How to Accidentally Descend a Shoulder, Leum Uilleim Edition

[aaquater]

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I originally planned to name this report 'From Rannoch to Corrour via the Netherlands' or something similar. Then I thought about it, and decided I'd better find another name. Clarification: I'm being stupid here. I did not go to the Netherlands. Leum Uilleim is Gaelic for William's Leap. It's just that the first time I saw this name, I thought, 'That sounds quite Dutch.' I don't even speak Dutch. Maybe if I did, I wouldn't have jumped (leapt?) to such conclusions.

But Leum Uilleim wasn't even a definite target for this walk, merely a what-if option if I had enough time and felt like I could make it. So let's start from the definite targets.

I'd divided the hills north of the Central Belt into 3 parts by the respective public transport routes: East (Deeside), Middle (N/W of Perth, along the A9 and towards Killin), and West (anything N of Glasgow). Up to this point, I'd only visited East and Middle, but as I'd recently bought some maps for West and looked into the train and bus connections, I was eager to venture into these 'newly unlocked' areas on an available day. The problem was, the available day forecast low-ish cloud level (~1000 m), possibly even lower in the west. So I looked at the map and decided to tackle the group of hills SW of Ben Alder, with the option of adding Leum Uilleim if I reached Corrour and found out I had enough time. For a couple of Munros, they're not particularly high (Sgor Gaibhre, the higher of the two, is 955 m), and are just about the easternmost hills I could access on a day trip from the buses and trains running between Glasgow and Fort William - meaning, according to my logic, they should be as safe from the low clouds as possible. (For this reason, I also considered calling this report 'As far east as West goes' for some time.)

Alighting from the train in Rannoch, what I saw filled me with confidence. Around Arrochar, Crianlarich, Tyndrum, the hills had their heads in the clouds, but the ones I was heading for appeared cloud-free. Feeling encouraged, I joined the B846, only to leave it for a track shortly after crossing Allt Eigheach.

Just what I wanted to see: Carn Dearg and Sgor Gaibhre with no clouds covering them

Further south, the situation is different

The sight of Shiehallion making me realise, yes, it IS just on the other side of Loch Rannoch, and Tummel Bridge (where I'd approached it from) is further along the very road I'm on. Arriving close to the same place from an entirely different direction sort of messed with my perception of what is where :D

Loch Eigheach and the Bridge of Orchy hills, still touching the clouds

Ascending gently, the track took me around Sron Smeur and over Allt Eigheach, where the online map now shows the track forking a little above the plantation, but the physical map I had on me suggested the fork should be quite close to the burn. The online map is right. It's a clear track, impossible to miss - so I made my way up to it and continued along Allt Eigheach.

The track leading to Sron Leachd a' Chaorainn (L) and Beinn Pharlagain (R)

Sron Smeur above the eponymous lochan, Shiehallion towering in the distance

Where the track really forks (with Meall Liath na Doire on the R and the Bridge of Orchy hills beyond)

The way ahead as the track rejoins Allt Eigheach; the bumpy Sron Leachd a' Chaorainn / Meall nam Fiadh / Carn Dearg ridge is in clear view, with Sron Gaibhre just about poking out from behind Beinn Pharlagain

The pictures above show pretty well what the track looks like - so the going was quick all the way to the point where I left the track, heading straight for Beinn Pharlagain's summit: Meall na Meoig. Or, technically, Coire na Bain Lic - but from there, Meall na Meoig is only a stone's throw away.

Leave the track, look for a spot where the rocks allow a dry crossing of Allt Eigheach, then head straight up the slope in front

Sron Gaibhre, Carn Dearg, and hills further north from the (rather sprawling) summit of Beinn Pharlagain

Making my way down to the lower lochan, looking up towards Lochan Meoigeach, the cone of Schiehallion prominent at all times

Around the lochan, I headed for Bealach Leathann, and then up Sron Gaibhre. Nothing steep or tricky about this, perhaps a couple of false summits, but in less than an hour I was standing on the Munro, enjoying the views that had opened up, and feeling glad I had chosen these particular hills.

The land beyond Sgor Gaibhre and Sgor Choinnich: Geal-charn and Aonach Beag are immersed in the clouds, and while Chno Dearg looks fine, the Grey Corries might be experiencing rainfall

From Sron Gaibhre, it was another gentle, 40-minute down-and-up wave to reach Carn Dearg, a hill sporting rocks poking through the grass all over the place, giving it a scruffier character - at least compared to the more uniformly grassy Sgor Gaibhre. Here, it was the time for another look around, a little sweet snack, and then figuring out how to join the path leading to Corrour.

