walkhighlands

Share your personal walking route experiences in Scotland, and comment on other peoples' reports.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

Stuc a Chroin, Ben Each and Beinn Bhuide

Stuc a Chroin, Ben Each and Beinn Bhuide


Postby spiderwebb » Sun Aug 09, 2015 12:05 pm

Munros included on this walk: Beinn Bhuidhe, Stùc a' Chròin

Corbetts included on this walk: Beinn Each

Date walked: 08/08/2015

2 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

A trip down the bottom end was planned to catch up on an old friend who had beaten me back on two attempts previously.

I didn’t exactly get to bed early on the Friday but the alarm was set for ….well…hmm early given the 3 hour drive.
I didn’t need my clock alarm as I was awoken by another, the kind you cannot snooze, the kind you get from having a last cuppa just before bedtime. So at 0230hrs on Saturday I was up, and surprisingly awake jeez.

Gear in the car and away, first stop Aviemore for breakfast and the customary Costa, some habits don’t change :D The journey down was peaceful, not too many folk about at these hours and soon I was heading along to Killin, past all the memories from previous trips to this area, The Lawers range that gave me a great day traversing the whole ridge, The Lawers Hotel, the Cruachan Farm campsite, Capercallie Restaurant (offered me a job once) and the Lawers road on which I was beaten back by snow in the first Thunderbird 1, amazing I got to the start of the walk really. Happy days :D

So onto Stuc and I was away from the layby at 0630hrs, heading to Ben Each the Corbett. I had tried this route before, starting then on a gorgeous day too, winter sun, good snow covering further up, but tell tale signs on the summit of Ledi, snow plumes being blown from the top hmm. On that day I didn’t make the summit of Ben Each after turning a corner that I now know was only 10 minutes from the summit, being stopped dead in my tracks by a 89.6mph wind :crazy: that wasn’t letting me go anywhere, despite seeing someone ahead of me. I guess sometimes being only 10 stone has disadvantages.

So the track up, starts here I guess. It was a braw day…..did I get that right ? I need a new translator :wink:

WH1.jpg


The path up is pretty good, although not convinced I followed it completely on the previous visit, but then snow had covered it from about a third of the way up, but clear today and good progress made.
View across to Ledi, no snow plumes today.

WH2.jpg


Summit of Ben Each so close last time. View across to Stuc a Chroin, looked to be a bit lumpy to get there, but it was a beautiful walk.

WH3.jpg


View North from Ben Each, I could make out a tall obelisk left of Ben Lomond, the only thing I could think of was the Wallace Monument but it seemed too close given its Stirling way. Unfortunately my camera is made in Scotland and the screen isn’t designed for such bright conditions as today :lol:

WH4.jpg


The drop off Ben Each is fairly straightforward and soon I was traversing the lumps across to Stuc, the view north down the Glen was superb.

WH5.jpg


Looking back at the descent from Ben Each, gorgeous day.

WH6.jpg


Another view North, probably as the view the other side was not so appealing.

WH7.jpg


Passing beneath the huge crags on route to Stuc.

WH8.jpg


View back to ben Each from half way across to Stuc.

WH9.jpg


Good little bivi spot tucked under these crags.

WH10.jpg


Last bit of ascent as the locals clear the way

WH11.jpg


Down the Glen with the wee lochan now visible.

WH12.jpg


So to the summit, looking back to Ben each, looking a bit smaller now.

WH13.jpg


Summit selfie with Vorlich behind, as far as I reached on the first attempt. Was a tad fresh on the summit so the Rab had to come out, love this jacket £45 off eBay, new would set you back a bit more but worth every penny :wink: Maybe I'm not the best for modelling this stuff :lol:

WH14.jpg


And one without the author. I had these hills to myself. Saw someone descending Vorlich presumably to Stuc and two folk just starting up Ben Each when I reached the bottom track

WH15.jpg


I left the summit at 0945, 3 hours to reach Stuc, not bad for an old en and stopped for a pic at my 89.6mph spot on the way down off Ben Each…I’ll never forget this spot.

