Reaching a TON on the Orchy 5
Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 8:50 pmWalkin: 07/06/13 1 hr, 2.5km, 550 m ascent
Orchy 5: 08/06/13 11 hr, 27 km, 1927 mascent
This round has been on my must-do list since I saw Monty's http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=7758 report. We're not as fast so opted for a wild camp to break things up, plus would not have enjoyed spending driving 2hrs out and 2 hrs back on top of all that walking.
Left the Bridge of Orchy train station car park at 9pm and made our ascent to the bealach in about 1 hour. We chose our camping spot just a bit out of sight east from the bealach, slightly sheltered and with the gentle sounds of a waterfall not too far away. Decent night's sleep followed by a cuppa tea, sausage, egg and tomato for breakfast then we were off at 8am.
We followed the path south to Beinn Dorain, reaching it at 9am. Felt great to be up here so early! We retraced our trackback to the bealach then up to Beinn an Dothaidh following a decent path at first. The path soon turns into some boggy stuff, then a stalkers path which takes you close to the summit but we had to leave the stalkers path to achieve the summit. Could almost see Ben Nevis in the distance through the haze. An easy descent south-east, then east got us to the bealach where we met a nice couple from Dundee who were in the high 90's but just out to do 2 Munro's. They had come up the path from Achallader Farm.A hard pull up the shoulder of Beinn Achaladair took its toll on us but the path levels out after you reach 1000 m. The sun was beating down on us and I was sweating buckets! About 1.5 km across this high plateau with stunning views across Rannoch Moor. Ben Nevis was poking out through the haze, there seemed to be a lot more snow on the Aonach's compared to the Ben. The summit is a collection of rocks with steep cliffs on the northern side. A steep descent down Beinn Achaladair to the bealach at 813 m was followed by a long boring gradual ascent up to Beinn a'Chreachain. Actually the last 100 m of ascent was over a boulder field, so that broke up the monotony.
On the way up, I had been keeping an eye to the west, trying to figure out a decent route over to Beinn Mhanach. We had run out of water, so decided to do go straight into Coire a'Mhath-ghamhna to find some running water. The long route had taken its toll on SMRussell's feet, thus when we came across an inviting waterfall, we stripped off and got nice and wet! Refreshed we headed up Beinn Mhanach, this Munro sucked - there was a dead body of a fawn just feet from the summit cairn!
It was really grim, the only redeeming factor was the 360 degree view from our fifth summit.
The 6km walk back to the tent was fairly quick, we saw some live deer above us either side of Allt Coire a'Ghabhalaich. Rain was starting to drop as we were packing up the tent but not heavy enough to warrant waterproof's. A final brew under Coire an Dothaidh gave us the energy to get back to the car. We finished the day of with a nice pint and decent food at the Bridge of Orchy Hotel before driving back to Glasgow.
Definitely going to do more wild camping this summer!
Looking west at the sunset on our walkin from Bridge of Orchy train station
07 Jun 2013 HX20v-4.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Dusk falls on our wild camp
07 Jun 2013 HX20v-14.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
secluded tent spot
07 Jun 2013 HX20v-8.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Morning sun blazing in!
08 Jun 2013 HX20v.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Up to the bealach, no-one's seen us yet!
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-2.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Getting a brew on, the #2 trowel is in the plastic bag
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-6.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
View out west from Beinn Dorain
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-9.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
1st Munro, Beinn Dorain
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-11.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
SMRussell on Beinn an Dothaidh
08.06.13 A550 55.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
View of Beinn Dorain (left) and Beinn an Dothaidh (right) from 1002 m top on Beinn Achaladair
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-40.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Us on Beinn Achaladair, summit #3
08.06.13 A550 91.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Rannoch Moor
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-49.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Clach Leathad, Creise and Meall a'Bhuiridh from Beinn Achaladair
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-51.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Loch Tulla from Beinn Achaladair
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-52.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Loch Lyon
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-53.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Looking west, our route thus far
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-54.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Beinn a'Chreachain from Meall Bhuide
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-56.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
The sky was fantastic!
