"Top" Weekend in Tyndrum

[weaselmaster]

Firstly thanks to Colleen & Barry for organising this autumn's meet in Tyndrum - good to see the weather turned out better than the forecasts predicted

I approached the meet with less in the way of plans than usual - probably because Tyndrum's on my doorstep relatively speaking and I've done quite a lot of the hills around there. I had considered the Corbett of Beinn Mhic-Monaidh, but by the time I'd tagged a couple of Grahams, a Marylin and a few other assorted tops of something or other onto it, my route had grown to 30km with almost 2750m ascent - far too much for a bleedin' Corbett! The appearance of snow on the higher tops earlier in the week did get me drooling a little and thinking about doing something more sizable for the weekend. Bidean nam Bian/Sgreamhach had a trio of Tops I hadn't done, so that looked like a good place to start - especially as when we climbed Bidean first time round we saw nothing but clag.


Arrived up at By the Way Hostel on Friday evening & pitched the tent on some soggy ground up by the chalets - no warm cosy interior for us hardy souls Nipped into the bunkhouse after dinner and met up with many of the usual suspects, heading off to bed fairly early after finding some other companions for the Bidean trip - Graham, Scoob, Fi. Robert & Jupe all expressed and interest. A civilised start at the back of 9 saw us up at The Study car park where we assembled and set off. The route up was going to be via Beinn Fhada, then on to Sgreamhach, Bidean and back down the Lost Valley. First obstacle encountered was the stepping stones - or rather lack of adequate ones - over the Allt Lairig Eilde. A few of the party nipped across trusting to rock not to be slippy, whilst a larger number of the group searched up & downstream for a better spot - there wasn't one. So eventually everyone was conveyed across, some with drier feet than others Plan was to head up the north-eastern end of Beinn Fhada, looking out for a grassy rake until we reached the main ridge, then head across to Sgreamhach. The going was boggy in the lower regions as expected. Behind us was the Aonach Eagach ridge looking particularly attractive on this dry autumn day, to our left the Big Bookil poked up behind the Wee Bookil and ahead of us after a rocky knobbly section, Beinn Fhada narrowed invitingly. We stopped for lunch in the bealach between the 823 and 931 points, looking down the steep flank into the Lost Valley. Up to the North we watched the clouds gradually lift on the Ben & Aonachs which were snow topped. A fantastic day to be out and up high.

Pitch
P1040456 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Some of the crew
P1040458 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Scoob, Jupe & Graham looking serious
P1040463 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Aonach in brown
P1040465 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Beinn Fhada
P1040466 by 23weasels, on Flickr

River crossing
P1040467 by 23weasels, on Flickr

View South (wee bookil)
P1040471 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Bookils wee & big
P1040473 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Ridge along Beinn Fhada
P1040476 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Aonach again
P1040477 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Gra & Allison admiring the view
P1040480 by 23weasels, on Flickr

It was quite impressive
P1040481 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Fhada ridge, Sgreamhach in distance
P1040482 by 23weasels, on Flickr

View across to Bidean (Stob Coire Lochan)
P1040485 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Sgreamhach
P1040486 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Gra enjoying a wee nap with his lunch
P1040489 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Scoob footering with his time lapse
P1040491 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Cloud lifts on the Ben
P1040492 by 23weasels, on Flickr

View down to the Lost Valley
P1040495 by 23weasels, on Flickr

The others were keen to get on so that we'd get back in the light (certain folk having left headtorches behind ) so we had to hurry our coffee and press on. Made the first Top of Fhada and stood admiring the views which stretched for miles. Then on over another couple of narrower rocky tops before dropping down to ascend to the peak of Sgreamhach. We had been following a good path which petered out at the side of some crags and we had fun scrambling up to the crest again. From there the top of Sgreamhach was reached easily. I had in mind that there was another top on Sgreamhach (not realising they are both on Beinn Fhada and we'd already done them - need to do my homework more effectively) when all I could see was a prominence off to the SE at 778m - not a Munro Top that! With a bit more time I'd have gone along, but instead we headed for Bidean itself. Again the views - particularly those south to Glen Etive and West to Ardgour were fab. Met up with another WH party traversing the hill in the opposite direction and Allison & myself set off to make the Top of Stob Coire nam Beith. This provided a marvelous viewpoint for the sheer bulk of Bidean and the famous buttresses including Church Door & Collie's Pinnacle. Headed back to the summit of Bidean, collected our packs and set off to rejoin the group, which we did not long after the scree descent into the Lost Valley. With a bit of good fortune we met up with the other WH group too who had parked by the Helipad and Martin/FyfeFlyer kindly gave us a lift up to the other car park to collect our cars just as darkness fell and the rain came on.

