Beinn nan Aighenan

[jonny616]

Planning on taking this from Etive, I had timed it out to be an 8 hour walk for me. So up and on my way by 05:30 as I wanted to try to get back to the car in the daylight. Having completed the others in this area I new I was in for a long boggy slog. Previously I had cut across the ‘field’ to save time & then wasted it trying to cross the river. Much to the annoyance of my pals. So this time I took the path proper to the bridge. This path is less boggy but still boggy.
Once across you just get wet & muddy, no avoiding it. Higher up after the path splits of to Starav there is a section of real path, but this just lulls you into a false sense of security before the bog returns with a vengeance. It is a fairly straight forward walk to the bealach at the 766 point. There is a wee cairn. The path from here drops down & heads left coming & going but easy enough to follow out of the clag, which I was as it was hanging at about 800 meters for me all day. When you think you are down to the lower bealach there is one more drop before the ascent up Aighenan begins. Although it is not particularly steep I really struggled mentally with this. Longest walk on my own to date & whilst I loved the initial solitude by this point I needed the camaraderie of others to help me up the last bit. Not having this I went for an energy boost from my handy friend babybel. 10 mins later I was at the summit cairn, just over 4 hours. Quick bonny photo & back I went. Once over the bealach I was bayed by the fact that it was down hill all the way.
I love Etive as a place, but it will be a while before I walk any hills there again.

View from the car

The wee gap in the cloud is the bealach

Bealach Cairn

Aighenan in the clag

Summit

pano of Etive from the walk out

[kevsbald]

How heavy is your camera - by your expression, about 12 stone
Nice one.

[rockhopper]

I love Etive as a place, but it will be a while before I walk any hills there again.

I would wholeheartedly agree - one of my favourite areas as well I see you still have two in west Glen Etive to walk so you have an excuse to return, if one was needed. Nice walk jonny even if the weather had worsened - must've seemed a long way at the time though. Cheers

[jonny616]

How heavy is your camera - by your expression, about 12 stone
Nice one.

Cheers kev it felt like it!

[jonny616]

I love Etive as a place, but it will be a while before I walk any hills there again.

I would wholeheartedly agree - one of my favourite areas as well I see you still have two in west Glen Etive to walk so you have an excuse to return, if one was needed. Nice walk jonny even if the weather had worsened - must've seemed a long way at the time though. Cheers

hi rockhopper

I'll do the other two as singles one from glencoe &the other one from creran me thinks