A stunning day discovering the delights of Ardgour

[PeteR]

It’s been a long time since I last stood on a Munro summit………………………….and that wait is going to have to continue at least one more week. My plan for Saturday was definitely Munros at the start of the week, but as the days passed the Met Office forecast did its usual………………..and the fine weather I’d been hoping for was being replaced with cloud and rain and the expectation of visibility being VP or P (fancy speak for very poor and poor)

So, as is my want, it was an 11th hour change of plans Actually this time the change was quite early for me, deciding Friday evening that my long awaited re-acquaintance with Munros would be put on ice for at least another week

Instead the forecast suggested that a bit further south on the west coast the weather would be more to my liking

Garbh Bheinn in Ardgour had recently come to my attention (ok, I knew it was there, but just recently I’d taken time out to read the WRs on the hill and decided it was a hill I should possibly visit). I saw there was a possibility of making this a horseshoe route, anti-clockwise taking in the Grahams of Sgorr Mhic Eacharna and Beinn Bheag

It also gave the opportunity for a quick ferry trip across the Corran Narrows in order to save a fair few miles in the car It may just be me, but the ferry trip, albeit a very short ferry trip, gave Ardgour an island feel. It definitely felt like a different place from the “mainland” as I disembarked the ferry and headed off to the start point for the walk at Inversanda.
P1180337 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Across the Corran Narrows - Sgurr na h'Eanchainne

There’s a good parking area on a loop of “old road” where the main road crosses the Inversanda River. I was soon booted up and on my way. Unfortunately the initial flat section to the base of the immediate climb onto the Druim an Iubhair was boggy. Boggier than I appreciated……….as my right foot sank in half way up my calf. A bit early for a wet foot, but hey-ho them’s the breaks.
P1180343 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
My day - Garbh Bheinn on the left

P1180346 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
The initial route up

It was all traces of path, then no path, then traces of path………you get the picture………..but thankfully the climb wasn’t quite as steep as I had expected. Not that I was motoring by any standard What I was noticing though, as I gained the height, was that the views were already looking impressive. The main event of the day – Garbh Bheinn – became ever more impressive as I climbed. Views down Loch Linnhe also became ever more impressive, as did the views across the water toward the hills of Glen Coe
P1180369 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Garbh Bheinn starting to show its teeth

P1180377 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Three Lochans

P1180380 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Zoomed view toward Glencoe

P1180383 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

It was as I heading up the initial climb on to the Druim an Iubhair I suffered a minor set back, but thankfully one that didn’t scupper my day. An urgent “bleep” emitted from my GPS indicated my batteries were about to die on me. Rummaged through my rucksack for some batteries and the reality dawned that my two sets of spares were still plugged into the recharger back at the house. So there was me, no GPS………….and no map( )

But, onwards and upwards I continued. Admiring the ever improving views as I went. I’d pretty much decided at this point that this was a route not to be rushed, but to be savoured, salivated over

Eventually I was on the Druim an Iubhair close to the Lochan the Druim an Iubhair and admiring the route ahead. The Druim is one of those lumpy, bumpy, nobbly, bobbly types of ridge. It’s also one of those deceptive ridges too. On the map it doesn’t look to far to the Graham summit, then you stand there and it looks miles away
P1180393 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1180401 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
The route warming up nicely

P1180406 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
The two Corbetts

P1180411 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Glencoe again

P1180415 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Don't ya just love hillwalking

It was an enjoyable wander all the same. Not really much I can say really. Hopefully the photos can say more than any words I can dream up

The final push up on to Graham summit looked a bit of a swine from below, but it was actually pretty straightforward and I was soon there at the twin cairned top. Didn’t know which was higher, so touched them both just to be on the safe side.
P1180425 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

More great views
P1180429 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1180430 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Garbh Bheinn

P1180432 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1180439 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

From here the route across to Graham #2, Beinn Bheag didn’t look too bad, but I was soon to discover there was quite some drop down to the Bealach nan Aingidh I found myself drawn to the left and some crags that looked better viewed from a distance A slight shift to the right and I was on the narrow saddle and staring up at the steep climb onto Beinn Bheag
P1180444 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Summit view to Beinn Bheag

Great views across to Garbh Bheinn from the saddle and on the way up
P1180462 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1180464 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1180472 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

It’s another of those climbs that looks steeper than it actually is. Not that I was sprinting up it. I wasn’t even jogging up it………………………more walking slowly and seeking “photo opportunities”
P1180479 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1180485 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1180521 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1180528 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Skye

P1180532 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

It wasn’t too long though before I was on the summit

And enjoying more great views
P1180546 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
View back to the summit of the Graham on my route off

P1180548 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
The route to Garbh Bheinn

P1180554 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
An impressive sight

It was then a nice wander across Beinn Bheag’s nobbly ridge to point 696 and then dropping steeply down to the Lochan Coire an Iubhair and the Bealach Feith ‘n Amean. All the while I was appreciating the sumptuous delight of Garbh Bheinn and the steep climb that lay ahead I’ve got to admit that I had been looking forward to this climb since deciding to tackle this route on the Friday night
P1180561 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1180570 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