Remains of the route to Sgreamhach
P1040496 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Wee scramble
P1040497 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Wee Bookil
P1040498 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Views!!
P1040500 by 23weasels, on Flickr

P1040501 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Summit Sgreamhach
P1040502 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Lost Valley
P1040504 by 23weasels, on Flickr

On to Bidean
P1040505 by 23weasels, on Flickr

View down Etive way
P1040509 by 23weasels, on Flickr

View N
P1040510 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Summit Bidean looking West
P1040511 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Top of Stob Coire nam Beith in view
P1040512 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Bidean
P1040515 by 23weasels, on Flickr

P1040517 by 23weasels, on Flickr

View to West
P1040518 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Bidean from Stob Coire nam Beith
P1040519 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Another Top in the bag - & she's not even collecting Tops
P1040520 by 23weasels, on Flickr

P1040522 by 23weasels, on Flickr

P1040524 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Descent into the Lost valley
P1040525 by 23weasels, on Flickr

in the flat section, looking back at Sgreamhach
P1040529 by 23weasels, on Flickr

P1040531 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Gearr Aonach
P1040536 by 23weasels, on Flickr

P1040537 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Stats
P1040538 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Back at the Hostel there was the usual merriment into the night, with the quiz making sure we didn't get to bed before midnight...too late for a weekend No decision had been made for Sunday's hill(s) given the vagaries of the weather. When we rose at 9am to a fairly pleasant morning I just couldn't face the grind of Mhic-Monaidh so opted for something a bit more straightforward. The Top, Beinn a'Chuirn - a sister hill to Beinn Mhanach was nearby and fitted the bill. Got packed up, said our farewells to those other late risers from the weekend and set off for the parking spot beside Auch Estates. We'd originally done Mhanach in a cold spell maybe Jan 13 - I remember the many river crossings having layers of ice and deep snow traps on the top of the hill. Today couldn't have been nicer- the late autumnal sun passing a little warmth still, the hillsides resplendent in yellows and browns. We trotted speedily along the track up Gleann Achadh Innis Chailien, with the spire of Beinn Dorain to the left and the mighty bulwark of Beinn a'Chaisteil on our right, under the viaduct and over the many river crossings. Wearing mesh trainers helped mightily with these - just splash right through them, no messing around on stepping stones. Up past the farmstead and branching right, folllowing the Allt a'Chuirn. We could see our hill up ahead - a double header with Mhanach to the north and a puffy cloud sitting over the summits. Decided to go round to the deep gorge cut by the Allt a'Chuirn as it descends between the twin tops of the hill rather than head up a'Chuirn directly. As a result we did have to go and visit the top of Mhanach on the way. Three Munros in 2 days - people will be thinking we're Munro baggers or something

Ben Dorain on a beautiful morning
P1040539 by 23weasels, on Flickr

P1040541 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Beinn a'Chuirn up ahead
P1040544 by 23weasels, on Flickr

It took up an hour to head up the 600m flank of Mhanach - reasonable since Sick Kid was a bit, well, sickly with oceans of snot. Hot work on the way up but by the time we paused for a bite at the cairn we were in need of jackets gloves and hats. Clag mostly, every so often clearing to reveal a'Chreachain or Creag Mhor then they'd dissolve into mist again. Set off back to the bealach, meeting a man off to almost complete his second round, then up to the understated cairn on a'Chuirn. Decided to head pretty much due South from the cairn, descending the steep grassy side of a'Chuirn, making for the track we came in on. Over to our Left the tail of Loch Lyon nestled in between Tionail, Furain & Mhanach, their sides gouged by river-scored ravines. A solitary stag watched our descent before letting out a bark and fleeing. Back along the track making good time in the late afternoon sun.

Summit Mhanach
P1040547 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Summit a'Chuirn
P1040549 by 23weasels, on Flickr

View back down the Gleann
P1040553 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Loch Lyon
P1040550 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Stag watching
P1040554 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Steep descent
P1040556 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Red mushrooms
P1040557 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Ben Dorain
P1040559 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Beinn a'Chaistail
P1040560 by 23weasels, on Flickr

View back to a'Chuirn / Mhanach
P1040562 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Stats
P1040565 by 23weasels, on Flickr

[tina bonar]

An enjoyable read from an enjoyable weekend

You got some brilliant photos there Al, the experts certainly got the forecast wrong on this occasion!
Good to see you and Alison again

[Fife Flyer]

Another cracker again Al

Great to meet up again with you & Alison

How lucky were we with the weather - unbelieveable

[Collaciotach]

Good stuff

[scoob999]

Nice one

Always a pleasure getting a wee walk in with you two

[The Rodmiester]

Looks a great day. Love the photo looking down into the lost valley (both). Not too sure about that river crossing Great hills!

[malky_c]

Top notch, particularly Bidean . I think the weather was even better in Glencoe than Tyndrum.

[rockhopper]

Enjoyed that, the weather certainly turned out better than forecast - Bidean nam Bian is one of my favourite walks - hope to get back some time - cheers