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Corbetts: Beinn Mhic Cedidh.
Grahams: Croit Bheinn, Beinn Gaire.
Date: 10/11/2013.
Distance: 20km.
Ascent: 1650m.
Time taken: 8 hours.
Weather: Calm, clear and sunny. Unconsolidated powder snow down to about 400m.
This wasn't quite the walk I had intended, but it was actually much improved for being a traverse rather than an out-and-back. In fact I had originally intended to do the Grahams as part of a circuit of Glen Moidart, also taking in Druim Fiaclach, Sgurr na Ba Glaise, Rois Bheinn and Sgor Dhomhuill. However I could see a slightly protracted way of reaching the Grahams via Beinn Mhic Chedidh from the north, possibly returning over Diollad Mhor and Diollad Bheag.
An early start, but not quite early enough had me walking away from the car at 8am. I had parked a short distance east of the end of Loch Eilt, finding an area of verge just big enough to pull right off the road. The Allt Lon a Mhuidhe looks initially like a ditch, but it is deceptively deep at this point, and just too wide to jump over. I went east a short way until I found a place with a couple of trees growing out of the water, and used them to haul my way over dry-shod. within 5 minutes of leaving, I was opposite the car again on the other side of the river. As I picked up the boggy ATV track, the sun began to hit the top of the slope to the north.
Glas-charn from the rail crossing:
The track led through a railway underpass and into Coire Bhuidhe, with a branch leading across a bridge crossing the burn. I soon left it, as it led in the direction of Essan Bothy, and worked my way onto the north ridge of Beinn Mhic Chedidh. Once at the snowline, it became clear that this was going to be an exceptional day
.
Beinn Mhic Chedidh:
Diollad Mhor and Diollad Bheag:
The snow was the usual early season stuff - soft, fluffy and a little hard going. Not too deep though. While I didn't expect to need the axe and crampons, I had brought them along just in case. I was on the summit about 1 hour and 45 minutes after leaving the car, with a couple of interesting scrambly bits near the top.
On the N ridge of Beinn Mhic Chedidh:
Looking towards Knoydart:
The Corryhully hills:
Across Loch Morar and Loch Nevis, with Skye beyond:
Coire Reidh and Sgurr na Ba Glaise:
Down Glen Aladale to Loch Shiel:
Zoom to Streap and Gulvain:
What a day! The views may have been slightly inferior to those from the hills either side, but they were still stunning. I always think of this area as a bit of a secret. With no Munros and little in the way of the type of stalker's paths that you get in nearby Knoydart, it is barely visited by hillwalkers. The hills also start from close to sea level, so they still look massive. The back side of Druim Fiaclach looked particularly exciting, as did my next hill, Croit Bheinn. I had a good 15 minutes on the top - I had even put trousers on today rather than shorts, as I had a feeling it would be a day for sitting around.
From the summit of Beinn Mhic Chedidh:
Getting down was fast and easy in the soft snow. The main issue was the amount of descent - almost 700m of it, followed by 550m of reascent! Another typical Malky route.
Descent:
Croit Bheinn and Beinn Gaire:
Sgorr Dhomhuill Mor, Sgurr na Ba Glaise and Druim Fiaclach:
Croit Bheinn:
While this was an enjoyable first taste of winter, the golden-brown of the grass in Glen Aladale was pulling me invitingly towards it. There were some nice fragments of woodland in the upper glen - a place to revisit on another route perhaps.
Druim Fiaclach:
Glen Aladale:
Druim Fiaclach was becoming a more and more mouth watering prospect the lower I dropped, but I also realised it was massive, and I would probably not have enough time to go back over it. I have actually been over it twice before on various attempts at the Rois Bheinn horseshoe, but never in particularly good weather. An alternative was to drop back into Glen Aladale after going out to Beinn Gaire and bypass Beinn Mhic Chedidh on the west (rather like Norman Greive's approach of last year), but a better idea was starting to form in my mind.
The lower you get, the more impressive Druim Fiaclach looks:
The bottom of the glen was a nice spot, but it wasn't wide, and I was soon going back up again. Initial thoughts of going directly up the N ridge were dispelled - it was steep and covered in slimy outcrops. Instead I followed a rake to the west, eventually joining the W ridge high up after a fair amount of huffing and puffing.
…and going back up the other side:
A bit of plodding through the snow had me on the summit for lunchtime, which was an impressive spot. Being a small hill among giants, the long range views were limited, but the immediate surroundings were spectacular, with a sharp drop off to Glen Aladale. I had another stop and cursed my camera, which ran out of batteries at this point. Photos from now on are from my inferior phone camera.
Glen Aladale from Croit Bheinn (phone photos from now on):
Beinn Odhar Bheag:
The lumpy trek over to Beinn Gaire would be the route decider, as I would have to retrace my steps over this plateau regardless of my route choice back to Loch Eilt. I estimated that it would take me an hour to reach Beinn Gaire (should have been fine for 3km), but in the event it took me about 50% longer. The snow made the going snow, and I disappeared up to my knees into a number of boggy pools which were nicely covered over by fresh snow. Still, with the sun blazing down, I couldn't stay annoyed for long.
Looking back to Croit Bheinn:
Ardgour:
Finally the summit of Beinn Gaire:
On the summit I had another lunch break and enjoyed the views across to Ardnamurchan. My mind was made up now. Rather than head back across the time-warp snowfields to Glen Aladale, I would drop down into Glen Moidart, walk to the main road and then hitch a lift back to the car.
Sgor Dhomhuill and Rois Bheinn:
Sgor Dhomhuill:
The initial descent was easy, with the last section to the dam in Glen Forslan being quite steep and leading me past a herd of cows. Once at the dam, it was easy vehicle track walking down the glen, which was as nice as any other classic west highland glen. This was way better than my original route plan! Descending this way also confirmed my thoughts about Sgor Dhomhuill - a fine looking hill that will be worth returning to sometime.
Sgurr Gorm:
Dhomhuill again:
Loch Forslan:
Rois Bheinn from Glen Moidart:
Loch nan Lochan:
The track turned into tarmac road and passed through some lovely autumn colours before throwing me out on the A861at Kinlochmoidart. Now for the reality of my plan. Was 4pm on a sunday afternoon in late autumn really the best time to be hitching for a lift on such a quiet road?
Last look up the glen:
I was picked up almost immediately by the first thing to pass me, and passed the next few miles squeezed into the back of the cab of a local farmer's pickup. He dropped me in Glenuig, and 5 minutes later I got another lift with a local contractor to a mile or so past Roshven. Then my luck ran out, and I walked the rest of the way back to Lochailort in the gathering gloom. I didn't mind at all - although the weather was beginning to turn, it was nice to stroll along in silence looking over to Eigg and Rum.
Eigg and Rum from near Alisary:
Rois Bheinn from near Alisary:
I had stupidly left my wallet in the car, otherwise I might have stopped in the pub at Lochailort for a half. Instead I carried on, the main Mallaig road being less fun to walk on. Fortunately I got another lift a mile or so out of Lochailort - by only the second vehicle to pass me since the village. A very quiet trunk road. This was a couple from Bristol on holiday in their camper van, and I was very grateful when they dropped me right back at the car a few minutes later. An interesting end to the day which made it more, rather than less enjoyable, and another great visit to one of my favourite bits of the highlands
