free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
For the benefit of Mountain Coward I had considered entitling this report as
“going round the bend for a bit of rough”But thought better of it
explanation added - MC's opinion on my previous walk report
Magicdin's lessons on how to get your walk report read...
Lesson no. 1: don't tell anyone where it's at - they'll all have to read it then!
And then you find it's all full of p*rn - talking about Adam and Eve stacking on top of each other!Afterwards I even thought I could call it “Walking on Water” – see map at end
I was of course heading for the Rough Bounds of Knoydart – and the remote corbett Ben Aden
I was an hour later than planned heading up the road on Saturday evening
Celebratory drinks at the bowling club after winning the cup
on saturday afternoon kept me back a bit.
Heavy rain most of the way up the road, I was swithering whether to carry on – but I did
Got to Fort William just before 10 pm – topped up car with petrol – and myself with junk food (Yuck!)
Reached Loch Quoich dam at 11 pm and was really ready to stop for the night.
There was a couple of other cars parked there – empty so probably people over in Glen Kingie
Had a reasonable sleep (or series of sleeps) in the car – was awoken a few times with heavy rain on the car roof.
Some bright spark drove past at 1 am and thought it was a good idea to blast the horn on passing the parked cars.
What sort of mentality is that.
I was awake at 6.30 to hear my alarm going off – but really needed a couple more hours of sleep
The heavy rain on Saturday night through to Sunday had me wondering about my planned route and the crossing of burns – one in particular.
Considered changing my plans and head for Sgurr a’Mhaoraich and Am-bathaich.
However it looked as though it had rained itself out and was a pleasant enough morning.
The level of the loch was also very low so thought it would be ok for getting past the burns.
Set off along the road just after 8.30 – still kinda wakening up – so pulled in to let a car behind me pass.
Followed this car,with kayak on roof, as far as the bridge where it stopped on the bridge.
The occupants were looking over the side of the bridge – obviously to check for getting the kayak in to the water.
Anyway the driver seeing me behind jumped back into the car to let me on my way.
Found a parking spot at the start off my planned walk at NG985036 and set off at 9.20
Did’nt risk the rickety bridge and crossed the burn on stones just below the surface and got across almost dry footed (gaiters helped)
After 20 minutes or so I stopped to take the first photo of the day only to discover that I had’nt put the memory card back in the camera – it was lying on my desk at work – what a plonker.
There was no way that I was going back to the car get my other camera and luckily enough I had taken the phone that can take photos – so at least would have a record of the day.
As I carried on it twigged that the camera itself would have some sort of memory (unlike me) so thought that if I adjusted the picture size and quality would be able to use the camera.
So that is what I did and this gave me enough to take 20 shots.
(CAN'T FIND MY USB CABLE SO PICTURES WILL HAVE TO BE ADDED LATER)
I understood that the first leg of the walk round to the Abhainn Chosaidh was a bit rough – was’nt sure whether there was any sort of track.
Well there is a rough grassy footpath – soft and muddy in places – but at least a track to follow and it is more or less level all the way.
It reminded me a bit of the track along the north side of Loch Mullardoch.
Occasionally you pick up parts of the old hydro road but once round the corner this disappears , probably collapsed into the loch by now.
got my first sight of my goal Beinn Aden – Jings it looks a long way.
Made reasonable progress though and reached the Abhainn Chosaidh just before 11.00 and I was able to cross easily on large boulders just at the inflow to the loch.
Must be a sight to behold when in spate judging by the width of the flow channel
Stopped for a quarter of an hour break.
After crossing you soon pick up the hydro road again and this continues all the way round to the dams.
Nature is taking over again, has been for the last 50 years or so I suppose,and in places it is a bit wet and boggy.
However after the rough track on the first leg this was a pleasure to walk along,only a few slight rises and falls as it winds around the edge of the loch.
