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Glen Galmadale a Spectacular but Hard horseshoe round

PostPosted: Tue Oct 13, 2015 5:54 pm
by The Rodmiester
Mountain Thyme had long wanted to do these hills and after I had read up on them on Walkhighlands had also thought that a good day lay ahead and was looking forward to it immensely. With fellow walkhighlander Iain Watson joining us fingers were crossed that the low cloud of the previous day was going to lift and that some fine views were going to be on offer once we had climbed up to the summit ridge.

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Mountain Thyme and Iain at the car parking area to the East of the bridge at Galmadale
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Heading along the road where we can see the access point of the climb to the Graham Beinn na Cille 652m. It already looks pretty steep, up along the side of the tree plantation on the left
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Hard going on the dried up rocky burn bed which is totally overgrown with brambles and totally overgrown with ferns and the like, definitely TICK country
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Looking back down to the roadside. After a short spell we cut off out of the burn bed towards the fenceline next to the trees where there were less brambles which made the going slightly easier
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Clear of the tree line, a good brush down of the outer garments ensured not too many Ticks were clinging on. After the tree line if anything the gradient got steeper with small outcrops to be negotiated
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A pose with Loch Linnhe in the background and also the ridge we were to descend from
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Many false summits to be climbed before arriving at the Graham
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Time for some photographs to be taken in all the three of us must have taken about 300
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Not far to go to the first summit of the day Beinn na Cille
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Two guys who we had overtaken earlier as they had tried to continue up the dried up burn bed. A quick word a snack and of course a group photograph at the summit cairn
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Happy Days the cloud is lifting clearing the tops
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Looking towards the two Corbetts to be climbed Fuar Bheinn 766, Creach Bheinn and also on the right Maol Odhar
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Looking back to the Graham where we had come
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Funnily Mountain Thyme and I have matching walking poles (private joke)
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Iain coming over the horizon
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At the summit cairn of Fuar Bheinn with Mountain Thyme playing with her monkey again. Garbh Bheinn another Corbett in the far distance, to be done on another day, but with Creach Bheinn to be climbed later
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View from the summit looking at from L to R Garbh Bheinn, Ben Nevis the Ballachulish hills and the Pap of Glen Coe
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Summit of Creach Bheinn 853m where there are remains of a Neolithic camp
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Heading off from the summit to find more remains of the Neolithic camp as shown on OS maps
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Stone walls
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Heading down to the beallach between Creach Bheinn and Maol Odhar
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Summit cairn of Maol Odhar 794m with Garbh Bheinn to the right of the cairn which has remains of an American aircraft which exploded in mid air above the hill
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Heading down the grassy slopes of Maol Odhar towards Meall nan Each 591m
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Iain enjoying the views of Loch Linnhe from near the summit of Meall nan Each

Re: Glen Galmadale a Spectacular but Hard horseshoe round

PostPosted: Tue Oct 13, 2015 6:06 pm
by The Rodmiester
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Beaten to the summit of Meall nan Each by the crows
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View over Loch Linnhe towards Ballachulish
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Heading down along the summit ridge
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and again, it's a long ridge
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Looking up Glen Galmadale
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Nearly at the end of the ridge
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The car in sight after a long hard and superb day on the hill, highly recommended!

Re: Glen Galmadale a Spectacular but Hard horseshoe round

PostPosted: Tue Oct 13, 2015 6:30 pm
by Collaciotach
A craicing horseshoe and one of my locals :D

You had a good day for it right enough ,that ruins is a "Colby Camp" used in the 1840's for surveying here is a wee link to their purpose.

http://www.charlesclosesociety.org/files/Issue90page18.pdf

Some of the best ,quietest hills in this area you 'll enjoy Garbh Bheinn ,mind and pick a good day again :wink:

Re: Glen Galmadale a Spectacular but Hard horseshoe round

PostPosted: Tue Oct 13, 2015 8:21 pm
by iainwatson
good report on a great walk :D Mountain Thyme must have good taste in walking poles if she has the same one :lol: great walk,great company and great weather,loved it

Re: Glen Galmadale a Spectacular but Hard horseshoe round

PostPosted: Tue Oct 13, 2015 9:14 pm
by Silverhill
That initial climb up through the overgrowth looked horrible. But the views over Loch Linnhe must have been very rewarding. Loved the pictures. Seems like the weather was very quiet, judging by the flat water reflecting the hills. :D

Re: Glen Galmadale a Spectacular but Hard horseshoe round

PostPosted: Tue Oct 13, 2015 10:11 pm
by The Rodmiester
Collaciotach wrote:A craicing horseshoe and one of my locals :D

You had a good day for it right enough ,that ruins is a "Colby Camp" used in the 1840's for surveying here is a wee link to their purpose.

http://www.charlesclosesociety.org/files/Issue90page18.pdf

Some of the best ,quietest hills in this area you 'll enjoy Garbh Bheinn ,mind and pick a good day again :wink:


