KYQ4: Beinn Eunaich and Beinn a' Chochuill

Beinn Eunaich summit with Beinn a' Chochuill behind

And again

These two hidden Munros are to the northeast of Ben Cruachan and provide a relatively easy day out. Alex had rented a cottage in Tyndrum so that he could climb the nearby Munros. I went up for the first day, and although all the hills had been climbed in this area, I was happy to get another day on the hills with Alex and John. We met at the Real Food cafe and spent half an hour catching up before driving the dozen miles down Glen Lochy to start the walk by Castles farm at the foot of Loch Awe. The forecast was good for the afternoon and the morning was dry although the tops were still enveloped in cloud.

I had already climbed them during my present round of Munros on a day when I met Gerry McPartlin, a retired GP who was beginning his successful continuous round of the Munros. I have usually climbed the hills as a short half day. In 1991 managed the circuit in 1 hour 55 minutes with my hill running partner. We had left work in Glasgow mid-afternoon and I was home by 6:30pm. I also combined these hills with the two Munros of Ben Cruachan with an overnight bivvy on the ridge after a 9pm start so that I could be home the following afternoon.

Ben Cruachan on the ascent up the track

Monday, March 26, 2018

Ascent: 1268 metres

Distance: 14 kilometres

Time: 5 hours 49 minutes

Beinn Eunaich 989m 2hrs 28mins

Beinn a' Chochuill 980m 3hrs 54mins

Today we were in boots and equipped with winter gear with no intention of anything other than a leisurely round. It was Alex and John's first outing of the year and it usually takes a few walks to acquire hill fitness. We walked past the farm and began the long track up the glen to the bealach at Latrig Noe. At about 200 metres we came upon a stalker who was carrying out the annual deer count through his powerful binoculars. We chatted for 15 minutes, he informed us about the poor condition of many of the hinds after a long winter. Several periods of heavy snowfall had made it difficult for the deer to feed. The cull of hinds in January and February had found them in poor condition, few of which could be sold to butcher for venison. He explained how the estate worked and spoke about protecting the wildlife on the mountains including the golden eagles that nested on the estate. As we continued our walk up the track he passed us on his quad bike to continue the deer count higher up the glen.

There is a cairn at about 270 metres from where a very steep path climbs up to Stob Maol, the end of the southern ridge from Beinn Eunaich. I had always climbed the hills in the opposite direction but no one objected to taking the anti-clockwise route today. It was a hard pull of 350 metres to the ridge but once there the gradient to the summit provides good walking. From 800 metres we were crunching through a snowfield, there were few footprints from previous walkers. The cloud had lifted and there were views towards Ben Cruachan with its cluster of spiky peaks. There was a magnificent cornice to the northeast that we gingerly skirted around to reach the insignificant cairn. The air was still and it was warm enough to sit and eat some lunch at the summit. A young couple arrived as we were about to leave and asked if we were going over to Ben Cruachan. They were but had no ice axes or crampons, this would make the climb up to and the traverse of the various tops of Cruachan a tricky assignment.

The descent to the bealach at 690 metres required care as the snow on the steep slope had developed an icy crust in places. I lent Alex my crampons at the bealach so that he could practice for more difficult outings later in the week. The climb up the long curved ridge to the summit of Beinn a' Chochuill encapsulated all that is best in Scottish hill walking. The day was becoming brighter with spectacular vistas of Ben Cruachan, Glen Etive, Glencoe, and Ben Starav. In the style of the day, we spent more time at the summit basking in the warmth of the sun and drooling at the glorious mountainscapes.

We returned back down the ridge until about halfway to the bealach. There was an obvious line down the flank of the hill to the track below and the snow made for easy walking. Once we dropped below the snowline we hit the path and it provided a quick if twisting descent to the track. We sauntered down from here, content with our choice of hills on a good day with winter conditions remaining on the tops. The highland cattle were congregated on the track above Castles farm with a young calf amongst them so we kept to the right of the fence and judging by the response we had called this right. We were down by 5pm. I dropped the others at their holiday cottage in Tyndrum and whilst driving home received a call from some renewable energy engineers who were in Stirling to discuss some solar energy projects. My bath would have to wait.