Better progress now and I was round and over the dams in good time, continued until I passed the Allt Coire na Cruaiche
This burn splits just above the pass and flows both east and west but the waters are soon reunited as both streams eventually drain into Lochan nam Breac
Found a place to stop overlooking the Lochan , what a wonderful spot
, and had a good break before the steep climb.
Started up at 12.50 heading for the east ridge (north of the burn) that leads directly to the top of the hill.
Typical walking for this area – a bounding grassy ridge with plenty of rocky outcrops to pass – and plenty of opportunities for scrambling.
I could see a couple of figures on the skyline above on one of the many false summits.
Warm work now up the steep ridge – one of these hills you feel you are never getting nearer to – but of course you are.
Eventually after climbing a steep slope reached the ridge proper and shortly after this met two blokes coming down from the summit.
They turned out to be the ones from the car and kayak earlier – it had taken them one and three quarter hours they told me to kayak over.
For one of them this was his penultimate Corbett – the one he has still to do is Am Bathach at Cluanie
Now that sounds like inherent good sense to me – a short walk with a pub at the bottom.
I was glad of the wee chat for a few minutes as I was peching a bit just then – but it was now just a short way to the top over an intervening pinnacle.
Arrived at the cairn at 2.50 – five and a half hours in total – what only can be described as a “THANK **** FOR THAT” summit.
Aye but what a terrific place and what wonderful views.
Rested at the top for 40 minutes soaking in the scenery before the long walk back out – about face you might say
Ben Aden – Hill of the Face – get it
Walking pole in hand now to save the knees on the descent
After a few minutes ,almost at the spot where I had chatted to the two blokes I met a lass approaching the top.
Ah – you must be the man from Dumbarton she said – whit ESP – no, she had of course also met the two chaps who had told her.
Turned out she was german but based in Stirling – must have been living there for a while for she had a guid Scots twang to her voice.
She told me that she had come over the Mam Unndalain from Barrisdale – her club had rented The Whitehouse there for the weekend .
She had come up the corrie rather than the ridge but was considering going back down that way – so I was able to tell her it was straight forward enough.
A cheery goodbye had me in good spirits for the trudge ahead ,I dropped into the corrie to get some water.
There is a faint path which more or less follows the line of the burn.
Lower down I could see another two figures that were taking a direct line up to the main ridge, for a high bivvy perhaps.
As I got to the bottom of the corrie and round towards the dam I could see the kayakers heading out on the loch towards the narrows.
I wish I knew how to use a kayak or canoe.
Back round and over the dams I had another wee break to refresh myself – Thornton’s mini caramel shortcakes really are the biz for a quick sugar boost.
Nowt for it now but the long trek back – back over the Abhainn Chosaidh – and the rough track back to the corner.
Tired now with familiar aches and pains it was just a case of head down – dreaming of a pint at Tomdoun.
After passing the corner I picked up the old hydro road again . I had missed this bit in the morning being further up the hillside.
Decided to follow this as far as possible thinking it would soon disappear again into the loch.
As it turned out the loch was so low that I was able to follow the old road virtually back to the car.
Not sure of the exact line of this road as it is usually submerged but have drawn approximate route on map.
At the old bridge I was easily able to ford the channel, only half way up my gaiters and turned left heading towards Coiresubh
Considering that the road has been mostly under water for many years it is in remarkably good condition.
Eventually turned up to the tarmac road hoping I did’nt have too far back to the car – turned the first corner and there it was 100 yards away – yippee
8.15 pm – 5 minutes short of eleven hours – and it felt like it.
A quick splash in the burn – changed and along to Tomdoun
Meant to stop to photograph the old road across the loch – but forgot in my haste.
At the Tomdoun Hotel I had a bottle of Nimbus Blonde and a packet of crisps which was fine
but crivvens £4.80
- didnae stop for another.
Drove home – back midnight.
Really happy to have eventually climbed Ben Aden – no easy way to tackle this one – but well worth the effort.
map with approx line of road overmarked
