's path leads to the top. (I would recommend this route in favour of the route given in the SMC guide, which goes direct up a grassy, un-pathed spur of the hill.) This is the major climb of the day and the rest of the ridge is a high level promenade, with some narrow sections on Aonach air Chrith and over the best peak on the ridge - Sgurr an Lochain.
The ridge culminates with the munro of Creag nan Damh. There's some short-but-nice scrambling over a minor bluff on the decent to the Bealach Duidh Leac where we followed the rather indistinct-in-places stalkers path back to the previously parked car (11 hours total walking time).
M. Bagger
September 3rd - Creag a'Mhaim(266), Druim Shionnach(267), Aonach Air Chrith(268), Maol Chin Dearg(269), Sgurr an Doire Leathain(270), Sgurr an Lochan(271), Creag nan Damh(272) - otherwise known as the South Cluanie Ridge.
(Okay, that's ten Munros in two days, at that rate I should have completed the Munros ages ago, I could have turned to drink by now and saved you the bother of reading this.)
Glen Shiel is on the west coast just inland a bit from the Kyle of Lochalsh, you speed down this glen on your way to Skye, sometimes oblivious to the sheer volume of Munros in the glen that you're passing. Any look at a Munro map reveals a mass of little triangles in the area. The north wall of the glen is made up of the Five Sisters of Kintail, a fine ridge boasting three Munros on its crest; the south side of the glen starts at the western end with the fine Munros of The Saddle and Sgurr na Sgine, then a wee Corbett splits the ridge and leads onto what is regarded as the South Cluanie (or South Shiel) ridge proper, with a continuous line of seven munros along its crest.
Both outings are long days and to be bearable require cars left at the extreme end of the ridges to avoid long walks back on tarmac or hitch hiking. We were utilising the excellent bunkhouse at the Kintail Lodge Hotel (recommended) which sits rather conveniently at the western end of the Five Sisters ridge, so this criteria was automatically met on our the first day and all that was required was an early drive to the small car parking below the Bealach an Lapain, the sharp 600 meter ascent of this pass is a rather brutal awakening but the crest of the ridge is soon reached, climbing more gently to the top of Sgurr nan Spainteach (peak of the Spaniards - possibly named around the time of the Spanish Armada, when Spanish ships were wrecked on the coast).
Further on the ridge becomes narrower with some pleasant scrambling sections before the first of the 'Five Sisters' is reached, the munro of Sgurr na Ciste Duidhe; the munros then come thick and fast with Sgurr na Carnach and the dominant peak of the group, Sgurr Fhuaran. Okay that completes the munros on the ridge, but we decided, as purists to complete the five sisters taking in the top and fourth sister, Sgurr nan Saighead and the minor top and fifth sister, Sgurr na Moraich before descending the recently much improved path down the waterfalls of the Allt a'Chruinn.
Somewhat tired after the previous days outing, it was another early start for the South Cluanie ridge on the following day in almost perfect conditions. We parked a car at the western end of the ridge, at the foot of the path descending from the Bealach Duibh Leac and continued the drive up to the Cluanie Inn.
The old tarmac road (which used to be the main road to Kyle of Lochalsh before the reservoirs of Loch Cluanie and Loch Loyne were built and follows a completely different course to the current road) is followed for a couple of miles to the foot of the first munro of Creag a'Mhaim, where an excellent stalker's path leads to the top. (I would recommend this route in favour of the route given in the SMC guide, which goes direct up a grassy, un-pathed spur of the hill.) This is the major climb of the day and the rest of the ridge is a high level promenade, with some narrow sections on Aonach air Chrith and over the best peak on the ridge - Sgurr an Lochain.
The ridge culminates with the munro of Creag nan Damh. There's some short-but-nice scrambling over a minor bluff on the decent to the Bealach Duidh Leac where we followed the rather indistinct-in-places stalkers path back to the previously parked car (11 hours total walking time).
