Beinn Sgulaird

Beinn Sgulaird from Creach Beinn

Beinn Sgulaird summit

Loch Etive and Ben Cruachan

Loch Creran and Mull beyond from Creich Beinn

Creich Beinn plateau from the summit

Looking north east to Ghlas Beinn from Creach Beinn

Ben Cruachan from Creich Beinn

Saturday, 21 April 2012

Distance:   16km

Ascent:      1450m

Time:         6hrs 16mins

Beinn Sgulaird    937m    2hrs 32mins

Creich Beinn      810m    4hrs 51mins

Beinn Sgulaird is one of those underrated hard to reach hills that is less well known than many lesser hills. It sits above Loch Creran with scintillating sea views down to the Sound of Mull and provides a balcony for viewing the iconic hills of the Western Highlands from Cruachan to Starav to Buchaille Etive Mor. The stereotypical April weather of the past week was persisting and the best place to escape the passing showers was in the far west. I suggested to John and Mark that we go to Beinn Sgulaird along with the adjacent Corbett, Creach Beinn, and this played well with my companions. I picked them up at 8am for the snaking drive through the Western Highlands to Loch Creran.

When we arrived there were three or four other groups ahead of us on the track through some woodland to the hills. We followed them up the track to a cairn at 170 metres that marked the start of a good path up the shoulder of Beinn Sgulaird. We made good time up the next 300 metres of ascent and I walked out to the summit of the outlier at 488m to take in the views down Loch Linnhe. There is a mini bealach here and then a further 350 metres of unrelenting steep slopes.  The rain was threatening so we stopped to put on waterproofs as the skies darkened and the first drops of rain began. But we were in luck and after a brief passing shower, the rain passed. Mark had dug out an old red jacket and green waterproof trousers and he feigned anger when I described him as our Bulgarian friend for the rest of the day.

The summit was in the cloud and all the hills to the east were swathed in grey, an ominous sign as we climbed the two tops along the undulating and rock-strewn ridge before starting the final climb.  We passed a couple of walkers on the ascent which is a deceptively long walk in. I had on previous visits usually battered up the side of Beinn Sgulaird from Elleric at the end of the road - a beast of a climb but fairly quick.  As we reached the summit the clouds drifted away and we were able to view the hills to the west and north as they were exposed by the rising clouds. 

We descended southwards to the bealach at 562metres, traversing to the east of the two tops of 848m and 863m that we had already been over on the ascent of Beinn Sgulaird. The final 230 metres of descent were down grassy and rocky slopes but by this time the hillside was being warmed by the lunchtime sun. We stopped briefly at the bealach to regroup before beginning the climb to Creach Beinn. There is a lovely ridge for a kilometre or so and then a stiffer climb through rocks to the vast summit plateau. John and I were walking well compared to our Bulgarian friend who, unusually, was lagging behind with sore ankles. The summit cairn was a relaxing place to take a snack, admire the sea views and reflect that this had been a good pairing of hills.

We crossed the plateau and then descended down the north-west ridge and dropped down through some steep grassy slopes to the glen that bisects Creach Beinn from Beinn Sgulaird. After crossing the Allt Buidhe,  the track was above us at the point where we had left it in the morning on the path to Beinn Sgulaird. I was walking easily, my hill fitness regained from the three walks in the last week and probably helped by four long runs as well. I am hopeful for a good year on the Scottish hills following a couple of fallow years when Corsica, Majorca, the Lake District and Shetland have provided much of my walking. The contrast with these areas reminded me how wild, rugged, long, arduous and unpredictable days in the Scottish hills can be.

Ben Bheula

Heading up the glen

Waterfall on Lettermay Burn

Final climb through new wet snow

On the summit

Eagle carcass?

Descent towards Lochan nan Cnaimh

Wednesday, 18 April 2012

Distance:           12km

Ascent:              845m

Time:                 5hrs 5mins

Beinn Bheula        779metres   2hrs 21mins

Today was a rare occurrence, a lazy outing on Beinn Bheula, a Corbett in a remote corner of Argyll. Moreover, I was with John and Keith, two walking companions with whom I had walked on hundreds of occasions and partnered in various mountain marathons. We were now all retired. The three of us had first climbed together in December 1990 on Ben Lui when we had chiselled our way up the northeast ridge which was coated in verdigris. Today for once we were in no hurry, it was not a competition and being retired we had no need to make it a 10 hour day or to do another couple of hills. 

We left at 9am and drove to the top of the Rest and Be Thankful and then down to Lochgoilhead and looked around the village before setting off for the hidden Beinn Bheula. Apart from a fleeting visit during the 1991 Karrimor Mountain Marathon, I had not been here since 1976 when I had paddled across Loch Long to a friend's remote cottage on Loch Goil in an inflatable canoe towing a mackerel line to catch my supper. I was surprised at the development that had taken place over the years with large static caravan sites and a hundred or so chalets.  Despite the difficult access, the place seemed to be lively even this early in the season. 

We parked at Lettermay, a couple of miles beyond Lochgoilhead and began our walk up an old track eventually following the Lettermay burn until it became impassable and then wading across the swollen river. We found a trail which took us nearer to the mountain. The steep climbing began at a waterfall that was host to a bank of primroses. We drifted along, reliving past exploits and planning future days in the hills or on bikes. In the past, we had to walk at weekends whatever the weather, now we were now free to choose our days to get out.  We wondered whether the blueish skies would remain or if the promised hail and snow showers would get this far driven by the cold northeasterly winds.

