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.

Applecross corbetts

Applecross corbetts


Postby al78 » Tue Aug 20, 2024 9:10 pm

Corbetts included on this walk: Beinn Bhan, Sgùrr a' Chaorachain

Date walked: 19/05/2024

Time taken: 7 hours

Distance: 15 km

Ascent: 1030m

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

First full walking day of my trip to the NW highlands back in May and decided to do the Applecross corbetts via a route which looked viciously steep but some people on here had said it wasn't technical.

The weather first thing didn't look inspiring. Heavy clag and occasional drizzle with the cloud base well below the summits. Parked the car at a large kind-of layby/parking area near the Russet Burn and headed along the path to Loch Coire nan Arr where the path goes laterally up the side of the glen whilst gradually dissipating. Continued on into Coire a Chaorachain largely picking my own route across rough terrain and reached the cloud base. Although I was not far from the Bealach Na Ba road it felt remote here as it was very quiet and there was the presence of steep hills around me. I picked a spot to start climbing and it turned out the people on here were right, it is steep but a steep walk, not a scramble and easier than I expected. Got to the ridge and went to the first Corbett where there were no views other than the silhouettes of lumpy bits of terrain in the cloud along the ridge.

Headed back along the ridge and went around the head of the corrie I had walked through earlier, heading for the transmitter or whatever it is at the subsidiary 776m summit. The cloud was slowly breaking up now and I was getting nice fleeting views out to Skye and of some of the surrounding mountain architecture which is very aesthetic. You can tell glaciers have been sculpting this area in the distant past. From here it was a pathless walk to Bealach nan Arr although not a difficult one, I was below the cloud by this point which was gradually lifting towards the highest summits.

Next stop Beinn Bhan and back in the cloud on the way up. Once in the cloud it seemed to take forever to get to the summit, and I can see how easy it is to drift off course and get lost/disorientated. In thick clag and on rocky and largely featureless ground you cannot tell which direction you are heading without a compass other than uphill. No view from the second corbett but early on the long descent back down to the road, the cloud rapidly broke up and the sun came out. I was treated to spectacular views across loch Kishorn and of the route in, which occasionally combined with patches of cloud swirling around the pinnacled ridges to the east of Beinn Bhan to generate a fantastic atmospheric effect. Again, the mountain architecture on the east side of Beinn Bhan is fantastic, I wonder if there are any routes to the summit from that direction without requiring ropes. The great thing about this descent is the continuous view of loch Kishorn and the fjord-like coastline. Descent was straightforward and got back to the car in good enough time to get back to Kinlochewe and freshen up before an evening meal.
Attachments
IMG_20240519_124533193_HDR.jpg
Ascending the side of Coire a Chaorachain looking back towards loch Coire nan Arr.
IMG_20240519_134416011_HDR.jpg
Lumpy bits in the clag, Sgurr a Chaorachain ridge.
IMG_20240519_141819602.jpg
Looking across to Skye, cloud starting to lift.
IMG_20240519_165126700_HDR.jpg
Brocken spectre
IMG_20240519_153953779_HDR.jpg
Coire Atadail.
IMG_20240519_152331447.jpg
Coire nan Arr (a glacier was here).
IMG_20240519_170838912_HDR.jpg
Pinnacled ridge, possibly A Chioch.
IMG_20240519_171619347_HDR.jpg
Looking back to the route in. Nice hanging valley.
IMG_20240519_172705119_HDR.jpg
Loch Kishorn.
ApplecrossRoute.png
The route.
Last edited by al78 on Wed Aug 21, 2024 11:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
al78
Walker
 
Posts: 1532
Munros:37   Corbetts:17
Donalds:1
Joined: Feb 1, 2018

Re: Applecross corbetts

Postby prog99 » Tue Aug 20, 2024 9:33 pm

Again, the mountain architecture on the east side of Beinn Bhan is fantastic, I wonder if there are any routes to the summit from that direction without requiring ropes.

The A'Chioch ridge is more commonly done in winter but is about a grade 3 scramble in summer (my notes suggest its a bit bold).
User avatar
prog99
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 2207
Fionas:130   
Joined: Aug 14, 2013
Location: Highlands

2 people think 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: No registered users and 21 guests