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Beinn Mhanach & Beinn Achaladair

Beinn Mhanach & Beinn Achaladair


Postby quagga64 » Wed Jan 13, 2016 1:57 pm

Munros included on this walk: Beinn Achaladair, Beinn Mhanach

Date walked: 29/09/2015

Time taken: 10.05 hours

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Forecast was good with a cracking red sky the previous night so I was up and away and parked up at the entrance to Auch Estate by 9 a.m. Todays mission was to tick off Beinn Mhanach, the remote hidden munro of The Bridge of Orchy group and also settle an old score by bagging Beinn Achaladair which had defeated me and Christopher due to snow back in April 2013 and led to us having a nasty accident on our escape route descent. It was a lovely sunny morning and would remain sunny for the entire day. Set off at 9:10 up the tarmac private road towards Auch Estate, guy in a 4x4 stopped as he drove past me and asked where I was climbing as they were going out deer stalking today, seemed satisfied when I told him I was heading straight up Auch Glen and onto Beinn Mhanach. Passed the estate buildings where I was again questioned by a guy dressed in tweeds as to where I was heading and then under the railway viaduct of the West Highland Line before a long trek up Auch Glen alongside the Allt Kinglas burn having to cross it several times on the way up and having to take my boots and socks off once but I was prepared with my rubber aqua shoes and carried on with nice dry feet. passed a heard of Highland Cattle and then an old ruin which had apparently once been home to Duncan Ban MacIntyre the famous gaelic poet in the 18th century. After about 4 miles the track curves off round to the right into Strath Tarabhan and then climbs very steeply and relentlessly up the grassy side of Beinn Mhanach. This was a stiff climb indeed but I took plenty of rests and the weather was fine and the views fantastic across to Beinn Dorain and Beinn an Dothaidh. After 3 hours and 10 minutes I arrived at the summit cairn of Beinn Mhanach which means Hill of the Priest where it was very windy though not cold. Noticed a guy coming up behind me and when he reached the cairn we chatted, he was a really nice Polish guy called Pav and he had camped out on Beinn a'Chreachain the previous night having climbed all 4 of the other Bridge of Orchy munros ! Some achievement. he was into his photography and had a big fancy camera and said he sometimes posted walk reports on a site for Polish walkers, he had been around a bit and although he now stayed in Oban he had previously stayed in Gareloch up in Torridon ! i took a couple of photos of me and him together before heading off. After heading West into the dip between Beinn Mhanach and its slightly lower twin top Beinn a'Chuirn I descended NorthWest down into the glen and then very steeply up the other side climbing almost vertically at times to reach the ridge of Beinn Achaladair passed two pairs of walkers here heading down off the top and as I ascended the ridge towards the summit the views were great out West to Loch Tulla and then on gaining the summit Northwards across Rannoch Moor, The Black Mount, Glen Coe and the Nevis Range beyond. The sky was clear blue with just some wee fluffy white clouds here and there and the views all round were brilliant. Took lots of really good photos before heading off South along the ridge to reach the bealach which separates Beinn Achaladair from Beinn an Dothaidh at the head of Coire Daingean. From here I descended very steeply down into Coire a'Ghabhalach and followed the burn down to rejoin my outward path at the head of Auch Glen. On the way back down the glen I diverted to explore an old burial site marked on the ordnance survey maps which consisted of an old tumble down circular dry stane wall with small piles of boulders within which presumably marked graves, it sits right at the foot of Beinn Dorain. the sun was beginning to set as I made my way wearily back down Auch Glen and under the railway viaduct again and out to my car parked on the roadside, arriving at 7:15, just over 10 hours after setting off. Drive back down the road was uneventful.
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rsz_1059_ben_cruachan_on_the_far_horizon.jpg
Ben Cruachan on the far horizon from Beinn Achaladair
quagga64
 
Posts: 423
Joined: May 15, 2011

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