Walkhighlands

This was my second attempt at Beinn Bhuidhe. the first attempt ended at that big slab of rock in the gully, I had looked at climbing around it but as I was already feeling fairly knackered after the long walk in I decided it was going to be too much for me so I retired gracefully and headed back to the car. Fast forward two years. Much fitter and with a little more hill "savvy" I headed again for Beinn Buidhe. I had now found the "Walk Highlands" site so I now knew a lot more about the mountain, I knew that the paths were very eroded but what did I care, I now had 9 munros under my belt so no problem says I. I parked up at the car park at the head of Loch Fyne and got my bike out of my camper (see, I'm learning) and take a leisurely ride along the private to the deer fence where I parked my bike. The summits were still covered in low cloud but the sun was trying to get through. As I walked along the track to the cottage at Inverchorachain there were lots of primroses and bluebells out amongst the hazels and also a good few violets. the sun was still struggling to pierce through the low cloud but the forecast was good so I expected some good views form the summit. I set off up the gully at about eight thirty and quickly gained height and the views back down into the glen and over to the hills beyond were excellent. The path was in very bad condition, much worse than two years previous. I came the difficult bit that had stopped me on my first visit, one look and I decided to climb round it. I walked back just a few metres and up I went, I think I climbed too high but no matter, I was feeling fine. I dropped down again onto the path and headed up past the waterfall, the path still very muddy in places. I stopped for a breather above the waterfall and took a few photographs. I thought I could see the summit so I was feeling pretty good. Onwards and upwards my legs were now begging to feel the strain I crossed the flattish boggy ground and up a very steep and very eroded path that looked more like a soggy river bed than a path. I think it was at this point that I realised that I wasn't as fit as I thought I was and just when I thought I was at the top, the “path” bore left and I realised I still had more to do. Eventually I saw a wee cairn and I was on the summit ridge path, a left turn and just a few metres to the summit on a narrow but clear path until .... just a few metres along, the path disappears, it had obviously collapsed during the winter just a metre or two but as I'm doing this solo there was no way was I going to chance crossing that. I looked around to see if I could find an easy way around but I couldn’t. I believe discretion is the better part of valour so I headed on back down taking the "easy" grassy route. Half an hour from the top I found a dry grassy spot and stopped for a bite to eat and a drink, the sun was now high in the sky and it was now very hot with excellent views to the south. I lay and soaked up the sun for about fifteen minutes before heading back down to Inverchorachain and the walk out to my bike. By now my legs were feeling really heavy, and I wasn't looking foreword to cycling back to the car park but what a treat, the first 200 metres or so was a gentle downhill then a gentle pedal then more freewheeling then a little more pedalling admittedly there was a couple of gentle rises that I was too knackered to ride up and had to push my bike up but all in all the ride out was very easy and when you think I haven't rode a bike for fifty years I don't think I did too bad. I was disappointed not to have reached the summit, but I think I was close enough don’t you?

Unlucky, how far away from summit were you

Tomsie wrote:Unlucky, how far away from summit were you

Hi Tomsie, I think I had a ten or fifteen walk along the summit ridge to reach the trig point, so near yet so far.

Havnt being up there but is that the only way to summit

Tomsie wrote:Havnt being up there but is that the only way to summit

Hi Tomsie, I think any younger guy would have just gone over the first hillock on the right of the summit path but I'm a bit of a scaredy cat, it's one hell of a drop I'm for taking the easy way out. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

No point taking chances

Hard line's there Early Riser at least it was dry for you when i done this hill it battered down all day snow on the top and rain further down.

quoman wrote:Hard line's there Early Riser at least it was dry for you when i done this hill it battered down all day snow on the top and rain further down.

Hi Quoman, The weather was great, but then again I'm retired so I can pick and choose when I go walking. I no longer have to wait for the weekend and hope for the best.

I've only been on this hill in grim weather, but it looks to me that you were almost at the summit from what I recall?

I remember the grunt by the waterfall/burn, then the flatter boggy area, then up a gully on the summit dome, then followed the track (which I think is in your photo) to the cairn.

I wouldn't rush back just to walk the last wee bit!!