free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Having climbed Carn a' Chuillin in the morning, I needed a relatively easy hill for the afternoon. Last summer I had set out late in the afternoon for Beinn Iaruinn on the dauntingly steep route from Glen Roy up the SE face. Just 5 minutes after battling through thick bracken on rough steep ground I bailed out and headed back to the car. A few months later I was climbing the three Carn Deargs in Glen Roy and had contemplated tacking on Beinn Iaruinn by its long NE ridge, but common sense prevailed and I decided to leave it for another day. That day had now arrived!
I parked on the bit of grass just a few yards after the bridge over the Allt a' Bhreac Achaidh and set off at 2:15pm on the faint path on the south side of the stream. I had decided to follow the WH route, but to save time and effort, miss out the Graham of Leana Mhor and head directly for the bealach just east of that hill. The way up to the bealach was steep in places but the going was fairly straightforward, despite the fact I lost the path early on and ended up on a parallel route just to the north.
After just 40 minutes I was at the bealach and headed up the grassy slopes of Meall Breac, following a faint ATV track for some way before it petered out. The gradient eased as I plodded on and it wasn't until I was nearing Coire nan Eun that the summit of Beinn Iaruinn appeared.
Keeping to the left of several snowed-up edges, I made my way quickly to the summit. The wind started to pick up as I neared the final stretch, but much friendlier than the ferocious gusts of the morning.
Just a tad under 90 minutes from starting I was at the large summit cairn.
![IMG_20220320_154241727_HDR.jpg]()
- View to SW from summit - Ben Nevis, Aonachs and the Grey Corries in the distance
I hunkered down behind the cairn and enjoyed the views whilst munching a fruit pie and then set off back down. I stopped to take more photos of the impressive corrie with remnants of snow still clinging and then headed down the easy grassy slopes to the bealach.
![IMG_20220320_154912771_HDR.jpg]()
- Coire nan Eun with backdrop of snow-clad hills to the SW
![IMG_20220320_155242812_adj2.jpg]()
- Corniced edges ? I stayed well clear!
Back at the bealach I managed to find the path back to the bridge and made rapid progress down, reaching the car after just two and a half hours from leaving - a very enjoyable walk with splendid views from the top.
