Page 1 of 1

The Notch and the Falls

PostPosted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 1:16 pm
by ancancha

Ben Oss & Beinn Dubchraig.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts



I'm enjoying my biker hikes at the moment and have had Ben Oss in my sights for a while. Initially my planned route was to cycle to the end of the track and then walk some way into Corrie Laoigh and up what looked like a steep, but grassy slope.
I posted on another walk report that I was planning to do Ben Oss, but wasn't keen on the bog trot that WH was suggesting. jmarkb replied head for the notch. I looked on Google Earth and the OS and worked out the route going up the notch.

At last a nice clear day and I was really looking forward to this 8)
Got to the car park and assembled the bike and headed up the track. Came across a young couple from the continent who were doing the WHW, we chatted and wished each other an enjoyable day.

Under the railway and on

Image

Another alternative biker hike I'd considered was the forestry commission track which I assumed would end somewhere on the lower slope of Beinn Dubhchraig, but it looked a bit unused and overgrown on Google Earth

Image

Not long before Ben Lui makes and appearance, an impressive mountain :!:
Theres a notch on Beinn Chuirn as well, called the Eas Anie, another impressive feature, I must try and get up there soon for a look at the falls before the Hydro siphon it :roll:

Image

Image

Here's the notch I'm looking for though; Corrie Cruinn

Image

Passed some cattle on the way up to the farm, said good afternoon to one and it bolted :shock: There were some calves further up, I slowed down, but they started to bolt, I stopped and let them settle and carried on, phew !

Met another couple of walkers on the track after the last padlocked gate; there are styles. Chatted to them for quite a while swapping bravado stories of this scramble and that ridge :lol:

Wired the bike and got the poles out and headed for the line across the River Cononish, it's a line on the OS maps, and I'd kinda worked out it wouldn't be a bridge, just a suitable crossing point. There's a nice waterfall and river landscape a few metres downstream. If the river were in spate, then this crossing may be tricky

Image

A Raven flew high above and cawed, such a great sound.

It's long grass and quite heavy going until up on the edge of the notch which is still a steep ascent, but doesn't throw up any real challenges

Image

Got to the top of Corrie Cruinn, it's a magical mini corrie 8)
There's a small plateau here and I stopped to take photos and generally enjoy the views

Image

before heading up the next section where the terrain changes to a more loose rocky slope with grassy patches. Again nothing too demanding, just a bit of effort needed to get up the steep slope and some care needed to ensure the rocks are solid enough to stand on.
A good view into Corrie Laoigh from here, an interesting conglomeration of bumps and bobbles

Image

Disturbed a Ptarmigan, it flew off but settled nearby, check out those furry boots :lol:

Image

A smaller Ptarmigan walked from closer to me, but I didn't manage to get a photo, perhaps this years young with a parent, or both juveniles :?:

Got to the bealach and the view to the south down Loch Lomond is stunning

Image

Picked up the path and was quickly on the summit of Ben Oss with fabulous panoramic views, Ben Lui dominating

Image

I didn't stay long, I wasn't sure how long this walk was going to take or how easy my decent was going to be.
A view of Beinn Dubhchraig ridge from the descent down to Bealach Buidhe and the first full view of Loch Oss

Image

A couple of nice wee Lochans on the way down

Image

I eyed the possible descents down the side of Corrie Buidhe as I got to the Bealach

Image

The path up to the Lochan plateau has some interesting stages

Image

Great view into Loch Oss

Image

Up to the wee Lochans just before the final section to Beinn Dubhchraig and a view back to Ben Oss with Lui in the background

Image

Got to the summit, I'm sure Nevis will be in there somewhere :roll:

Image

Again I am on the move quickly back to the Lochans and down the ridge. The landscape reminding me of the ridge from Stob a'Choire Odhair to Stob Ghabhar. I ventured out a bit to take a look into the head of the Corie Buidhe; stunning 8)

Image

Picked up the path down the ridge, but always intended to hang a left and head down into the Corie early. I'd eyed it from the bealach and it looked fine. I turned a bit early and traversed back, but eventually found a doable route.

I can see why the Hydro are keen; that shelf on Beinn Chuirn must collect multi megawatts :!:

Image

Getting down into the gully on the soft spongy mossy ground was quite easy, The Raven cawed from the cliffs at the top of the Corie, must be where it hangs out on fine Scottish evenings 8)

The Allt Corie Bhuidhe and its tributaries provide a gorgeous spectacle of waterfalls over slabs, one of my favorite vistas

Image

Even managed to set up the camera on a wee gorilla pod and get a slomo 8)

Image

Still getting to know the camera and photography, so it may not be awesome to you, but a step forward for me :D

I crossed a couple of the streams at the flat tops of falls, a bit slippery in places, but very manageable and excellent fun :lol:

Got to the river Cononish a bit downstream from where I'd crossed earlier for a look at the falls and considered jumping across the spikes, but in the end walked up and across the tame stepping stones

Image

Back to the bike and the midges are now out in force for their supper :roll:
A last look up at Corie Buidhe from the track, Ben Oss in the background and the notch of Corie Chruinn, the magical wee corie

Image

I winged it back down, really enjoying the ride 8)
Slowed down for the cows and dinged the bell for one large young bull with it's snout in the long grass, it looked up, crossed to the other side and I'm away :lol:

Ben Lui and the River Cononish on the way back

Image

A great day out and a reasonably dry one, certainly not a bog factor four.
Outstanding panoramic views from both summits, well worth the trip :D

Re: The Notch and the Falls

PostPosted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 2:38 pm
by jmarkb
Nice one: some good pics in there! Glad the route worked out OK for you.
(That's not a hydro scheme - it's a gold mine!)

