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Date: 1/12/12
Hills: Beinn Chaorach & Cam Chreag
Present: Just me
Weather: Outstanding day. Soft snow underfoot.
Distance: 10.55mls approx.
Ascent 3323ft approx.
Time taken: Walking 4.53hrs Loafing 3.39hrs It's been a while since I posted any trips on here so I thought it was about time I got some more up after the rather good winter we have had. I looked over to Beinn Chaorach & Cam Chreag from Fiarach the previous w/e and thought they would make a rather nice winter walk so that’s where I was heading. Another long lie till 6am and then an easy drive up to Auchtertyre, I was parked up in the car park for just after 8am and underway by 8.25am. A good track on the west side of the Allt Auchtertyre takes you up to almost 400m before you take to the hillside.
Back to the Car park area.
First target of the day, Beinn Chaorach.
It was a beautiful clear morning and as the sun rose it lit up Beinn Laoigh.
I was into loafing time within seconds and the camera went into overdrive
.
Cruach Ardrain.
Ben More.
Stob Binnein.
Beinn Chuirn.
Almost a full moon.
Cam Chreag shinning in the distance.
Cruach Ardrain was really catching my eye.
The path was well iced up after the overnight rain/snow and I was nearly on my butt a few times when I looked at the views instead of where I was going. I had spotted 2 walkers on the skyline to the west heading towards Meall Buidhe and how I wished they had been on the skyline for the shot below.
Some walkers would have been perfect for this.
Zoom to Beinn Odhar.
Cam Chreag looking good for later in the day.
Zoom back to Ben Oss.
Beinn Challum summit.
I left the track at NN359308 and headed up the broad south ridge of rough, tussocky grass very much like walking in the Galloway Hills. No sign of a path but after a bit I spotted an ATV track which might have made the going easier if it had been snow free. Not today though as there was a lot of deep drifting snow was as we all know, is a bugger to walk in.
Looking across to Beinn Dubhchraig and Ben Oss.
The route ahead.
Beinn Dubhchaig, Ben Oss, Beinn Laoigh and Beinn Chuirn.
Follow the fence posts. ATV track is on the left under the snow now.
Looking across to Beinn Challum.
Zoom to the summit.
Beinn Laoigh.
Looking to the Ben Cruachan range.
Looks like trouble coming over the hill.
It was just a light shower of snow which never amounted to much. It just dulled things down for a while until it passed over.
Beinn Challum again.
Cam Chreag and Beinn Challum.
I arrived at the summit of Beinn Chaorach around 11.15am. The snow was still in the air and it was overcast which was a pain. Had a flask of hot soup and a sandwich in the hope it would brighten up before I got underway.
Summit Trig Point.
Across to the Glen Etive Hills.
Beinn Chuirn.
Stob Binnein.
Summit pose
.
With no sign of the sun breaking through I thought I better get a move on as it was tough walking in the soft snow and it was going to take a while to get over to Cam Chreag. I took a short detour to the west to have a look over Gleann Cumhang to Beinn Odhar. As I was admiring the view the sun broke cover all over the place and it was just one of those gobsmacking moments. I felt as if I had just been Tangoed
.
Wow! How do you describe a view like this
.
Beinn Odhar.
Beinn Dorain and Beinn a’Chaisteil.
Glen Etive Hills again.
I could just have sat down here and gazed at the view all day but I forced myself on towards Cam Chreag. The plus thing of soft snow is it makes a nice speedy descent, until you go thigh deep and almost go a*** over t**. I just saved myself from that thankfully
. Back on the surface I spotted two pairs of walkers who must have come up from Auch. One pair were just at the col and the other were about half way up towards Cam Chreag. Brilliant! Somebody breaking trail for me so it was going to be easier than I was thinking, which meant more loafing time at the summit
.
Looking down to the col.
Beinn nan Fuaran with Beinn Mhanach behind.
Beinn a’Chaisteil.