It was a continuous steep pull up a grassy slope above until we reached a gulley at about 620 metres that leads onto the summit plateau. It was plastered with wet snow which made for a difficult climb.  As we arrived at the trig point, black clouds rolled in from the northeast and within minutes we were enveloped in a blizzard. Wrapped in waterproofs we took a bearing for Creag Sgoitte and then followed the steep grassy slopes and turned to the east until we eventually emerged into the sunshine with splendid views down to Lochan nan Cnaimh.  We found the aircraft crash with the wing of the American built Grumman Martlet still intact after 60 years. It had wings that folded as it was designed for use on aircraft carriers, so Keith and I checked that the wings would still fold and they did! 

Arriving at the edge of the forest we endeavoured to find the firebreak but there had been devastation from the winter gales and we spent twenty minutes or so climbing over fallen trees before we found the boggy path down the firebreak. There were similar sections ahead before we arrived at the track that took us back to Lettermay. By this time the sun had reappeared and the last section was a leisurely stroll. In the past, most of our walks would have been completed at dusk with a night in a tent, cup-a-soup and savoury rice for nourishment and the prospect of wet socks to start the next day. We returned via Arrochar, Balloch and Gartmore, where we stopped for afternoon tea with Keith's friend, a professor who lived in the gatehouse and had built an architect-designed extension that had an inspiring view of the local woodland. I was home at 5pm in time for a soak in the bath. Normally we would still have two hills and 8 or 9 kilometres to go at this hour.

Beinn a' Beithir

Sgorr Dhonuill from Sgorr Dhearg

After the heatwave of late March, the weather had been colder and today was forecast to be the last day of sun for a week or so. Moreover, the best of the weather was to be in the west, so it seemed a good excuse to climb Beinn Beithir which includes two munros at the head of Glencoe with glorious seascapes to the west. I had only been here in winter conditions or in mid-summer before so this would give me a chance to walk it in more conducive conditions.  I started early so that I could be home mid-afternoon. The drive through Glencoe was simply stunning, the cold crisp morning air was sharp and visibility excellent and the further west I travelled the bluer became the sky. Sun and cold are my favourite weather conditions for walking.

I have driven through Glencoe on over a hundred occasions over the past twenty-two years of hill walking for days in Glencoe or Fort William, weekends further north or for walking week holidays but the scenery surpassed itself this morning.  All the familiar hills along the A82 were capped in snow, they were like ice buns that needed to be scoffed. I could not resist stopping for photos of the landmark mountains along the route and I was sure that Beinn Beithir would sate my appetite.

Ben Lui

Beinn Dorain

Across Rannoch Moor to Creise and Meall a'Bhuridh

Buchaille Etive Mor

Sgorr Dhearg

Ballahulish

Sgorr Dhearg with Bidean nam Bian behind

A fleeting glimpse of Ben Nevis

Creag Ghorm and Loch Linnhe from Sgorr Dhonuill

Looking SW from Sgorr Dhonuill to Lismore, Loch Linnhe and Mull

Looking down Gleann a' Chaolais to Ballahulish

Saturday, 14 April 2012
Distance: 13 kilometres
Ascent: 1265 metres
Time: 3hrs 56mins

m   Sgorr Dhearg       1024m      1hr   48mins
m   Sgorr Dhonuill     1001m      2hrs 32mins

I parked at the foot of Gleann a' Chaolais beyond the new houses that nestled below the massive bulk of Beinn Beithir. I wondered whether the houses would receive any sun in the winter months. There is a good car park provided by Forestry Enterprise and only a couple of cars were there before me. There had also been some signage provided so that I was able to follow a couple of paths that led through the forest and above the treeline en route for the bealach between the two munros.

I decided to give the bealach a miss and make a direct climb up to Sgorr Dhearg - 400 metres of a slog up scree and grass but it probably saved 15 minutes. I caught a couple of walkers before the summit, they had set out at 5am from home and feeling the worse for the climb had decided to give Sgorr Dhonuill a miss, I tried to persuade them otherwise. There was a rind of snow on the ridge and it provided good footfall for the descent to the bealach. At the bealach, another 3 walkers had assembled and I was asked about routes off the two summits. Although it was only 11am they were contemplating doing just one of the summits as well, I told them that the quickest descent was from Sgorr Dhonuill and that they should seize the chance to do both hills having already done the hard work.

The climb up to Sgorr Dhonuill is unrelenting but always interesting with two steeper sections including a rocky outcrop near the granite summit.  You arrive on the summit platform at the end of a scramble and are faced with a spectacular view down Loch Linnhe. The sun had finally burnt off the cloud on Ben Nevis which became visible for the first time. Looking to the east there was quite a lot of cloud cover. I was in the optimal location and despite the cold wind the sun's rays were warming and the views were unforgettable.

The descent to the west is an absolute delight for the first mile or so: down the snow, over a rock band and towards the lochans that glisten on the granite shelves that overlook the sea. I met and spoke to a couple slogging their way up but totally enchanted by the landscape and then found the steep scree-filled gulley that leads back to the forest. The scree was partly frozen and the footings were not easy but it was a quick descent. Back on the forest trails, there were a couple of kilometres down the glen to the car park.  I ran down much of the track and managed back within 4 hours, my fastest round of these hills although the conditions had been kind, no crampons, boggy ground or summer listlessness today. I was home by 3pm which must be a record. I was an hour ahead of schedule and it allowed me to listen to the football and watch the Grand National.