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I had hoped to do the Ben More four, i.e. Beinn Tulaichean, Cruach Ardrain, Ben More & Stob Binnein, but on the day went with the flow and leisurely did Beinn Tulaichean & Cruach Ardrain.
The WH route isn't what I would call a beaten track on the way up to Beinn Tulaichean, but the views are great from very early on.
Got to the car park expecting it to be full on a nice sunny day, but there were still a few places left, walked along the track to the farm across the bridge
over the style and a short section of path to the track up by the Inverlochlarig burn to the first gate and turned left up the hill
The walk up was steep
but views down Loch Doine and Voil were enough recompense
It's possible that I was a few metres too far North as on looking back down I saw a gate along the fence I'd climbed over.
The Ben More, Stob Binnein duo making an appearance
Finding it a bit of a slog I took a look at the satnav to see how far I still had to go and it looked to me as though as soon as I got to the top of the gap between these rocky outcrops the going would get easier
mmm.....
Still there was some respite and an interesting dried up Lochan on the shelf
From here there was a defined path to the summit of Beinn Tulaichean and a grand stand view of Stob a'Choin
The last section up to the summit was a bit more interesting and enjoyable so far as the path was concerned
and once on the summit the views were panoramic, first class and very bobbly
This view towards Beinn a'Chroin and An Caisteal
Next up Cruach Ardrain
There's an interesting and well defined path.
Although it was forecast to be a bit windy, on the way down to the bealach it was calm and I could clearly hear distant voices, I scanned the track ahead and they were actually a long way off although they sounded nearer. A group of four with a dog making their way purposefully down to the col from Cruach Ardrain, we sighted each other just before I reached the bottom of the bealach and semaphored, i.e. I raised a walking pole to acknowledge their existence and they did likewise. They continued off down to my right in the direction of the Inverlochlarig burn with what looked like unstoppable determination, four in line at pace
I continued on up to Cruach Ardrain summit watching and listening to some small song birds, but every time I got the camera out they would fly off.
No matter, it's a nice day and views are fab, looking back to Beinn Tulaichean
A drumlin this high up on the side of a mountain
Met another walker just before the turn towards the summit, exchanged pleasantries and carried on. Round the corner in sight of the summit and there are four Ravens enjoying the updraft, one landed next to the cairn, but the camera didn't focus, and no decent photos. I've always liked crows, even the name rings with me, so would be great to get a really good photo of a Raven. Think when I get up the next mountain with cliffs and crags; suitable habitat for Ravens, I will take some mince and set up a camera trap.
Views from the summit are excellent
and it also has a nice ledge where it's easy to sit with the rucksack still on and wait for the Ravens to come back. One did return and glided round, but then off to the west and that was that. Back across the wee gully which separates the actual summit and the song birds are teasing again. Chirping away and making their presence and whereabouts know, but as soon as I point the camera in their direction they are off
Got down to the col and and exited down. There's a small cairn which marks the path although it isn't that well defined and I'm sure I made it up as I went along for several sections.
What wasn't in dispute was the beauty and interesting landscape of Corie Dubh. It was so peaceful, I stopped every now and then to listen to the silent, fabulous.
An early view towards Ben More and Stob Binnein from the top of the Corie
The path follows a stream down. The stream ran the whole way down on an extended slab, perhaps there isn't that much depth of vegetation on top of the rock around here
certainly not much in the way of loose rocks and rubble in the stream.
A view of the stream, looking up to the summit of Cruach Ardrain
Eventually I get my photo of the song bird, a meadow pipit. I guess all of this years young are now up and around and that's why there are so many of them about. A bit far away, but good enough for identification
Was starting at this point to think that I would biker hike Ben More and Stob Binnein starting with a scramble up Binnein from the end of the track
If anyone has scrambled up let me know how you got on and photos would be great
Crossed the stream just before it drops off steeply, there aren't any real waterfalls on the stream, just a continuous flow down the slab, quite remarkable
There's a steep descent on the other side before reaching a grassy section where it's easy to follow where others have been before
On reaching the track I walked up and round the bend for a better look
and then a nice walk back down the track beside the Inverlochlarig Burn
Very pleasant on a sunny Scottish evening
