Beinn Mhic Chasgaig from Glen Etive

[tussockplodder]

No pictures I'm afraid, but a route map and some description.

The day started with lowering clouds, though the forecast was for probably dry, even sunny later; and so it proved. The initially approach is through some beautiful terrain. After the plank bridge at 4 there is indeed (as described in the SMC's Corbetts book) a fine walk through a steep-sided glen. At the point where the book says one can cross the Allt Coire Ghiubhasan and climb the steep SW ridge, I opted to continue eastward, imagining that route would be less steep. After another km there is a beautiful waterfall over a solid lump of rock, just prior to where I crossed the burn northwards, aiming, as I thought, for the col between the Corbett and Clach Leathad to its east.

Here I decided, unwisely I think, to climb more steeply, directly towards the summit. And this is probably one of the two reasons I am recording this report. It got a bit too steep for my liking (I am primarily a hill-walker, and only a reluctant scrambler); I found myself under crags and decided I should try again another day. But to my relief I found fairly soon another way up, still steep, but getting round the crags. Lesson 1: I should have stuck to the plan to get to the col, even though that route looked almost as steep and pathless.

The panorama at the summit is glorious. To the north are Buchaille Etive Mor, Bidean nam Bian, and, towering a little beyond, Ben Nevis. To the east are Creise and Clach Leathad. I should have stayed longer, only it was intermittently tremendously gusty, and I thought I heard distant thunder. I decided I would go west then SW, seeking out the "standard" route down (if only because the summit plateau afforded a gentle stroll). Lesson 2: All very well if I'd come UP that way, and explored it well. But this hill with its nice plateau summit is steep-sided nearly all the way round.

Wainwright would have provided good guidance about this sort of thing. What I now realise I needed to find was the steepish but manageable SW route down the E side of the gully that starts around NN211511. My route map says it all. I was lucky enough to find a route down into the gully's dryish stream-bed from the west side, and from that point down back to the Allt Coire Ghuibhasan, clambering over rocks, thankful that no sudden waterfalls barred my way. An enjoyable day, for all the salutary lessons in hill-walking, especially when on one's own. The thing with many Corbetts is that they are less explored and frequently pathless. One is often left doing one's own route-finding, with minimal description from the guide-books. With all the steep grassy slopes and picking my way down a stream bed, I was glad it was a dry day, and therefore less slippery.

A grand hill that deserves more attention, especially with its lovely walk in.

[bobble_hat_kenny]

It sounds a grand day out: nice report, even without the photos . I always thought this Corbett must have truly spectacular views, given where it sits - good to hear that it does indeed. I bet you're glad to have got it done before all that lovely rain the next day, though !