M. Bagger
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
July 2006 - No.247
10th July - The Devil's Point(247).
The Devil's point is a low (comparatively) outlying spur of the Cairngorm plateau, where the Braeriach, Angel's Peak, Carn Toul massif plunges down to Glen Dee in a sweep of bare granite slabs. Affronted Victorians named the peak Devil's Point, offended by its Gaelic name, 'Bod an Deamhain' or 'Penis of the Devil', also re-naming the peak the other side of Carn Toul (Sgor an Lochan Uaine -Peak of the Green Lake) 'Angels Peak' as a sort of counterpoint.
The Devil's Point is a remote peak, being a good 7 miles or so from the nearest public road, necessitating either a long walk in and out, using a mountain bike or an overnight stay in the famous Corrour Bothy, which sits in the peak's shadow.
I chose to bike in as I was a little short of time; its an easy fast run into Derry Lodge, the path beyond the lodge is negotiable on a mountain bike up Glen Luibeg as far as Luibeg Bridge apart from the drainage ditches dug across the latter stages of the path every 10 or 20 yards or so, my bunny-hopping skills are not quite up to scratch and the prospect of head butting a boulder should I miss-cue is somewhat undesirable in such a remote situation, so I resorted to dismounting at every ditch. This can get tedious after a while, but it's still considerably quicker with a two hour walk in reduced to 45 minutes cycling.
From Luibeg Bridge, the path climbs over the shoulder of Carn a'Mhaim and descends into Glen Dee; the Dee is crossed by an iron bridge to Corrour Bothy, a tidy bothy recently renovated by the Mountain Bothy Association and makes a pleasant stop for elevenses. A good path leads behind the bothy quite steeply up the banks of the Allt a'Choire Odhair between Carn Toul and the Devil's Point and a left turn made at the head of the come up the final slopes of the Devil's Point. No view for me today but it is apparently a good viewpoint, the summit cairn sitting atop near-vertical granite cliffs plunging down to the river Dee far below. I retraced my steps back down the hill, retrieved the bike at Luibeg Bridge for a rapid (apart from those dam ditches!) ride back to the car, parked at Inverey.
M.Bagger
The Devil's point is a low (comparatively) outlying spur of the Cairngorm plateau, where the Braeriach, Angel's Peak, Carn Toul massif plunges down to Glen Dee in a sweep of bare granite slabs. Affronted Victorians named the peak Devil's Point, offended by its Gaelic name, 'Bod an Deamhain' or 'Penis of the Devil', also re-naming the peak the other side of Carn Toul (Sgor an Lochan Uaine -Peak of the Green Lake) 'Angels Peak' as a sort of counterpoint.
The Devil's Point is a remote peak, being a good 7 miles or so from the nearest public road, necessitating either a long walk in and out, using a mountain bike or an overnight stay in the famous Corrour Bothy, which sits in the peak's shadow.
I chose to bike in as I was a little short of time; its an easy fast run into Derry Lodge, the path beyond the lodge is negotiable on a mountain bike up Glen Luibeg as far as Luibeg Bridge apart from the drainage ditches dug across the latter stages of the path every 10 or 20 yards or so, my bunny-hopping skills are not quite up to scratch and the prospect of head butting a boulder should I miss-cue is somewhat undesirable in such a remote situation, so I resorted to dismounting at every ditch. This can get tedious after a while, but it's still considerably quicker with a two hour walk in reduced to 45 minutes cycling.
From Luibeg Bridge, the path climbs over the shoulder of Carn a'Mhaim and descends into Glen Dee; the Dee is crossed by an iron bridge to Corrour Bothy, a tidy bothy recently renovated by the Mountain Bothy Association and makes a pleasant stop for elevenses. A good path leads behind the bothy quite steeply up the banks of the Allt a'Choire Odhair between Carn Toul and the Devil's Point and a left turn made at the head of the come up the final slopes of the Devil's Point. No view for me today but it is apparently a good viewpoint, the summit cairn sitting atop near-vertical granite cliffs plunging down to the river Dee far below. I retraced my steps back down the hill, retrieved the bike at Luibeg Bridge for a rapid (apart from those dam ditches!) ride back to the car, parked at Inverey.
