KYQ4: East Mamores

Binnein Mor Summit

Wednesday, 6 September 2023

Ascent: 1910 metres
Distance: 28 kilometres
Time: 9 hours 30 minutes

Sgurr Eilde Mor 1010m
Binnein Beag 943m
Binnein Mor 1130m
Binnein More south top 1062m
Na Gruagaichean 1056m

Na Gruagaichean nw top 1041m

The first week in September was looking good for hillwalking with the prospect of some rare sunny days. I had a friend in Aviemore who had suggested that I might like to join him walking in the Cairngorms, which is always glorious in late summer conditions. John then phoned and suggested a couple of days. He was keen to move closer to the completion of his fourth round. We agreed to walk on Wednesday and Thursday as he was keen to finish the Mamores and then some hills nearer to home. It was a bit misty as we left for Kinlochleven at 7:30 a.m. but the roads were quiet and we were parked in the car park close to the Falls by 10:20 a.m.

As is usually the case we made a mess finding our way onto the path to Sgurr Eilde Mor and found ourselves on the way to the Grey Mare's Tale waterfall and then the higher path to Na Gruagaichean but decided to stick on it and meet up with the more direct path higher up. The sun had broken through and the promise was of a warm day. We made good time up to the Coire an Lochain where we had our first break and enjoyed the stunning views to the north where the Binneins were displaying their best facades. I suggested that we continue across the apron below the lochan and see if we could find a route up the south side of the mountain. The path from the north-west is steep with lots of loose scree. It was a good decision and we found a faint path that scored its way up 250 metres through the grass and rocks to the summit. We arrived at the cairn with its remarkable views towards the Mamores, Ben Nevis, the Grey Corries and back south to the Blackwater Reservoir and Glencoe. We rewarded ourselves with twenty minutes to have some lunch and absorb the splendour of this summit.

Our elation was popped as we began the descent down the main path. Steep loose scree made it impossible to get a foothold and I slithered down the first hundred metres wishing I had brought some walking poles that John was using to good effect. We realised that time, like age, was not on our side as we crossed the boggy ground north of the lochan and followed the twisting and climbing path to the bealach below Binnein Beag. We passed a couple of walkers and stopped to hydrate and dump our rucksacks before the steep rocky climb of 200 metres to the pointy summit. The descent down the hill gave us a chance to identify a route up Binnein Beag. I had made a direct ascent up Sron a' Gharbh- Choire on previous visits but we sought out a gentler incline to the north of this ridge. It was probably a mistake or maybe it was just the heat of the afternoon and tiredness that made it a painfully slow climb. We met a solo woman walker on her descent and hopefully persuaded her to take in Binnein Beag, She was prevaricating and we both knew from experience that it is always better to take in that extra hill if conditions are good than to leave it for another day.

Binnein Mor was another rewarding summit topped by an exquisite mini cairn and having possibly the best 360° view of Scotland's mountains. Despite the attractions we spent only ten minutes before continuing, we were now almost a couple of hours behind the mental schedule that I had clocked at the start of the day, although in the wonderful conditions we had taken more time soaking up the views from the summits and at the bealach between the Binneins. It is always dangerous to drop rucksacks, an excuse to sit down for a drink, some more food and a few photos.

The walk from Binnein Mor to Na Gruagaichean is easy along a grassy ridge with only about 150 metres of climbing to the sharply shaped summit. It was after 6 p.m. and the hills were darkening as the sun was dropping in the west. The temperature was perfect for walking. It is a simple drop and climb to the nearby top nd then a steady descent to the 783m bealach below Stob Coire a' Cairn and the 6 remaining Munros of the Mamores. I wondered how I managed to climb them all in a day on three previous occasions, it must have been my Walsh running shoes!

It is a curious descent by what I presume is an old stalkers' path to Coire na Ba. The gradient is gentle but it takes 2 kilometres to achieve 500 metres of distance and thereafter another couple of kilometres to reach he track that leads down to Mamore Lodge. This fine old building and former hotel is now empty sitting on a south facing slope 200 metres above Kinlochewe with magnificent views down Loch Leven. It was getting dusk and whilst there was a narrow steep path down to the village we decided to continue to the West Highland Way and a more secure route back to Kinlochewe. There were quite a few WHW walkers either camping or looking for camping spots. It was almost fully dark as we reached the car and we had already considered driving home rather than camping. Any doubts were dispelled when the midges began to eat us alive as we took off shoes. It was 10:30 p.m. when we arrived home, we would drive back to Bridge of Orchy in the morning. An extra 50 miles is a small price to pay for escaping a night in a tent with the midges.