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Loch Ba curves to the southeast and splits into two. Having done a circuit of the westernmost glen (Glen Clachaig )recently, I was impressed by the ridge made by Mull's "twin peaks" Cruachan Dearg and Corra Bheinn. These mountains would more efficiently be tackled from the eastern side, via the Glen More road towards Iona. However Loch Ba is a really beautiful approach and certainly worth the extra leg stretch if you are interested in birds and ancient woodlands. I would recommend against doing this circuit in reverse order, given the steepness of the ridge up Breapadail and onto Corra-Bheinn (i.e. Chorra-Bheinn's north ridge)
Parking at Knock Farm, I cycled in the Loch Ba road on my mountain bike and left it at Coill an dubh-aird. From here I walked into Glen Cannel, past the abandoned farm house at Gortenbuie. The harrowing history of the Clearances is quite apparent here, with a burial ground and more buildings (and church / school house?) visible across the glen with the impressive Beinn Talaidh towering above. The glen had large herds of relatively approachable deer, plenty of ravens and three golden eagles up high. White tailed eagles seem to be more common close to the shores of Loch Ba. I saw no grouse or ptarmigan, despite searching carefully for them.
Although the track is barely discernable beyond Gortenbuie, the next landmark is a very obvious moraine (maybe a medial moraine?). Feannagan are visible on the moraine, evidence of farming here historically (lazy beds is the disdainful name for these in English, but the people who created them were certainly not lazy). This moraine leads up to an obvious ridge which makes for very fun scrambling. It goes without say that crampons, poles and/or an ice-axe are a must in winter, given the steep and icy terrain. The day I climbed here there was hard-pack ice from 350m onward and the bog was frozen from 150m.
- Breapadail Ridge as seen from the moraine
As you climb the ridge, the pass at Mam Breapadail becomes visible and eventually views down to Glen More beyond and Ben Buie. Look out for the very prominent and large erratic perched precariously on the smaller ridge to your north. Views of the Loch Ba ring dyke start to open up now too. This ridge takes you above the impressive Coire na Lice Dhuibhe (corrie of the black slabs I think?) which had dodgy looking cornices.
- Above Breapadail Ridge looking across at Cruachan Dearg
The ridge suddenly levels out with a ~500m walk along a broader ridge to the summit of Corra Bheinn and it's trig point. The views of Ben Mor are the best I've seen: it looks far more alpine from this vantage than any other. Plenty of mountain hare tracks up here. A steep but insignificant (160m) drop into Mam a' Choir Idhir and up to the summit of Cruachan Dearg. There was significant drifting and cornicing in the area, with drifts over 2m deep in places. The ridge takes an obvious turn out to Maol Bhuidhe and Cruachan Beag which is easy walking with precipitous drops either side, into Glen Clachaig on your left and Glen Cannel on your right.
- Maol Buidhe and Cruachan Beag
There were small mustellid-like tracks (stoat?) and many tunnels in the ice along this ridge. There seems to be an abundance of hares and voles here too, given all the tracks and holes, but alas I saw none! Impressive views of the Sound of Mull, Morvern, Ardnamurchan, Rum, Skye and even the Uists can be had on a clear day as you walk out this section. The way down into Glenn Cannel from Bith-Bheinn can be tricky to find as there are some steep burns and cliffs below you that cannot be seen from above. I recommend staying east of Aillt Coille in order to pass by the stunning ancient holly trees. One has a circumference of 245 cm at breast height, making it at least 200 years old. It is sporting some impressive lichens. Don't miss the ancient ash trees in Coille and Dubh-Aird also!
- one of the ancient holly trees