M.Bagger
Wednesday, March 2, 2005
February 2005 - No.207
19th February - Stob na Broige(207) Otherwise known as the back end of Buachaile Etive Mor.
Buachaile Etive Mor(BEM) really needs no introduction, but for people who don't know where it is, it's the big mountain on the left as you drive down Glen Coe, you really can't miss it. Prior to the 1997 revision of Munros*, BEM had only one Munro among it's four tops; Stob Dearg, a magnificent peak towering above the flat(ish) wastes of Rannoch Moor. In 1997, the reviewers in their wisdom decided to promote BEM's most western top, Stob na Broige to munro status so BEM now has two munros on its ridge.
Stob Dearg was climbed by myself and other members** of the club back in 1999, taking the classic line of 'D' Gully Buttress, Curved Ridge and Crowberry Ridge up Stob Dearg's north east face, to eventually emerge directly on the summit. On that day we continued along the ridge over the intervening top of Stob na Doire then descended down to the Lairig Gartain and back to the cars. We were ignorant at the time to the recently promoted top of Stob na Broige at the western end of the ridge so this was ignored, despite it being a mere stroll away.
So this brings me neatly back to my second accent of BEM, with the obvious prime objective to bag Stob na Broige. I was joined by some friends from Edinburgh on a perfect February weekend in a packed out Glen Coe youth hostel. We had decided on a full traverse of the mountain, so after dropping a couple of cars off in Glen Etive to facilitate a sharp exit, we set off up the normal route of Coire na Tulaich, donning crampons for the icy exit gully section. The traverse of the ridge was routine, initially back tracking up Stob Dearg, then over the tops of Stob na Doire (which has more reascent and is a more defined peak than Stob na Broige so maybe this should be a munro also ) and Stob Coire Altruim to Stob na Broige with its uninterrupted view down Glen Etive to Ben Starav.
The optional descent described in the 1991 edition of the SMC Munros guide book to Glen Etive takes easy grassy slopes down to a knoll then a meandering route through crags to the road. I notice that the most recent edition of this guide book errs against this descent as route finding is difficult and could be dangerous in poor visibility; I can find little in the route to personally recommend it, apart from a convenient descent to Glen Etive which could be preferable to a long haul back to Glencoe on a short winter's day.
M.Bagger
* The 1997 surveyor review of Munros by the powers that be in the SMC and other bodies promoted eight tops to Munros and demoted one Munro to mere top status.
** lan and Gail Craven, Lionel Greenslade and Ken Fyles. Norman Spafford and Ken Mac climbing the classic severe of January Jigsaw.
Buachaile Etive Mor(BEM) really needs no introduction, but for people who don't know where it is, it's the big mountain on the left as you drive down Glen Coe, you really can't miss it. Prior to the 1997 revision of Munros*, BEM had only one Munro among it's four tops; Stob Dearg, a magnificent peak towering above the flat(ish) wastes of Rannoch Moor. In 1997, the reviewers in their wisdom decided to promote BEM's most western top, Stob na Broige to munro status so BEM now has two munros on its ridge.
Stob Dearg was climbed by myself and other members** of the club back in 1999, taking the classic line of 'D' Gully Buttress, Curved Ridge and Crowberry Ridge up Stob Dearg's north east face, to eventually emerge directly on the summit. On that day we continued along the ridge over the intervening top of Stob na Doire then descended down to the Lairig Gartain and back to the cars. We were ignorant at the time to the recently promoted top of Stob na Broige at the western end of the ridge so this was ignored, despite it being a mere stroll away.