WH16.jpg


Eventually, all downhill back to the main track

WH17.jpg


I was back at the car for 1130hrs, 3 hours up, 1hour 45 down, it was too early to go home, not that I Planned to anyway :lol: so it was off to Beinn Bhuide plenty of time for that too on a day like this and I would sleep in my car if I had to.

Except…..the A 82 was shut south of Tarbet, no problem as I’m heading to Arrochar from Tarbet but didn’t account for the long queue getting to it !! So it was 1400hrs before I reached the start point of Beinn Bhuide. I had read up on biking in but well you know me and bikes, but hang on a minute this is tarmac…curses. Ah well, no choice now but to hoof it along the long road in. Not too long as it turns out and within an hour I was at the base of Beinn Bhuide, but would curse not having the bike for the haul out.

So 1400hrs start, it was later than hoped but the weather was perfect, it was doable.

The road in, with the ugly Hydro track which it turns out reaches just beneath the summit of Bhuide.

WH18.jpg


After an hour walking in, the gorge is above but no sign of Bhuide…anyone seen a munro round here. A chap was descending off the far side of the gorge which I had read was an alternative descent route, but chatting to him he said the nearside path was better, despite the couple of tricky rock sections to negotiate. Note to those with fearty dogs, I think this would be a no no :crazy:

WH19.jpg


View back down the gorge, still no sign of Bhuide up above, an elusive hill this one, which didn’t help the tiring legs.

WH20.jpg


Still going up and up.

WH21.jpg


I crossed the Hydro track and continued up as ever, but the weather was changing rapid.

WH22.jpg


I reached the summit ridge via the steep gully and the rain started together with a strong wind, but just about a view down to the Hydro track which could be used as a means of a descent I guess if that floats your boat, I opted to return via the gorge.

WH23.jpg


The wind was fierce across the summit ridge and it didn’t seem to be getting any closer, legs were on their last by this point and the wind and rain wasn’t helping, but eventually the summit, none of those spectacular views I had read about today. But still a happy bunny.

WH24.jpg


No sense being selfish, I'd had a great day, despite the bad weather that had hit me on the final approach, I hoped that it hadn’t reached further north and spoiled the fun of anyone at Beladrum or the WH meet and not to mention the hope that no one had been hurt seriously in the A82 accident, which had that not held me up for an hour I may have got some views, but thoughts to them.

It was a tough descent, trousers got soaked walking down through the wet bracken but given it was still warm I didn’t care. Then the tougher walk out, I’m sure its length had been increased whilst I was on the hill, but I reached my car at 2015hrs, it had taken 6 and a bit hours. I had a 3 plus drive home, so it would be after midnight before I could be tucked up in my bed :(

But what a day, sometimes the tough ones are the best :D But no rest day today, no time to sit on my a**e painting needs doing :D
User avatar
spiderwebb
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 1515
Munros:97   Corbetts:15
Fionas:3   Donalds:1
Hewitts:108
Wainwrights:68   
Joined: May 18, 2011
Location: Miltonduff, Elgin

Re: Stuc a Chroin, Ben Each and Beinn Bhuide

Postby ancancha » Sun Aug 09, 2015 1:40 pm

I have found memories of Stuc a Chroin, though did it on a nice day as part of Vorlich.
Think I'd have bottled it way before 90mph :!:
Still to do Beinn Bhuide, are you saying I can take my mobility allowance (mountain bike) more or less to the summit :?:
User avatar
ancancha
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 989
Munros:84   Corbetts:3
Fionas:1   Donalds:1
Joined: Jun 30, 2014
Location: Killadysert

Re: Stuc a Chroin, Ben Each and Beinn Bhuide

Postby spiderwebb » Sun Aug 09, 2015 1:46 pm

ancancha wrote:I have found memories of Stuc a Chroin, though did it on a nice day as part of Vorlich.
Think I'd have bottled it way before 90mph :!:
Still to do Beinn Bhuide, are you saying I can take my mobility allowance (mountain bike) more or less to the summit :?:


:lol: :lol: You can pretty much take the bike to the base, there is a gate signed to leave bikes at that point. Its a tarmac raod nearly all the way to this gate, last bit is a track but reasonably ok, its all fairly level too. At the gate there is a large pipe on the right as per the sign to lock your bike too.