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-61.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Cairn on Beinn a'Chreachain
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-74.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Ben Chruachan
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-91.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
and finally, summit #5, Beinn Mhanach (yawn)
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-93.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Beinn a'Chaisteil looking awesome
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-104.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Orchy 5: 08/06/13 11 hr, 27 km, 1927 mascent
This round has been on my must-do list since I saw Monty's http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=7758 report. We're not as fast so opted for a wild camp to break things up, plus would not have enjoyed spending driving 2hrs out and 2 hrs back on top of all that walking.
Left the Bridge of Orchy train station car park at 9pm and made our ascent to the bealach in about 1 hour. We chose our camping spot just a bit out of sight east from the bealach, slightly sheltered and with the gentle sounds of a waterfall not too far away. Decent night's sleep followed by a cuppa tea, sausage, egg and tomato for breakfast then we were off at 8am.
We followed the path south to Beinn Dorain, reaching it at 9am. Felt great to be up here so early! We retraced our trackback to the bealach then up to Beinn an Dothaidh following a decent path at first. The path soon turns into some boggy stuff, then a stalkers path which takes you close to the summit but we had to leave the stalkers path to achieve the summit. Could almost see Ben Nevis in the distance through the haze. An easy descent south-east, then east got us to the bealach where we met a nice couple from Dundee who were in the high 90's but just out to do 2 Munro's. They had come up the path from Achallader Farm.A hard pull up the shoulder of Beinn Achaladair took its toll on us but the path levels out after you reach 1000 m. The sun was beating down on us and I was sweating buckets! About 1.5 km across this high plateau with stunning views across Rannoch Moor. Ben Nevis was poking out through the haze, there seemed to be a lot more snow on the Aonach's compared to the Ben. The summit is a collection of rocks with steep cliffs on the northern side. A steep descent down Beinn Achaladair to the bealach at 813 m was followed by a long boring gradual ascent up to Beinn a'Chreachain. Actually the last 100 m of ascent was over a boulder field, so that broke up the monotony.
On the way up, I had been keeping an eye to the west, trying to figure out a decent route over to Beinn Mhanach. We had run out of water, so decided to do go straight into Coire a'Mhath-ghamhna to find some running water. The long route had taken its toll on SMRussell's feet, thus when we came across an inviting waterfall, we stripped off and got nice and wet! Refreshed we headed up Beinn Mhanach, this Munro sucked - there was a dead body of a fawn just feet from the summit cairn!
It was really grim, the only redeeming factor was the 360 degree view from our fifth summit.The 6km walk back to the tent was fairly quick, we saw some live deer above us either side of Allt Coire a'Ghabhalaich. Rain was starting to drop as we were packing up the tent but not heavy enough to warrant waterproof's. A final brew under Coire an Dothaidh gave us the energy to get back to the car. We finished the day of with a nice pint and decent food at the Bridge of Orchy Hotel before driving back to Glasgow.
Definitely going to do more wild camping this summer!
Looking west at the sunset on our walkin from Bridge of Orchy train station
07 Jun 2013 HX20v-4.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Dusk falls on our wild camp
07 Jun 2013 HX20v-14.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
secluded tent spot
07 Jun 2013 HX20v-8.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Morning sun blazing in!
08 Jun 2013 HX20v.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Up to the bealach, no-one's seen us yet!
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-2.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Getting a brew on, the #2 trowel is in the plastic bag
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-6.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
View out west from Beinn Dorain
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-9.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
1st Munro, Beinn Dorain
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-11.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
SMRussell on Beinn an Dothaidh
08.06.13 A550 55.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
View of Beinn Dorain (left) and Beinn an Dothaidh (right) from 1002 m top on Beinn Achaladair
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-40.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Us on Beinn Achaladair, summit #3
08.06.13 A550 91.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Rannoch Moor
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-49.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Clach Leathad, Creise and Meall a'Bhuiridh from Beinn Achaladair
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-51.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Loch Tulla from Beinn Achaladair
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-52.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Loch Lyon
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-53.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Looking west, our route thus far
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-54.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Beinn a'Chreachain from Meall Bhuide
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-56.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
The sky was fantastic!
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-61.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Cairn on Beinn a'Chreachain
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-74.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Ben Chruachan
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-91.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
and finally, summit #5, Beinn Mhanach (yawn)
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-93.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Beinn a'Chaisteil looking awesome
08 Jun 2013 HX20v-104.jpg by r.t.mcb, on Flickr