So this brings me neatly back to my second accent of BEM, with the obvious prime objective to bag Stob na Broige. I was joined by some friends from Edinburgh on a perfect February weekend in a packed out Glen Coe youth hostel. We had decided on a full traverse of the mountain, so after dropping a couple of cars off in Glen Etive to facilitate a sharp exit, we set off up the normal route of Coire na Tulaich, donning crampons for the icy exit gully section. The traverse of the ridge was routine, initially back tracking up Stob Dearg, then over the tops of Stob na Doire (which has more reascent and is a more defined peak than Stob na Broige so maybe this should be a munro also ) and Stob Coire Altruim to Stob na Broige with its uninterrupted view down Glen Etive to Ben Starav.
The optional descent described in the 1991 edition of the SMC Munros guide book to Glen Etive takes easy grassy slopes down to a knoll then a meandering route through crags to the road. I notice that the most recent edition of this guide book errs against this descent as route finding is difficult and could be dangerous in poor visibility; I can find little in the route to personally recommend it, apart from a convenient descent to Glen Etive which could be preferable to a long haul back to Glencoe on a short winter's day.
M.Bagger
* The 1997 surveyor review of Munros by the powers that be in the SMC and other bodies promoted eight tops to Munros and demoted one Munro to mere top status.
** lan and Gail Craven, Lionel Greenslade and Ken Fyles. Norman Spafford and Ken Mac climbing the classic severe of January Jigsaw.
Tuesday, December 7, 2004
August 2004 - No.200 !
August - Mount Keen(200)
A couple of days after ascending Ben Avon I got my 200th Munro, Mount Keen, which was quickly renamed 'Mount Apathy', as all rules of Munro engagement were broken, i.e. it was p...ing down with no hope of it clearing up and no chance of any views. I could have been anywhere.
Again this was a bike job along Glen Tannar, leaving the bikes at the crossing of the Water of Tannar at the base of the climb up the Mounth Road - an ancient pack horse route which crosses over to the Angus glens and Dundee. This track passes close to the summit of 'Mount Apathy' where a short diversion is made to the actual summit.
The river crossing on the way out was quite easy, a series of stepping stones were just covered by half an inch of water, meaning dry-ish feet. Different story an hour or so later when we returned, the river had swelled into a torrent, those convenient stepping stones had vanished, to be covered by a good foot of fast flowing water. Ah yes, another 'interesting' Scottish river crossing.
M.Bagger
A couple of days after ascending Ben Avon I got my 200th Munro, Mount Keen, which was quickly renamed 'Mount Apathy', as all rules of Munro engagement were broken, i.e. it was p...ing down with no hope of it clearing up and no chance of any views. I could have been anywhere.
Again this was a bike job along Glen Tannar, leaving the bikes at the crossing of the Water of Tannar at the base of the climb up the Mounth Road - an ancient pack horse route which crosses over to the Angus glens and Dundee. This track passes close to the summit of 'Mount Apathy' where a short diversion is made to the actual summit.
The river crossing on the way out was quite easy, a series of stepping stones were just covered by half an inch of water, meaning dry-ish feet. Different story an hour or so later when we returned, the river had swelled into a torrent, those convenient stepping stones had vanished, to be covered by a good foot of fast flowing water. Ah yes, another 'interesting' Scottish river crossing.
M.Bagger
August 2004 - Nos.198 to 199
22nd August - Ben Avon(198) and Beinn a'Bhuird(199).
These two mountains form the eastern extremity of the Cairngorms, they are two vast plateaus separated by Glen Quioch to the south and linked together by the narrow isthmus of The Sneck at the head of Glen Quioch. Ben Avon is one of the more unusual mountains in Scotland, it's plateau dotted with many granite tors and the actual summit of the mountain is a large tor called Leabaidh an Daimh Bhuidhe(which translates to bed of the yellow stag).
The trip started off after a night in the small but perfectly formed Inverey youth hostel near Breamar where I was staying with a group of fiiends from Edinburgh. Because of the remoteness of these hills, myself and my munro-bagging prodigy set off on mountain bikes to reduce the days walk from a very long to merely a long walk.
