WH Summer 2015 Meet – Beinn a’Bha’ach Ard

[PeteR]

As readers to this forum might have gathered there was a walkhighlands meet recently Day 1 of the 2015 Summer meet at Aultguish was a bit of a slow start for me. I’d hoped for a better forecast than eventually presented with the night before. Had that been the case then Liathach was definitely on the cards. As it was that part of the world didn’t look too appealing, so I opted instead for the Strathfarrar Corbett Beinn a’Bha’ach Ard.

But not before a half hour stop in a layby on the A9 to compose and send a work email to a client first……..

By the time I parked up at the cottage at Milton and got myself booted up it was nearly 11.00 a.m. Thankfully you can do this walk without the need of seeking the permission of the “Keeper of the Gate”

P1200391 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1200393 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Beinn a'Bha'ach Ard from near the start of the route

It’s a good walk along the private road up to the power station at Culligran. I was wanting to take a photo of the tunnel entrance, just because it’s an impressive sight. There was a man in a florescent top wandering about the entrance though and I didn’t want him thinking I was a weirdo So my photo was a bit disguised by the trees

P1200398 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Culligran Power Station

From the power station it’s a case of taking the good landrover track that wends its way up through the trees. It certainly helps make good progress of this part of the climb, up to the modern looking building where I assume the small dam is.

P1200400 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
The initial well worn landrover track

I’d understood from this point it would be a boggy, heather clad tramp up to nearby the summit. As it happens though a nice ugly looking hill track has been created which, while not the most aesthetically pleasing addition to the hillside, does make for a speedier progress upward than I would have experienced had I been traipsing over heather (be under no illusion though, boggy, clumpy, heather clad traipsing will feature on this hill soon enough ).

P1200407 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
The less attractive new track - speedy progress nonetheless

P1200409 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Pano looking back

Just before the ugly hill track terminates, close to the Allt Doire Bhuig, the time comes to take to the hillside……………..let the bog trotting begin I was (loosely) following what could be described as an ATV track. Boggy in very many places, often non-existence in many other places. I was probably making better progress than I thought, but in truth this stage of the walk wasn’t the most fun I’ve ever had. Got to say that this approach doesn’t necessarily show the Corbett in its best light and it certainly seemed reluctant, appearing as a very minor, uninspiring mound ahead of me.

P1200412 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
The start of the bog trotting

P1200416 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
The reluctant Corbett

Thankfully the views in all other directions were making up for that though, improving as height was gained

P1200419 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1200436 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

I was aiming for the saddle between Beinn a’Bha’ach Ard and Creag a’Gharbh-Choire where I was hoping for better ground to aide my final climb to the Corbett summit. Thankfully I wasn’t to be disappointed. The tough ground was replaced by short, spongy grass, with the odd bit of rock as well. All in all an easy final climb to the top and the cairned shelter

P1200438 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1200440 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1200442 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
The final climb to the summit

P1200446 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Summit cairn

From the summit there were good views of the Cromarty and Moray Firths as well as the route ahead across Sgurr a’Phollain and Carn na Gabhalach. I’d have hung around a bit longer, but the earlier warm sunshine had been replaced with a stubborn layer of cloud and a chilly wind.

P1200449 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Strathconon and beyond

P1200451 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
The route ahead

So I was soon heading ahead to complete the circuit. Great views as before.

P1200458 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
View back to the summit from the route down

P1200460 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Mountain water feature

P1200474 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

Even had a nice shot of what was to be my Saturday hills – the Strathconon Corbetts of Meallan nan Uan and Sgurr a’Mhuilinn.

P1200477 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Meallan nan Uan and Sgurr a’Mhuilinn

Unfortunately the views toward Ben Wyvis and Little Wyvis across the Orrin Reservoir were sadly ruined by a hideous wind farm Wind farms to one side the going was now much better, with a reasonable excuse of a path to follow along the top.

P1200490 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1200493 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1200506 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1200529 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1200532 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

P1200537 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Nice view back along the ridge I'd walked

The descent off Carn na Gabhalach unfortunately heralded a return to rough, tough walking. OS maps suggest a good path to be followed, but the reality is something very different. Sometimes there was a path, but mostly it was just tufty heather, pretty much down to Loch na Beiste.

Had a slight mishap on the route down when I stepped on what I thought was heather, only to it disguised a nasty hole with a vicious rock in it. Thankfully all I suffered was a bit of a scrape down the shin rather than anything worse

P1200544 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Beinn a'Bha'ach Ard

P1200550 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

Loch na Beiste is a cracking spot, giving great views back to the Corbett – showing it at its best for sure. The remainder of the walk back to the car was less cracking. Route descriptions I’d seen suggested the path was better than what I’d suffered so far on the way down, but I would beg to differ. May be it was my route finding, but there were still some charming boggy bits to navigate.

P1200552 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Loch na Beiste

P1200554 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Almost back at the car

Soon enough though I was back at the car at Milton Cottage and then heading to Aultguish for the meet for the obligatory beer or two and good conversation

So that's one report down, just two more to do