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.

Bike'n'hike on Meall nan Subh and Beinn nan Imirean

Bike'n'hike on Meall nan Subh and Beinn nan Imirean


Postby DaveSan » Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:55 am

Corbetts included on this walk: Meall nan Subh

Date walked: 19/07/2021

Time taken: 6 hours

Distance: 32 km

Ascent: 1395m

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

Meall nan Subh: 2hrs 615m 12km (from Kenknock)
Beinn nan Imirean: 4hrs 780m 20km (from Kenknock)


Meall nan Subh from Kenknock.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts



I was heading home after 5 days walking and as usual, was planning to climb one or two easy hills on the way. I had been camping again in Grandtully, so these two hills were conveniently on the way home. Although about 5 miles apart as the crow flies, access to both is greatly facilitated by use of a bike.
I left Grandtully campsite at 7:30am and drove to Killin, then turned off onto the single-track road down Glen Lochay to the car park at Kenknock. I had read various reports about the condition of the road that crosses from Kenknock in Glen Lochay to Pubil in Glen Lyon and decided not to risk damage to my relatively new Ford Focus by using the bike to get to the high point on the road.
So, at around 8:30am I set off up the switchback 'road' to Glen Lyon. It didn't take long before my decision was vindicated - the surface was not too bad initially but then it deteriorated rapidly with large sections where the tarmac had all but broken leaving sharp-edged trenches and piles of large stones and gravel. I walked up the steeper sections or where it was too rough and was surprised to find the road surface much improved when the gradient flattened out. After 30 minutes, I reached a gate on the left and locked up the bike. I was now at 500m elevation, so only had about 300m to climb, most of it fairly steep. I headed up the steep grassy slopes following a fence until a series of large crags forced me to veer to the left and climb steeply onto the summit plateau. There are a number of tops on this hill but I was only interested today in the highest point, so I headed NE and soon topped out at 9:45am.
IMG_20210719_094914871.jpg
Summit of Meall nan Subh - Beinn Cheathaich and Meall Glas mid-distance with Ben Challum to the right

IMG_20210719_094952795_HDR.jpg
View east from Meall nan Subh - Stronuich Reservoir is the stretch of water visible in the distance

Visibility was excellent with hardly a wisp of cloud as I took the usual summit photos then set off back down the same way and was very quickly back at the bike and then rattling down the bumpy road to Kenknock, weaving around the potholes.


Beinn nan Imirean from Kenknock.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts



At 10:30am I was back In Glen Lochay, and without stopping, I turned right and cycled for a considerable distance further along the glen, going past the impressive north faces of Beinn Cheathaich and Meall Glas to the left with Ben Challum directly ahead. The track gradually veered around to the left and began heading south, with Beinn nan Imirean now visible ahead just beyond Meall Glas. At a burn crossing I locked up the bike and continued on foot, across the burn on boulders and soon after, heading down to cross over the river to a good path that ascended in long straight zigzags all the way up to the bealach. Turning to the right, I set off up the grassy north ridge, with its numerous short and steep sections interspersed with easier flatter bits. After many false summits, the top at last came into view. At 12:50pm I was sat at the summit cairn, basking in warm sunshine with virtually no breeze.
IMG_20210719_125043986.jpg
Looking SE from the summit of Beinn nan Imirean

IMG_20210719_125205121.jpg
View SW from the summit of Beinn nan Imirean

After a leisurely lunch it was time to descend and head for home. I made rapid progress down the grassy slopes and then onto the zigzags and back to the bike. The ride back along the track was fairly rapid and I was back at the car just after 2:30pm.
DaveSan
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 61
Munros:36   Corbetts:221
Fionas:10   Donalds:7
Hewitts:131
Wainwrights:194   
Joined: Jun 27, 2017
Location: Tallentire, Cumbria

1 person thinks 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: JBclimbs, Ollie and me, TomJ0hns, WalkingWithKids, Whitelight and 84 guests
cron