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Having looked at these Munros from our long walk up to Beinn Mhanach I was eager for these to be our next Bridge of Orchy hills. The weather was a bit cloudy to start but there was a promise of some sun. We parked in the good sized car park just off the A82, by the start of the track to Achallader. On my OS map the car park is marked as right by Achallader but it is actually just after turning off the main road. From the car park, we fled the first midges of the year and followed a sign that says 'to the hill'. After a slightly boggy start there is an improving path (not at first marked on the OS map) that goes over a few bumps and then over the railway line.
- Start of the walk
- Looking towards Beinn Achaladair
After the railway line the good path now marked on the map follows the Allt Coire Achaladair gradually uphill, a good way up it switches to the east side of the burn and proceeds past some lovely waterfalls at a steeper gradient into Coire Daingean. A short distance and slight rise on you come to the bealach between Beinn Achaladair and Beinn an Dothaidh. From the bealach there are some great views. It was tempting here to include Beinn an Dothaidh, but I am not that fit! We turned left up an obvious path gradually ascending onto an excellent ridge walk.
- The path up Coire Achaladair
- Lovely waterfalls close to Coire Daingean
- Looking towards Beinn Achaladair
- Looking across to Beinn an Dothaidh
- Bealach and Beinn Dorain
- Ridge walk up to Beinn Achaladair
The path led directly to the summit of Beinn Achaladair, the sun now shining and excellent views towards the Black Mount, Glen Coe and over Rannoch Moor. To the east views stretched down to remote Gleann Cailliche where we visited last year and onwards to Loch Lyon. From the summit there is a quick, fairly steep and rocky decent down to Bealach an Aoghlain (813 meters). Whilst scrambling wasn't required it was pretty close at times and we were glad to reach the Bealach. From here the character of the hills softens again and it was nice gentle gradient up to Meall Buidhe, the views from here across Rannoch Moor were ever improving and it was spectacular seeing across Rannoch Moor, right to Loch Ericht and the Ben Alder range. From Meall Buidhe there was a short decent and then an obvious path up to the next Munro, close to the summit there is a right turn required. The summit of Beinn a'Chreachain is set back a bit from the views over Rannoch Moor but there are excellent views east to the Ben Lawyers range. We were quite tired by this point and the pace had slowed, unfortunately we fled the summit which seemed to be a midge haven!
- Final approach to the first summit
- At the summit of Beinn Achaladair
- Views to the North including the Ben.
- The path ahead, with Beinn a' Chreachain
- The drop down from Beinn Achaladair
- Meall Buidhe and Beinn a'Chreachain
- Summit of Beinn a'Chreachain
We then followed an obvious path downhill to the north west of the impressive Coire Dubh Beag and then turned north west into the gorgeous Coire an Lochain. There are beautiful views of Lochan a'Chreachain, set beneath the cliffs of Beinn a'Chreachain and Meall Buidhe. It is certainly one of the best Lochan views I have had in the hills. From here we were tiring and the pace really slowed in what was becoming a very warm sunny day. We lost the path briefly by the Lochan but found it after crossing the burn which issues from the lochan.
A decent path followed the Allt Coire an Lochain down into the wonderful Caledonian pine woods. There was an option to turn left over a style but we opted to stay close to the burn. Here we drunk the rest of our water and refilled from the burn. We followed the path between the deer fences and the burn until we went under the railway. Then we either missed an obvious path or there wasn't one. Either way we made our way to the Water of Tulla which was easily forded and clambered up to reach a good track. This track was followed back quite some way with excellent views of the two Munros we had completed and the Black Mount. We had plenty of stops along the way and gradually made our way to Achallader and then back to the car park. A long but absolutely fantastic day out.
- Looking towards Glen Coe
- Looking towards Loch Ericht
- Coire an Lochain
- Looking back to Coire an Lochain
- Crannach Caledonian Pine
- Water of Tulla
