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Beinn Tulaichean & Cruach Ardrain

Beinn Tulaichean & Cruach Ardrain


Postby ancancha » Sun Sep 06, 2015 2:42 pm

Route description: Cruach Àrdrain and Beinn Tulaichean

Munros included on this walk: Beinn Tulaichean, Cruach Àrdrain

Date walked: 05/09/2015

Time taken: 5.57 hours

Distance: 13.48 km

Ascent: 1088m

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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

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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

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The walk up was steep

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but views down Loch Doine and Voil were enough recompense

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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

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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

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mmm.....

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:roll:

Still there was some respite and an interesting dried up Lochan on the shelf

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From here there was a defined path to the summit of Beinn Tulaichean and a grand stand view of Stob a'Choin

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The last section up to the summit was a bit more interesting and enjoyable so far as the path was concerned

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and once on the summit the views were panoramic, first class and very bobbly :lol:
This view towards Beinn a'Chroin and An Caisteal

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Next up Cruach Ardrain

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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 :lol:
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

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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

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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 :roll:

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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 :lol:

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On reaching the track I walked up and round the bend for a better look

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and then a nice walk back down the track beside the Inverlochlarig Burn

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Very pleasant on a sunny Scottish evening :D
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ancancha
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Re: Beinn Tulaichean & Cruach Ardrain

Postby Gordie12 » Sun Sep 06, 2015 4:26 pm

Glad you found the climb up Beinn Tulaichean a bit of a slog, I thought it might have just been me!!

We definitely had a good day in that part of the country yesterday and you got some good shots of the surrounding hills (I was trying to see if I could see myself :lol: :lol: ).

When I did these two I slipped on the way down off the bealach and went flying on my bum for a few yards through a wet bog then it poured with rain near the end but by that time I really didn't care.
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Re: Beinn Tulaichean & Cruach Ardrain

Postby jamesb63 » Sun Sep 06, 2015 5:37 pm

Really nice to see what the views are around these 2 :lol: :lol:
I done them a couple of months ago and I rained from start to finish
thick clag on the tops and 60mph winds :shock:
But the walk is in a very nice area Ben More & Stob Binnean I done from the other side
well done on some very nice pics :clap: :clap:
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jamesb63
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Re: Beinn Tulaichean & Cruach Ardrain

Postby ancancha » Sun Sep 06, 2015 7:04 pm

Gordie12 wrote:Glad you found the climb up Beinn Tulaichean a bit of a slog, I thought it might have just been me!!

We definitely had a good day in that part of the country yesterday and you got some good shots of the surrounding hills (I was trying to see if I could see myself :lol: :lol: ).

When I did these two I slipped on the way down off the bealach and went flying on my bum for a few yards through a wet bog then it poured with rain near the end but by that time I really didn't care.


Thanks Gordie12
Definitely took me a lot longer to gain the height than I thought it would, it's a steep slope and I didn't find a path until near the top.
Think it has dried out a lot in the last few days with a lack of rain and a dry wind :D
Even though it was likewise a bit steep coming down Corie Dubh and I paid attention in places just in case :wink:
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ancancha
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Re: Beinn Tulaichean & Cruach Ardrain

Postby ancancha » Sun Sep 06, 2015 7:11 pm

jamesb63 wrote:Really nice to see what the views are around these 2 :lol: :lol:
I done them a couple of months ago and I rained from start to finish
thick clag on the tops and 60mph winds :shock:
But the walk is in a very nice area Ben More & Stob Binnean I done from the other side
well done on some very nice pics :clap: :clap:


Cheers jamesb63
Ah this summers fickle weather :roll:
I've had my share of the clag and the wind and the rain as well :(
Supposed to be nice for the next couple of weeks and I am keen to get back for Ben More & Stob Binnean, they looked impressively pointy from Cruach Ardrain 8)
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ancancha
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Re: Beinn Tulaichean & Cruach Ardrain

Postby Petr Dakota » Sun Sep 06, 2015 8:17 pm

You are bagging quickly now :clap: 8)
Nice walk, nice area, nice day...and photos as well :clap: ...blue sky and great views 8)
It brought my memories - I did exactly the same route 4.5.2015, it was clear day too, but the top still covered by snow, so it's nice to see the area in different colours :D
Some pics we did from the same place... :wink:
Well done again ! :clap:
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Re: Beinn Tulaichean & Cruach Ardrain

Postby ancancha » Sun Sep 06, 2015 8:46 pm

Petr Dakota wrote:You are bagging quickly now :clap: 8)
Nice walk, nice area, nice day...and photos as well :clap: ...blue sky and great views 8)
It brought my memories - I did exactly the same route 4.5.2015, it was clear day too, but the top still covered by snow, so it's nice to see the area in different colours :D
Some pics we did from the same place... :wink:
Well done again ! :clap:


Cheers Petr, definitely the summit cairn shot on Cruach Ardrain is a match :lol:
A different day in your report :!: not be long before crisp snowy days are here again 8)
Very pleasing to be getting a sense of Scotland's geography, though still many kilometers and views to go :wink:
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