Re: The Notch and the Falls

PostPosted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 5:34 pm
by ancancha
jmarkb wrote:Nice one: some good pics in there! Glad the route worked out OK for you.
(That's not a hydro scheme - it's a gold mine!)


Route was good :D

Gold mines :shock:
I'm definitely going back :lol:

Saw on the OS that it has mines at the top of Eas Anie, but also that they are disused :?:

Re: The Notch and the Falls

PostPosted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 5:55 pm
by jmarkb
ancancha wrote:Gold mines :shock:


Yup, been there since the 1980s, largely unworked as it's never been commercially viable. They got planning permission in 2011 to develop the site but it's not operational yet. Gold concentrations are quite low - about 10 grams per ton of rock. Folk do go panning in the area, don't think they find more than tiny flakes, though.

Re: The Notch and the Falls

PostPosted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 7:00 pm
by jamesb63
I walked the 4 Munros here a couple of months ago and like you I got good weather
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=53453
The view especially from Ben Oss I thought was fantastic all round panorama
some very nice pics you have also :clap:
Was Dubhcraig still as boggy on the walk off at the end ??

Re: The Notch and the Falls

PostPosted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 7:33 pm
by ancancha
jamesb63 wrote:I walked the 4 Munros here a couple of months ago and like you I got good weather
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=53453
The view especially from Ben Oss I thought was fantastic all round panorama
some very nice pics you have also :clap:
Was Dubhcraig still as boggy on the walk off at the end ??


Thanks jamesb63 :wink:
It's certainly a complete 360° from these two, could have posted double the amount of photos of the views, fabulous :!:

Pity I didn't realise I was cutting off the Ptarmigans tail or that would have been one for my album, sais la vie :roll:

It was a bit soft to and from the start of the notch, but the issue was that it was covered in long grass which made the going a bit laboured; nothing too serious.
Coming down off the Dubhcraig was a bit soft as well, mossy which I actually thought helped cushion the footfalls. I remember thinking that it was a bit like walking down soft snow at one point.
I did have leather boots and gaiters on, so perhaps it didn't register, but certainly nothing that I would describe as boggy.

Re: The Notch and the Falls

PostPosted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 7:36 pm
by ancancha
jmarkb wrote:
ancancha wrote:Gold mines :shock:


Yup, been there since the 1980s, largely unworked as it's never been commercially viable. They got planning permission in 2011 to develop the site but it's not operational yet. Gold concentrations are quite low - about 10 grams per ton of rock. Folk do go panning in the area, don't think they find more than tiny flakes, though.


Not that they would say if they found a big nugget :lol:
It looks an interesting area none the less 8)
I hope they don't go ahead with ripping the mountain apart :( it's such a beautiful area :!:

Re: The Notch and the Falls

PostPosted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 7:50 pm
by Petr Dakota
Another nice trip :clap: , you are really enjoying your bike-walk :D
Glad you had a good weather for the day and also you avoided the boggy area 8)
Nice views and photos :clap:

Re: The Notch and the Falls

PostPosted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 11:40 pm
by teaandpies
Nice, you got out, excellent stuff :thumbup:

It was such an amazing day, stuck in work then having to start the cleaning for my house move I was thinking about all the reports that will be written that will feature this awesome weather. It's pretty much been perfect the last couple of day :roll:

Re: The Notch and the Falls

PostPosted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 11:10 am
by ancancha
Petr Dakota wrote:Another nice trip :clap: , you are really enjoying your bike-walk :D
Glad you had a good weather for the day and also you avoided the boggy area 8)
Nice views and photos :clap:


Thanks Petr
Perhaps not the purists way. The bike was a treat, full suspension mid range and absorbs just about anything in it's path. It's only limiting factor is me :lol:
None the less the walking, scrambles and views are equally pleasurable and I love combining both 8)

Re: The Notch and the Falls

PostPosted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 11:12 am
by ancancha
teaandpies wrote:Nice, you got out, excellent stuff :thumbup:

It was such an amazing day, stuck in work then having to start the cleaning for my house move I was thinking about all the reports that will be written that will feature this awesome weather. It's pretty much been perfect the last couple of day :roll:


We all have stuff to do sometimes when we'd rather be enjoying a weather opportunity.
Good weather all next week according to the forecasts :D

Re: The Notch and the Falls

PostPosted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 2:16 pm
by basscadet
That photo pf the ptarmigan is amazing :shock:

Looked like you had a nice day for it too which always helps.. :wink:

Re: The Notch and the Falls

PostPosted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 2:22 pm
by ancancha
basscadet wrote:That photo pf the ptarmigan is amazing :shock:

Looked like you had a nice day for it too which always helps.. :wink:


Cheers basscadet
The weather definitely helps :D
Really wish I'd noticed that I was cutting off the Ptarmigans tail and taken the chance after a few photos to move and get the complete deal :lol:

Weather is due to be nice for the next while, so hope you and your connections all have a good time in the mountains :wink: