Fionn Bhein off-piste...
Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2013 9:07 pmI'd been wanting to do this for a while as it's close to home and a fairly short walk. The weather promised to be good all morning so i parked the car in Achnasheen and started walking at 8.20am just as it was starting to get light.
I followed the Allt for the recommended two kilometres and then headed for the hill but it soon became apparent that i had gone wrong somewhere as i spent ages dragging myself through bog and ended up with a fairly steep climb up the wrong side of the first shoulder. From here it was fairly straightforward although still very wet underfoot until not long before finally reaching the ridge.
The views from the top definitely make this walk worth it, although it somehow just didn't feel like a Munro to me. It wasn't the best day for light as it was clouding over by the time I reached the summit at about 10.30. There were still good views to be had of the Fannichs, the Torridon hills and the Achnashellach hills.
On the return walk, I tried to stick to the recommended route and knowing that I wasn't going to avoid the bogs at this time of year I just went for it and found it much easier than the route i took on the way up. I walked down the shoulder of the lower hill until I reached two wooden posts (a handy landmark) then turned back towards the burn. Once I reached the burn and followed it back to the gate off the hill, I realised what my mistake this morning was - I'd followed the wrong burn on the way up.
On the way down, I saw two walkers heading up the same way I had gone and I wished I could somehow signal them to go up the way I was coming down as it would be much easier for them. I hope they had a better ascent than me.
To anyone else doing this walk, I'd recommend looking for the wooden gate onto the hill and not the metal gate just after it which I went through. From there, cross and follow the burn uphill until you see those two wooden posts and head for them. From there, it's a straight walk up top the ridge.
Overall, not a bad morning's walk and I got back to the car less than 4 hours after setting off and just seconds before the rain started.
A good wee walk which would be much more enjoyable after a warm, dry spell. 2/5
- Red sky over Achnasheen
I followed the Allt for the recommended two kilometres and then headed for the hill but it soon became apparent that i had gone wrong somewhere as i spent ages dragging myself through bog and ended up with a fairly steep climb up the wrong side of the first shoulder. From here it was fairly straightforward although still very wet underfoot until not long before finally reaching the ridge.
- The final walk along the ridge to the summit
The views from the top definitely make this walk worth it, although it somehow just didn't feel like a Munro to me. It wasn't the best day for light as it was clouding over by the time I reached the summit at about 10.30. There were still good views to be had of the Fannichs, the Torridon hills and the Achnashellach hills.
On the return walk, I tried to stick to the recommended route and knowing that I wasn't going to avoid the bogs at this time of year I just went for it and found it much easier than the route i took on the way up. I walked down the shoulder of the lower hill until I reached two wooden posts (a handy landmark) then turned back towards the burn. Once I reached the burn and followed it back to the gate off the hill, I realised what my mistake this morning was - I'd followed the wrong burn on the way up.
On the way down, I saw two walkers heading up the same way I had gone and I wished I could somehow signal them to go up the way I was coming down as it would be much easier for them. I hope they had a better ascent than me.
To anyone else doing this walk, I'd recommend looking for the wooden gate onto the hill and not the metal gate just after it which I went through. From there, cross and follow the burn uphill until you see those two wooden posts and head for them. From there, it's a straight walk up top the ridge.
Overall, not a bad morning's walk and I got back to the car less than 4 hours after setting off and just seconds before the rain started.
A good wee walk which would be much more enjoyable after a warm, dry spell. 2/5