At the Lochan I took five minutes. Sitting on a rock I noticed the first two people I’d seen all day, standing at the top of the steep climb I had before me, surveying their possible route down. We met a little under half way up (for me). I think I might have persuaded them to include the two Grahams in their day, rather than head down off the saddle
P1180578 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
The way to go

P1180579 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

For me though it was a case of ploughing on up the steep side. Took surprisingly less time than I expected, but there was an immediate downside for me as I arrived at the small Coire with Fiaclan Garbh-Bheinn ahead of me. I was spent My legs had decided they didn’t know how to work anymore The final climb up onto the Corbett summit took me longer than it should, but I did enjoy some mild scrambling opportunities on my way

At the entrance to the Coire there’s an obvious grassy rake slightly right of centre, but with a chunk of snow in it I decided to give that a miss and headed left, closer to the cliff edge. Probably made the climb steeper, but still no complaints from me
P1180592 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
The next stage of the adventure

P1180598 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1180615 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Almost there

P1180616 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Summit

As for the summit itself, it was a case of yet more great views
P1180618 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1180620 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1180621 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1180628 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1180633 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
The Ben

P1180634 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

I’d contemplated a quick trot across to the 862 point, but frankly couldn’t be bothered. Instead I sat down for a good 45 minutes, cooking up a nice oriental vegetables with rice (ok, I boiled the water to re-hydrate the meal and left to stand for 8 minutes ).

Now it was just a quick trot off the hill and back to the car If only

I thought I was aiming off the summit toward a by-pass path around the 823 top. Somehow I managed to find a path right over the top More mild scrambling, but still great fun and still great views across Loch Linnhe
P1180644 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
My next (unexpected) destination

P1180651 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Looking back to Garbh Bheinn

Making my way up to the 823 top I became aware of voices (not in my head). They seemed to be coming from the cliffs of Garbh Bheinn, but as much as I scoured the cliffs I couldn’t see any sign of them. There was a bit of shouting at times, but they seemed to be laughing amongst themselves so I left them to their adventures as I set off back to the car………..
P1180670 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1180672 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1180675 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

……….Where the real hard work started. It’s a tough, energy sapping descent off the hill and down the Sron a’ Gharbh Choire Bhig. At some point I became aware of a nagging pain in my right knee, a pain that soon developed into something more painful I was ok putting weight on it, but any twisting or tensing of the joint was accompanied with either a cramping above the knee or a stabbing pain behind the knee cap Ouch
P1180689 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1180691 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1180702 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

After much slow progress I was eventually in sight of the car. The last few hundred yards seemed to take too long, but I finally made it back. Rather than head back via the Corran Ferry I opted for the scenic route via Loch Sunart and up to Inverailort and then the long drive home.

I have to say, this horseshoe has to rank as one of the finest walks I’ve done to date. It is an absolutely magnificent circuit that rewards the effort required with simply stunning views

[Collaciotach]

One of my homies Garbh Bheinn

Good stuff and a grand horse shoe

[basscadet]

Aye, looked brilliant.
Keep on meaning to go back to this part of the world. I've only been when it was snowy..

[BoyVertiginous]

Absolutely brilliant, PeteR, cracking images from a stone-wall classic.

Bet you enjoyed the drive too, well worth the extra mileage.

[malky_c]

Excellent photos . This brings back memories of my first ever walk in this area in 1995 - doing this horseshoe with my dad, aged 14. Weather was sweatingly hot and I distinctly remember the large drops between the hills . We then cycled back to Ballachulish and he bought me a pint of lager shandy at one of the hotels in Onich

There's so much more great stuff in Ardgour but this is one of the best

Making my way up to the 823 top I became aware of voices (not in my head). They seemed to be coming from the cliffs of Garbh Bheinn, but as much as I scoured the cliffs I couldn’t see any sign of them. There was a bit of shouting at times, but they seemed to be laughing amongst themselves so I left them to their adventures as I set off back to the car………..

Lots of good climbing and one quite difficult scramble on those crags (Pinnacle Ridge http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=555), so probably explains that.
I'm sure Basscadet and Leithysuburbs must have done something on there at some point.

[Mal Grey]

Great report, excellent photos, really shows off the country in those parts well.

[Fife Flyer]

Enjoyed that Pete Up to your usual standard
The forecast still isn't too clever, so I presume a Munro will not be seeing you just yet

[basscadet]

I'm sure Basscadet and Leithysuburbs must have done something on there at some point.

Not the scramble, but we did have a bit of a snowy epic

Will be back for the scramble sometime I guess..

[rockhopper]

That did look enjoyable - great set of photos too
Still to get to the hills over here - not sure when though - must wait for good weather
Hope your knee has recovered - cheers

[malky_c]

Was up round the back of Garbh Bheinn yesterday evening. It was fantastic

[Huff_n_Puff]

That looked great - Ardgour is high up the list of places to escape for a few days wild camping when we have finally finished the mammoth DIY job that's limiting our hill time just now. Thanks for the temptations