We abandoned the bikes near the ruined Slugain Lodge, which sits rather curiously in the bed of a narrow dry valley where the stream seems to run underground, and set off up Glean an t-Slugain. The good stalker's path crosses over into Glen Quioch and after a short descent is followed up the glen for about 7 km past the large boulder of Ciach a'Cleirich to the col of The Sneck. We then made a left turn and headed up the final slope onto the summit plateau of Ben Avon. The summit tor quickly came into view, initially looking quite small and insignificant but its scale becoming apparent when other climbers could be seen on it's top. The other group on the summit were bagging tops and were so visiting each of the four other tors and tops scattered along Ben Avon's 12km plateau.
The top commands a great view west over the Caimgorms and east over the lesser hills towards the Aberdeenshire countryside, Beinn a'Bhuird looked close in the clear air, but we knew this was just an optical illusion so it was about turn to descend back to The Sneck.
Beinn a'Bhuird doesn't have the interesting tors of Ben Avon but it does have some nice corries cut into its eastern side and the walking is quite pleasant over tundra typical of the Cairngorms. The true summit is the North top and is marked by a small rather insignificant cairn. The route home was via the broad summit ridge to the south top and then down a spur to pick up a good stalker's path, the final obstacle was one of those interesting Scottish river crossings across Quioch Water before arriving back at the bikes.
M.Bagger
These two mountains form the eastern extremity of the Cairngorms, they are two vast plateaus separated by Glen Quioch to the south and linked together by the narrow isthmus of The Sneck at the head of Glen Quioch. Ben Avon is one of the more unusual mountains in Scotland, it's plateau dotted with many granite tors and the actual summit of the mountain is a large tor called Leabaidh an Daimh Bhuidhe(which translates to bed of the yellow stag).
The trip started off after a night in the small but perfectly formed Inverey youth hostel near Breamar where I was staying with a group of fiiends from Edinburgh. Because of the remoteness of these hills, myself and my munro-bagging prodigy set off on mountain bikes to reduce the days walk from a very long to merely a long walk.
We abandoned the bikes near the ruined Slugain Lodge, which sits rather curiously in the bed of a narrow dry valley where the stream seems to run underground, and set off up Glean an t-Slugain. The good stalker's path crosses over into Glen Quioch and after a short descent is followed up the glen for about 7 km past the large boulder of Ciach a'Cleirich to the col of The Sneck. We then made a left turn and headed up the final slope onto the summit plateau of Ben Avon. The summit tor quickly came into view, initially looking quite small and insignificant but its scale becoming apparent when other climbers could be seen on it's top. The other group on the summit were bagging tops and were so visiting each of the four other tors and tops scattered along Ben Avon's 12km plateau.
The top commands a great view west over the Caimgorms and east over the lesser hills towards the Aberdeenshire countryside, Beinn a'Bhuird looked close in the clear air, but we knew this was just an optical illusion so it was about turn to descend back to The Sneck.
Beinn a'Bhuird doesn't have the interesting tors of Ben Avon but it does have some nice corries cut into its eastern side and the walking is quite pleasant over tundra typical of the Cairngorms. The true summit is the North top and is marked by a small rather insignificant cairn. The route home was via the broad summit ridge to the south top and then down a spur to pick up a good stalker's path, the final obstacle was one of those interesting Scottish river crossings across Quioch Water before arriving back at the bikes.
M.Bagger
Saturday, July 10, 2004
May 2004 - Nos.177 to 178
2nd May - Ben Alder(177) The origin of the name is apparently a mystery but is believed to have been derivedfrom the Gallic Beinn Alldobhar meaning "Hill of Rock and Water" or "Precipice and water"; Beinn Bheoil(178) "Hill of the Mouth".