then just carry on a short distance along the same track until you reach the point of ascent, and as I said in the report I'd go via the left hand side of the gorge :D
User avatar
spiderwebb
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 1515
Munros:97   Corbetts:15
Fionas:3   Donalds:1
Hewitts:108
Wainwrights:68   
Joined: May 18, 2011
Location: Miltonduff, Elgin

Re: Stuc a Chroin, Ben Each and Beinn Bhuide

Postby ancancha » Sun Aug 09, 2015 2:20 pm

spiderwebb wrote:
ancancha wrote:I have found memories of Stuc a Chroin, though did it on a nice day as part of Vorlich.
Think I'd have bottled it way before 90mph :!:
Still to do Beinn Bhuide, are you saying I can take my mobility allowance (mountain bike) more or less to the summit :?:


:lol: :lol: You can pretty much take the bike to the base, there is a gate signed to leave bikes at that point. Its a tarmac raod nearly all the way to this gate, last bit is a track but reasonably ok, its all fairly level too. At the gate there is a large pipe on the right as per the sign to lock your bike too.

then just carry on a short distance along the same track until you reach the point of ascent, and as I said in the report I'd go via the left hand side of the gorge :D


Ah you had my hopes up. Thought from what you were saying that there was another hydro track all the way to the summit, so that I could cycle / push to the summit and then roll back down after doing lunch with a big smile on my dial :D

As in Mount Keen http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=53316
User avatar
ancancha
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 989
Munros:84   Corbetts:3
Fionas:1   Donalds:1
Joined: Jun 30, 2014
Location: Killadysert

Re: Stuc a Chroin, Ben Each and Beinn Bhuide

Postby spiderwebb » Sun Aug 09, 2015 2:32 pm

:lol: wel there I, you can see it on the left hill in the first pic, it goes up what I think must be Clachan hill and extends all the way to the flattish area between Bhuide and the top of the gorge, its a bit above the gorge so you don't see it until you climb above my 4th pic the one saying still going up. Last but one pic is from the summit ridge and you can see the track below.

Reckon it looked pretty steep climbing up from the bottom but it must lessen once the height is gained, and yes it would be a good freewheel, down, no doubt with brakes for the last bit. But the gorge is pretty :D
User avatar
spiderwebb
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 1515
Munros:97   Corbetts:15
Fionas:3   Donalds:1
Hewitts:108
Wainwrights:68   
Joined: May 18, 2011
Location: Miltonduff, Elgin

Re: Stuc a Chroin, Ben Each and Beinn Bhuide

Postby ancancha » Sun Aug 09, 2015 2:45 pm

spiderwebb wrote::lol: wel there I, you can see it on the left hill in the first pic, it goes up what I think must be Clachan hill and extends all the way to the flattish area between Bhuide and the top of the gorge, its a bit above the gorge so you don't see it until you climb above my 4th pic the one saying still going up. Last but one pic is from the summit ridge and you can see the track below.

Reckon it looked pretty steep climbing up from the bottom but it must lessen once the height is gained, and yes it would be a good freewheel, down, no doubt with brakes for the last bit. But the gorge is pretty :D


mmm :-? I'll go with the flow on the day, brakes are always essential :!:
User avatar
ancancha
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 989
Munros:84   Corbetts:3
Fionas:1   Donalds:1
Joined: Jun 30, 2014
Location: Killadysert

Re: Stuc a Chroin, Ben Each and Beinn Bhuide

Postby Petr Dakota » Sun Aug 09, 2015 8:19 pm

Nice report and photos :clap: :clap:
I wanted go there last week - Ben Each & Stuc a'Chroin, ( Ben Vorlich done last April as a part of our family trip ) but I got busy with something else... :( so nice to see how is it there :D :wink: 8) Hope to do it soon in some short day - not far away from home :)
User avatar
Petr Dakota
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 1274
Munros:247   Corbetts:28
Fionas:8   Donalds:4
Sub 2000:3   Hewitts:19
Wainwrights:12   Islands:1
Joined: Sep 3, 2014
Location: North Lanarkshire

2 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).




Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Pammie1mac, R1ggered and 82 guests