41,40: Loch Ossian trio (part 1)

Busy weekends setting AH Computing exam, and a week's holiday in Spain (Seville, Madrid, Bilbao) meant that there was no more Munro-ing in autumn 2009, so the year ended on a tally of 242 (or 241 in "new money").

Kinloch Rannoch from Creag Varr

The 2010 season opened, then, with 42 to go!   We decided to really go for it this year, with a view to "compleating" in 2011.


First target was the trio around Loch Ossian, so we booked a cottage for a week in Kinloch Rannoch (right) for the first week of April.  Our cottage, Cnoc Eoghainn, was quaint but comfy, with an open fire - it's the 2nd last house on the left heading out of the village towards the loch (right).

view south across Loch Eigheach at the start of the route

The weather wasn't great at the start of the week, with intermittent rain and low cloud. but the forecast for Wednesday was good, so Anne and I headed off at 9am up the wee road along the north shore of Loch Rannoch to the start of the old drove "road to the isles" beside Loch Eigheach, just a mile short of Rannoch Station.


Bikes out, and off up the track in the chilly morning air.  The track was rough and steep in places, but we were able to cycle about 3km before abandoning the bikes, and continuing on foot.  We followed the path gradually uphill for a further 3 or 4 km to its highest point, then struck up the grassy hillside to the right to reach Carn Dearg's long south ridge.  The legs were feeling a bit sluggish on their first outing after the winter rest!

looking west from Carn Dearg, across Rannoch Moor towards Glencoe

Once on the ridge, the going was easier over a succession of small tops, each one higher than the one before.  To the west, Rannoch Moor was spread out, with the Black Mount beyond.  We reached Carn Dearg's summit (941m) at 1.40pm, and were glad to sit down for a 15 minute lunch stop.   Time was marching on, though, with the daylight still fairly short, so we couldn't linger.

east from Carn Dearg towards Sgor Gaibhre (right), with Ben Alder beyond

From Carn Dearg, gentle slopes led us down to the Mam Ban at 700m, then steadily up towards Sgor Gaibhre.  Halfway up this slope, I cut across left towards the col, while Anne continued directly up towards the summit.   My detour led across snowy patches toward Bealach nan Sgor, then up a short steep slope to the outlying top, Sgor Choinnich (929m).  As I descended, a snow/hail squall blew in from the north, and hid Sgor Gaibhre for 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, Anne was sheltering behind the cairn waiting for me to emerge.  As it cleared, I made my way up alongside a fine sweeping cornice, to meet Anne on the second Munro of the day.

Now, time to head back to the bikes and car.  The first part was very easy going, down Sgor Gaibhre's long south ridge to the Bealach Leachainn at 700m.  Decision time - to strike off east into Coire Eigheach, but this looked like miles of peat hag, or to continue up and over Beinn Pharlagain.  We chose the latter, but it was hard going, with no paths, a bitterly cold wind at our backs, tired legs, and rough terrain.  We threaded a route up through rocky outcrops to Lochan Meoigach (right) - entirely frozen over - and between it and  Meall na Meoig (a Corbett, but left for another day!).  

Schihallion looked impressive - like a Scottish Matterhorn -  away to the east beyond Loch Ericht and the interveining moorland (left).


We picked a route over the next outcrop, then onto Ben Pharlagain itself (807m), continuing along its ridge for a while, before slanting off to the right down steep grassy slopes to rejoin the track a few hundred metres above where we had left the bikes.   




Finally, a quick whizz back downhill, to reach the car at 7.40pm.

Summary:


2 Munros + 1 Top

18km walk.

6km cycle.

1250m climbing.

8hrs 40mins.

Later that evening, we had a long journey in the other direction, to pick up Fiona (joining us at the cottage for a few days) from the train at Pitlochry.

Decided that, with a reasonable forecast for Thursday, she would join us for her 3rd Munro - Beinn na Lap.