Hi Collaciotach, your very lucky living in an area with these superb hills, height is certainly not everything :D I'm looking forward to going back again soon with Garbh Bheinn very high on my list :wink:
Many thanks for the info on the Colby Camp, I new nothing about it, I will now check it out :D

Re: Glen Galmadale a Spectacular but Hard horseshoe round

PostPosted: Tue Oct 13, 2015 10:12 pm
by The Rodmiester
iainwatson wrote:good report on a great walk :D Mountain Thyme must have good taste in walking poles if she has the same one :lol: great walk,great company and great weather,loved it


Superb day all round and as you say company and weather, what could be better :D

Re: Glen Galmadale a Spectacular but Hard horseshoe round

PostPosted: Tue Oct 13, 2015 10:14 pm
by The Rodmiester
Silverhill wrote:That initial climb up through the overgrowth looked horrible. But the views over Loch Linnhe must have been very rewarding. Loved the pictures. Seems like the weather was very quiet, judging by the flat water reflecting the hills. :D


Silverhill I thought I was reasonably fit, but I was pouring in sweat on that first climb :lol: :lol: But as you say very worth the effort once you had gained the ridge, views were superb :D

Re: Glen Galmadale a Spectacular but Hard horseshoe round

PostPosted: Wed Oct 14, 2015 9:16 am
by BoyVertiginous
Grand pictures there of a fine round. I took one look up that ferny bank, decided against it and walked up the glen to the dam to do the others .... Beinn na Cille now taunts me from afar. We're in the area this week so there's a chance but may go up from the South/SW.

:clap:

Re: Glen Galmadale a Spectacular but Hard horseshoe round

PostPosted: Wed Oct 14, 2015 10:05 am
by The Rodmiester
[quote="BoyVertiginous"]Grand pictures there of a fine round. I took one look up that ferny bank, decided against it and walked up the glen to the dam to do the others .... Beinn na Cille now taunts me from afar. We're in the area this week so there's a chance but may go up from the South/SW.

:clap:[/qu

Suggest you pick a fine clear day and it will be well worth the effort of the initial climb, beware all the false tops :( Once you get there hang about and enjoy, superb stuff. Remember to brush off any ticks that might have clung onto you on the way up :crazy: :crazy: I found another three when I got home :crazy: :( Lucky you being in the area, so many wonderful climbs nearby :D

Re: Glen Galmadale a Spectacular but Hard horseshoe round

PostPosted: Wed Oct 14, 2015 10:22 am
by BlackPanther
Last year in early October, when we climbed Beinn a'Bheith, I took quite a few photos of this group of hills across Loch Linnhe, I expected them to be a superb route. The initial climb looks... hmmm... a bit intimidating :lol: but these views are well worth it. Fantastic day you had!

Out of curiosity, I checked Corbett and Graham guides and both books give the very same route up, so I guess there is no way to avoid the steep slog.

Re: Glen Galmadale a Spectacular but Hard horseshoe round

PostPosted: Wed Oct 14, 2015 10:33 am
by Chris Mac
Nice one, glad you got a nice day for it and you've got some cracking photos there! Looks like a fun walk.

It's also good seeing others taking Iain away from the Munros to do some Corbetts... :wink: :lol:

Re: Glen Galmadale a Spectacular but Hard horseshoe round

PostPosted: Wed Oct 14, 2015 12:53 pm
by The Rodmiester
BlackPanther wrote:Last year in early October, when we climbed Beinn a'Bheith, I took quite a few photos of this group of hills across Loch Linnhe, I expected them to be a superb route. The initial climb looks... hmmm... a bit intimidating :lol: but these views are well worth it. Fantastic day you had!

Out of curiosity, I checked Corbett and Graham guides and both books give the very same route up, so I guess there is no way to avoid the steep slog.


A highly recommended route there BP, pity about the initial ascent, tough going, maybe a walk for earlier in the year when the undergrowth has not had enough time to get established. Interesting both books suggest this way, funnily enough i cannot remember the initial climb being mentioned too much in other WH trip reports, I must re-check them :lol:

Re: Glen Galmadale a Spectacular but Hard horseshoe round

PostPosted: Wed Oct 14, 2015 12:56 pm
by The Rodmiester
Chris Mac wrote:Nice one, glad you got a nice day for it and you've got some cracking photos there! Looks like a fun walk.

It's also good seeing others taking Iain away from the Munros to do some Corbetts... :wink: :lol:


Great day out, even better when the weather is much better than the forecast :D I think Iain will be back into Ardgour soon, think he was quite taken with the ruggedness of the area :D

Re: Glen Galmadale a Spectacular but Hard horseshoe round

PostPosted: Fri Oct 16, 2015 9:45 pm
by mountain thyme
Good report there Rod. Hard going climbing up that graham :(
Great day out with good company :D Cheers guys