Beinn Sgulaird, remember the sunscreen

[Craig 7483]

After a double-header walking in Arran last weekend, it was time to switch my attention to the Munros again now we’re in April and the weather turning in my favour.

I had Beinn Sgulaird on my radar for a while and purposely kept it back for my first Munro for 2023, for the principal reason that it’s southern approach meant that most of the snow would’ve melted by now (fair-weather hiker!). The forecast had been mild on the run up to Saturday also, so I gave this the green light and endured a rough, sleepless night before getting up at 0330 for an early start.
In my younger days, this was the norm when I was an enthusiastic Killie fan before a big game, or even on the eve of one of the big horse racing fixtures I’ve attended across the UK. In the past decade or so since I’ve reinvented myself as a hillwalker (a healthier pursuit with fewer frustrations!) I still get excited before a good day out and it shows no sign of abating. I write this as I approach my final days in my 30s.

I was delighted to have a young work colleague along with me on this day whose hillwalking days are in its infancy. His eagerness shone through and arrived at 0415 prompt as promised for a crack at Beinn Sgulaird. We blethered away about our future targets along a pitch dark Loch Lomond with little traffic to negotiate. Shards of first light were beginning to breakthrough when at Crianlarich, and Ryan’s morning was certainly brightening up when I introduced him to Tony Blackburn’s sound of the 60s - a Saturday staple on hill days - at 0600 with me belting out some classics for most of the first half of the show. Maybe he was glad of the intermittent signal on the A85 for respite but if so he wasn’t for letting on!

We got to the small layby around 0645 and were surprised there was a car already there. A quick change of kit and it was time to roll. Loch Creran was soothing and a woodpecker was tapping away furiously nearby, it felt good to be back.

We made our way through the flattened track and it was reassuring we were on the right track despite the erroneous spelling of Beinn Sgulaird on the second gate.

Shortly after that the small cairn was on our left and it was agreed we were going to follow the walkhighlands main route for this outing. We made our way up to the point marked 488 on the map. ‘Keep looking back’ I implored to my workmate.

It can be too easy to keep motoring on and missing out on all the spectacular views opening up behind you on these days. Things were going steady as we went down, crossed the fence,

before starting the ascension again to Beinn Sgulaird’s southern top. We stopped for a break at the higher outcrops. With breezes blowing in from the east, this gave us shelter before topping out. The man who was in the carpark earlier caught up with us at an alarming rate with his collie and overtaken us. It’s early outings for me this year but reinforces that my fitness is lagging.
Time to get moving again, although, not for long. There was a herd of deer monitoring our movements from afar and managed to get a good look and photo of them as they gently went about their business.
Beinn Sgulaird came into view and looked fantastic.

Beinn Sgulaird

A tad of nuisance cloud lingered and we had hoped that it would shift by the time we summited. Although, we really couldn’t complain with the weather overall, very favourable conditions encountered.
It was down a stone chute for a while before taking the ascent to Meall Garbh. Half way up we stopped and I had a smoothie and offered Ryan my sunscreen. I had already applied in the house that morning but it’s a godsend and I often forget to pack it, that’s why I included it in the title of this report.
We could pick out a fell runner making his way towards us. He wasn’t long in overtaking us near Meall Garbh’s summit then he passed us again coming down from Beinn Sgulaird as we weren’t far from its summit. There was some easy scrambling to negotiate and a small walk to the summit cairn. It was only here we saw the first snow patch on the hill so the decision to pick this was vindicated.

Solitary snow patch

It was time to sit and have lunch and shelter from the breeze at the cairn. There was a bit of cloud which kind of obscured our views a bit which was disappointing - can’t win them all but we both loved it. A quick photo at the summit, some pictures and it was time to retrace our steps back.

Summit photo

We both discussed the possibility of bypass paths on Meall Garbh and the southern top and how we’d be delighted to use them. Not quite hill fit yet but there was no evidence of alternatives so just stuck with the tried and trusted methods. More ups and downs than a typical Alton Towers rollercoaster this one. Would’ve gained the benefit from going back over the tops too but at the time it was sapping away at my energy. When back at the fence we hung a left which took us back down to the flattened road and eventually merged back to where the first cairn is and headed back to the car.
Two and a half hour or so back home and was pleasantly surprised at how quiet the A82 was going along Loch Lomond on way back. Suppose it’s not quite summer yet. Ryan also had the benefit of getting some shut eye while I was concentrating driving, but it’ll be my turn for a sleep on way back next time!

Ryan’s strava data