The skies are clearing up over Rannoch, Loch Laidon, and Stob na Cruaiche - but Blackwater Reservoir leads to low-cloud territory

Given my annoying ability to miss the path I'm right next to, I opted to take the NW shoulder of Carn Dearg, aiming for Meall na Leitire Duibhe - and when the shoulder started dipping down more steeply, I would turn left, head straight down, and hopefully see the track ahead. No problems there, either, but for whatever reason, the W slope of Meall na Leitire Duibhe didn't belong to my favourites, and I was glad I wasn't ascending it. But, remember how I said Leum Uilleim was a what-if option? At the moment, it was very much on the fence. Would I go for it and risk missing the only train, or give up and spend 2 hours waiting in Corrour? Counting down the time in my head does not make for a pleasant walk.

Success: track spotted. Now descend... here somewhere... (with Meall na Lice and Leum Uilleim laid out like this, figuring out whether I could afford to ascend the latter wasn't any easier)

Target: straight ahead (but is it the station, or the hill above?)

Looking back to Meall na Lice and Carn Dearg

Back along the (currently invisible) Loch Ossian, with Beinn Eibhinn and Ben Alder closing up the glen, Beinn na Lap much closer by

I made it to Corrour... so do I have enough time for a detour?

I do, I decided. 2.5 hours... cutting it close, but should be manageable. So I took the path following the railway, turning left shortly after crossing Allt Coire a'Bhric Beag to join the track leading up Beinn a' Bhric. Initially, the track was surprisingly boggy, but as it started gaining in elevation and dipping southwards, it got substantially drier and rockier. Not to mention, joining the ridge proper opened up the views, and... it's hard to be in a hurry with picturesque places all around.

Beinn na Lap, Corrour, Loch Ossian, and Carn Dearg - what needed several pictures half an hour ago fits into a single one now

The Mamores, Ben Nevis, the Grey Corries, the Loch Treig hills, properly in my view for the first time

Leum Uilleim and Beinn a' Bhric

Stob Coire Easain and Stob a' Choire Mheadhoin looking mighty enticing

There was the option of going for Beinn a' Bhric on the way to Leum Uilleim, but every glance at the remaining time (until the train's arrival) told me not to, so playing it safe, I took the shortcut and went for the bealach instead. And then...

I still don't know what went wrong and where. I stayed on the track until it started to drop, which is when I left it, going left and heading for the summit. I found the summit, took a picture, glanced at the time, felt a bit panicked, and turned back. Having read the official route to Leum Uilleim, which details the moorland below Sron an Lagain Ghaibh as very boggy, I wanted to retrace my steps and run down the Beinn a' Bhric ridge, as the terrain would've allowed it. So I started to head down one shoulder, thought it didn't look quite right, and, 'recognising' this as the Sron an Lagain Ghaibh shoulder, opted for the one on its left. I should see the bealach and the track soon, right? I walked, walked... and realised I found myself on Sron an Lagain Ghaibh.

The clouds had been gradually rising up all day; from Leum Uilleim, everything N/W was now nicely visible, Ben Nevis the only hill still clinging onto its pillows of cloud

Did I not see the hills around me, which I could name? Did I not see the sun, waymarking the west pretty much directly? Losing my way in the clag is the exact reason why I'd been so glad not to see clouds back in Rannoch; turns out I'm entirely too capable of doing that even without the clag. If I'd taken the first shoulder, I guess I would've dropped down by Blackwater Reservoir, and might've then as well headed for Rannoch instead. And hey, if I connect Leum Uilleim and Rannoch with a straight line and extend it, I'll eventually end up in the Netherlands - if I ignore the Blackwater Reservoir and other obstacles such as, you know, the sea...

Notwithstanding the short circuit in my internal compass, it was now time to descend Sron an Lagan Ghaibh - a shorter route, but less suited for speed. But I was committed to it now, actually saw Corrour as the target in front of me for a change, and the terrain wasn't that difficult - there even was a path at times - so in retrospect, I'm not even mad that I messed up on Leum Uilleim. My feelings about how I messed up, now that's a different matter, but at least I experienced another path instead of walking exactly where I'd walked before. And sure, it was boggy as promised, but not much boggier than the alternative would've been, and I managed to get my shoes rid of the accumulated mud before the train arrived. Decidedly... a win.

Looking back at the shoulder I hadn't meant to descend. Not the initiation to the West I'd imagined, but entirely through faults of my own, so... all's well that ends well?

[Sunset tripper]

That's a fine route and a great area also.

Cheers

[aaquater]

That's a fine route and a great area also.

Cheers

Certainly, can't wait to (be able to) go back! The route worked out well, it was the better option in the end, but I still wouldn't want to exchange such luck for functional spatial awareness Thanks!