Less Challenging? Beinn Odhar & Beinn Chaorach

[mband]

I've been a member of Perth and District Hillwalking Club (http://www.perthhillwalkingclub.co.uk/) for a few months now but so far I had stuck to the 'B' bus with low level walks but this month I decided to go up a class and joined the 'A' bus and the 'less challenging' group. The walks are described as 'less challenging', 'challenging' and 'challenging plus' to give a variety of walks with increasing difficulty. The route for the less challenging walk was to do Beinn Odhar and Beinn Chaorach two corbets behind Tyndrum.

Tyndrum.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

We met up in Perth at 7am and headed towards Tyndrum the bus dropped us off at the side of the A82 at 9 am and we headed straight up the southwest ridge to the top of Beinn Odhar. As I'm sure many in the hills this weekend will agree the weather was cracking and as we got higher the views to Ben Lui were great with Tyndrum in the valley below.

Ben Dubhchraig, Ben Oss and Ben Lui from Beinn Odhar

Getting nearer the top the wind got a bit blustery but the sun kept us warm when we stopped for morning coffee. As always getting to the top was great and the views were magnificent with the big yin, Ben Nevis, in the distance.

Beinn Odhar cairn

Ben Nevis

It was then time to head over to Beinn Chaorach which from the top of Beinn Odhar looked a fairly flat, roundish hill.

Bein Chaorach with Beinn Challuim behind

What we couldn't see from the top was the steep descent down and the very steep climb up again, all 384m straight up the side of Beinn Chaorach. We were again out of the wind and this made for a very hot and sweaty climb!

Down and up to Beinn Chaorach

Good to get to the top though and relax in the sun. Where all the more seasoned members agreed that 'less challenging' walks were usually less challenging!

Top of Beinn Chaorach, Beinn Challuim behind

We then headed down south to join the West Highland Way at Auchtertyre where it was very tempting to join the kids in the river, but we still had a couple of miles to walk back to Tyndrum so no paddeling for us!

Looking back at Beinn Odhar and Beinn Chaorach

South to the West Highland Way

As we got back to Tyndrum we had a lovely view of where we started in the morning looking up to Beinn Odhar.

Beinn Odhar

It was then a well earned and welcome drink in the pub before heading back to Perth.

A really great day out in magnificant scenery and wonderful sunshine. Face a bit red and legs a bit stiff today but I'll definately be on the 'A' bus next time.
Thanks to Tom and Ian for leading the way!

[mband]

I do recommend the Perth and District Hillwalking Club. I had a great day out with some lovely company. They arrange 6 levels of walk each month - easy, easy/moderate, moderate, less challenging, challenging and challenging plus. It's a great way to get out with more experienced walkers and learn the ropes. They meet on the first Sunday of the month and always arrange for the bus to pick you up at a different point which means no tracing your steps back to the car.

http://www.perthhillwalkingclub.co.uk/

[andyp]

How I envy you guys - could the pick up bus extend its journey south to Nottingham

[PeteR]

This brings back memories. Beinn Chaorach and its neighbour form part of my route for Ben Challum, to make more of a day of it. I also did these two and the other three corbetts in this area as a single walk early on in my hill walking escapades, for a nice long and remote walk. That decent from Odhar and re ascent to Chaorach is a killer isn't it. Steep and pathless. A real leg burner. I'm glad you seem to have had better conditions at the top a Chaorach than I did that first time - I was being blow all over the place as I attempted to take my summit shots

[Graeme D]

This brings back memories.

For me too! Fond memories