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Beinn nan Aighenan from Victoria Bridge

Beinn nan Aighenan from Victoria Bridge


Postby David Lyall » Thu Jun 20, 2013 6:49 pm

Munros included on this walk: Beinn nan Aighenan

Date walked: 19/06/2013

Time taken: 7.3 hours

Distance: 26 km

Ascent: 957m

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Having already climbed Ben Starav and Glas Bheinn Mhor from Glen Etive I thought I would start from Victoria Bridge and cycle as far as I could. I set of at 8.45 from the car park at Victoria bridge and made good time along the land rover track sign posted Glen Etive. After about 4 km I passed a cottage where you are asked to dismount shortly after that you cross the river Linne nam Beathach by way of some excellent stepping stones
Beinn nan Aighenan (5).jpg
excellent stepping stones

another stream is crossed which was no problem as it had been fairly dry. Heading on passed Loch Dochard I could see Ben Starav and my quest for the day appear from the high clouds. I left my bike (not a mountain bike) a short distance after the loch as the path seemed to be getting a bit rough I should have persevered for another 2km and left the bike just before the track drops down by a few hundred meters before the accent proper starts. Crossing the river Kinglass was easy enough not sure what it would be like in wet weather.
Beinn nan Aighenan.jpg
Looking back toward Victoria Bridge

Beinn nan Aighenan (2).jpg
Me at the top quite a bit of cloud but most hills were visable

Beinn nan Aighenan (4).jpg
Ben Starav

I followed the track for a short distance then headed up the very steep shoulder which had been visible on the approach. It was hard going but a sort of wide ridge of sorts was reach and I could almost see the summit behind a prominent knoll.
I did not expect a path so was not disappointed.
Beinn nan Aighenan (1).jpg
looking down the ridge

I reached the top and enjoyed the view even Ben Starav came out from its from its blank of cloud it had been wearing all day.
Beinn nan Aighenan (3).jpg
At the top with Loch etive behind



I headed back down the ridge for a short distance and dropped down a stony gully to the glen below it was do-able but steeper than I thought. Once at the bottom it took longer that I thought to reach the ford in the river where I picked up the land rover track and headed back to pick up the bike. A bike never looked so good. Having not been out much this year it was a bit of a struggle but a good challenge. :?
David Lyall
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 180
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Location: Dumbarton

Re: Beinn nan Aighenan from Victoria Bridge

Postby alanhamilton28 » Mon Nov 13, 2017 2:34 pm

Thanks for the route and advice - I gave it a shot yesterday. I was contemplating the route over Starav, but glad that I followed your route. It's a long cycle/walk and steep ascent (especially in the snow), but glad I made the effort.
Given the number of river crossings, it's definitely one to be done during a spell of dry weather!!
Like you, on the way back, I headed off the ridge and into the glen - it's steep, but saves going back up and over the 'bump' and cuts a good hour off the trip.
Great views from the top :D
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Re: Beinn nan Aighenan from Victoria Bridge

Postby woody1958 » Wed Sep 22, 2021 11:52 am

A brief update on this route which a friend and I did a couple of days ago. Started from Victoria Bridge at 8am on mountain bikes. Where the track swings right to Clashgour farm there is a big sign saying no access through the farm so we followed the public footpath along the riverbank. Luckily conditions had been fairly dry so the path was cyclable for the most part, but take care not to fall off into the river! Just after the path rejoins the main track there is an easy ford. Further on the main river is crossed. We used the big boulder stepping stones on the way out. This was awkward with the bikes so on the way back we just pushed across and got wet feet. A further ford across the Allt Suil na Curra was straightforward. If the rivers are full you could stay on the north of the main river and use the suspension bridge to arrive at this point. This would be difficult with bikes as there doesn't appear to be much of a path. After that the track is good for cycling until it starts to descend steeply towards the River Kinglass. We left our bikes part way down then descended on foot to the river, which was easily crossed at the ford. Note that there is a bridge downstream if necessary.

We continued along the main track for a few hundred metres then took a leftward slanting line, roughly due west, up the steep slope lower slopes of the east ridge of Beinn nan Aighenan. This was on steep grass, avoiding small rocky outcrops, and brought us onto the ridge near its most eastern point. The ridge was straightforward to follow all the way to the summit, which we reached at 12:30 in thick mist. Driving rain made the first part of the descent rather unpleasant and we had to take care to stay on the ridge in the poor visibility. We reversed our ascent route down to the valley, collected the bikes, and were back at Victoria Bridge at 16:20.

An excellent adventure being a combination of enjoyable (occasionally tricky) biking and use of our hill skills on steep and pathless terrain.
woody1958
 
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