43,42: two wee gems in the Mamores

Sgurr Eilde Mor and Binnein Beag    7th August 2009


Third day running of good weather!  Anne was ready for a rest day, so that meant I could do a Mamore traverse - starting in Kinlochleven, with Anne driving around to pick me up in Glen Nevis.  And so the plans were laid.

Looking back down on Kinlochleven from 300m up the path

At 10.40am, I was deposited in the car park in Kinlochleven, and set off up through the woods.  The initial maze of paths was a little confusing, but soon I was on one which climbed steeply up out of the village to the north east.  It was hot work, climbing 300m in the first kilometre, with the sun shining overhead!   The path soon emerged from the woodland and onto the open hillside, and the gradient decreased making the going a bit easier as I passed around the north flank of Meall an Doire Dharaich.

Soon the path reached a cross-roads at the landrover track from Mamore Lodge to Loch Eilde Mor.  My way was up the good stalkers' path that we had descended 2 days earlier, coming down from Binnein Mor.  Before long, I was climbing more steeply up below Sgurr Eilde Beag, and into Coire an Lochain.  Leaving the main path, I struck across to the right over easy springy turf towards the pyramidal Sgurr Eilde Mor's south west corner.


Sgurr Eilde Mor from Binnein Mor (left)




(below) looking north through Coire and Lochain to Binnein Beag, with Aonach Beag in the distance across Glen Nevis

I was already at 750m, so the summit was only 260m above, but it was a stiff climb!  A steep ascent on bouldery ground, with a series of short steps, the final one leading out onto the summit at 1010m.  An excellent viewpoint all around: to the east, a wide expanse of moorland and lower hills;  to the west, the Mamores - Binnein Mor dominating the foreground;  to the north, the conical peak of Binnein Beag (right).

(left) view from Sgurr Eilde Mor's west ridge, where I stopped for lunch, looking across to Na Gruagaichean (in the distance) and the grassy ridge linking Binnein Mor (to the right) and Sgurr Eilde Beag (on the left).


By now it was 1.30pm and time for lunch, so I chose a dramatic perch on the west ridge, a couple of 100 metres from the summit, overlooking the lochan below - a perfect spot! 

looking down from my lunchtime perch to the weird shaped lochan 250m below

After a 20 minute rest, it was time to head off down the hill, using a scree slope to drop rapidly down to the stalkers' path through the coire below.    A series of zigzags led down to a crossing of the Allt Coire a'Bhinnein at 630m, then the path followed a steadily rising series of curves around the flank of Binnein Mor, and up to the lochan between Binnein Mor and Binnein Beag at 740m.  

Binnein Beag (above) is a perfect little cone, with evenly steep slopes all round.  A good path led me steeply up through bouldery ground to the small summit area, where I was glad to have a seat (15.25) and a cup of coffee.  Unfortunately, a short shower arrived there a few moments later, so it was cagoule on, and shelter behind the (small) cairn.


Which way down?  I decided to head directly down in the direction I was aiming - towards the north west.  This proved a little hair-raising down a steep scree-filled gully for a hundred metres or so, until the slope eased off.  A return to the lochan might have been wiser!

On the summit of Binnein Beag, with Binnein Mor behind (right)

Easier gradients lay below, and a steady descent over grass and heather brought me down to the Water of Nevis, just crossable on boulders, then up the other side to join the (surprisingly boggy) path through from Loch Treig.  


(left) looking back up to Binnein Beag from the Water of Nevis


A rapid 3-mile walk, and soon the Steall meadows were in sight, with the Steall Falls in full flow (below).  


Anne had just timed her arrival perfectly, so we walked together down through the woods to the car park.  

2 Munros.

15km walk.

1300m climbing.

7hrs 20mins. 

A wonderful day's walk over two delightful little Munros 
.... which turned out to be the last outing of the 2009 season, with work and other holiday plans during September and October. 


It has been a good year - 22 new Munros - my equal highest total in a year - and the target now within reach!  Compleat in 2011?


  

posted 03/10/10