Old wind generator at the col with Beinn Challum behind.
Speaking of wind. It had been fairly breezy on the summit of Beinn Chaorach but the wind was now easing off a fair bit and it was very pleasant in the sun now.
Cam Chreag from the col.
I soon fell into line with the trail left by the other walkers and I was making good time up the hill, well for me anyway
.
Looking back to Beinn Odhar, Beinn Dorain and Beinn a’Chaisteil.
Beinn Dorain catching some clag.
Beinn Odhar.
Catching up with the walkers in front.
Beinn an Dothaidh and Beinn Achaladair.
Caught!
Passed and looking back to Beinn Chaorach.
On reaching the ridge line this was the view to Creag Mhor and Stob nan Clach.
The summit was just a few meters away on my left and I made my way up. One of the walkers was sheltering out the wind just below and the other pair were way over at the s/e end of the ridge. This was one mighty fine viewpoint to be on a day like this and there was certainly no need to be wishing you were somewhere else. Time to loaf and enjoy the surroundings, Oh! And take a few photos
.
Panorama over to Creag Mhor.
Summit pose
.
Planning a trip to Creag Mhor.
Beinn Mhanach.
Summit of Beinn Dorain.
Distant walker approaching the summit of Creag Mhor.
Meall Glas.
Beinn nan Fuaran.
Lonely trig point on Beinn Chaorach.
Beinn Challum. Spot the 2 walkers on the s/e end of Cam Chreag.
The other 2 walkers left the summit as I was shooting some video and I was now left alone to marvel at the views stretched out before me. Looking at the time I decided I had time to spare to take a walk out to the s/e end myself and get the views from there. A few ups and downs along the way took about 20mins. Needless to say I took a few photos on the way over
.
Creag Mhor and Stob nan Clach.
Creag Mhor, Stob nan Clach and Meall Ghaordaidh.
Breathtaking views everywhere I pointed the camera.
Creag Mhor and Beinn Heasgarnich.
Time for another pose
.
Looking down Glen Lochy to the Lawers Range.
Zoomed.
Zoom to Beinn an Dothaidh.
Beinn nan Fuaran with Beinn Achaladair in the distant background.
Looking across the summit of Beinn nan Imirean to Ben Vorlich and Stuc a’Chroin.
Back along the ridge to the main summit.
It was with great reluctance I dragged myself away to seek out a way down. Thought I would follow the footsteps of the 2 walkers that had been at this end earlier but I just never spotted where they had headed down . I walked back along the ridge to NN381339 and headed off downhill more or less in a straight line to pick up the path in Gleann a’Chlachain. It is higher up the Glen than is shown on the OS map which is mighty handy.
Final parting shot to Creag Mhor.
More knee deep snow to plod through now.
Across Gleann a’Chlachain to Beinn Chaorach.
Across the col to Beinn Odhar.
A nice easy descent in the soft snow.
Purely by luck I found myself heading for what looked like a gate in the distance. It was of sorts, but there was an electric fence right in front of it. I think it was dead as I managed to get over it without getting zapped
.
Gate at NN3693311.
Once over, you are into a young plantation and the walking was very rough with great care required to avoid losing a leg down deep murky holes.
Last rays of the sinking sun catching Beinn Challum.
And Cam Chreag.
Onto the track.
After a few minutes walking I came across the tracks from the other 2 walkers who must have come down lower down the glen than myself.
Another generator with Ben Challum.
Too late to get the best of the sunset.
Last shot looking back up the Glen.
After that, it was a steady plod out in the fading light and I made it back to the car just before it was time to need the head torch.
Short video from the day
I am honestly say, today goes into my top 10 winter hill days. A cracking couple of Corbetts with outstanding winter views. Go on, get yourself up there and you will not be disappointed. If you get weather like this make sure you have plenty of memory cards as I am sure you will be as trigger happy as I was. Heck! I had a hell of a job cutting the photos down for this tr. I could have had twice as many in it
.