Ben Alder is one of the great remote mountains of Scotland but despite its remoteness, there is a good view of it from the A9 at Dalwhinnie along the length of Loch Ericht. I had planned to tackle this hill for some time but because of its remoteness it could not be climbed on a whim, this was going to take some planning. So early in May, myself and part-time companion in Munro bagging, Malcolm, heavily laden with camping gear caught the Scotrail train from Edinburgh to Dalwhinnie and set off on the 15 mile walk in to the base of the hill and our campsite near the Culra Bothy.
Ben Alder is Cairngorm-like in character, a large plateau with corries cut into its north-eastern side. The corries are bisected by two ridges, the Long and Short Leachas which give access to the summit plateau. The guidebook described the Short Leachas as 'steeper and involves frequent scrambling' and the Long Leachas as 'easier but with better situations'(whatever a 'situation' is). We took a vote on it and decided on the 'better situations' option.
Next morning we set off from camp, crossing the river near the Culra Bothy and took the good stalkers path leading to Loch a'Bhealaich Bheithe. Before the loch, a right turn is made across the ubiquitous bog to the base of the Long Leachas, this rises in a series of towers giving quite entertaining but never difficult scrambling up to the summit plateau, with some, it has to be said, quite good 'situations' above the cliffs of the Bealach Dudh.
We then followed the rim of the plateau around to the top of the Short Leachas, this is a shorter, slightly steeper than the Long Leachas but to be honest, it didn't look as interesting. Fifteen minutes later we were standing by Ben Alder's large summit cairn.
Beinn Bheoil is a satellite peak of Ben Alder and is a simple north-south ridge running alongside Loch Ericht. It is reached from Ben Alder by following the rim of Ben Alder's summit plateau until a steep slope drops down to the Bealach Breabag at about 850 metres. From here we climbed over the subsidiary top of Sron Coire na h-Lolaire to the summitof Beinn Bheoil with great views down the entire length of Loch Ericht to Dalwhinnie from where we had set off the day before.
M.Bagger
Ben Alder is one of the great remote mountains of Scotland but despite its remoteness, there is a good view of it from the A9 at Dalwhinnie along the length of Loch Ericht. I had planned to tackle this hill for some time but because of its remoteness it could not be climbed on a whim, this was going to take some planning. So early in May, myself and part-time companion in Munro bagging, Malcolm, heavily laden with camping gear caught the Scotrail train from Edinburgh to Dalwhinnie and set off on the 15 mile walk in to the base of the hill and our campsite near the Culra Bothy.
Ben Alder is Cairngorm-like in character, a large plateau with corries cut into its north-eastern side. The corries are bisected by two ridges, the Long and Short Leachas which give access to the summit plateau. The guidebook described the Short Leachas as 'steeper and involves frequent scrambling' and the Long Leachas as 'easier but with better situations'(whatever a 'situation' is). We took a vote on it and decided on the 'better situations' option.
Next morning we set off from camp, crossing the river near the Culra Bothy and took the good stalkers path leading to Loch a'Bhealaich Bheithe. Before the loch, a right turn is made across the ubiquitous bog to the base of the Long Leachas, this rises in a series of towers giving quite entertaining but never difficult scrambling up to the summit plateau, with some, it has to be said, quite good 'situations' above the cliffs of the Bealach Dudh.
We then followed the rim of the plateau around to the top of the Short Leachas, this is a shorter, slightly steeper than the Long Leachas but to be honest, it didn't look as interesting. Fifteen minutes later we were standing by Ben Alder's large summit cairn.
Beinn Bheoil is a satellite peak of Ben Alder and is a simple north-south ridge running alongside Loch Ericht. It is reached from Ben Alder by following the rim of Ben Alder's summit plateau until a steep slope drops down to the Bealach Breabag at about 850 metres. From here we climbed over the subsidiary top of Sron Coire na h-Lolaire to the summitof Beinn Bheoil with great views down the entire length of Loch Ericht to Dalwhinnie from where we had set off the day before.
M.Bagger
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