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Ben Cruachan

Ben Cruachan


Postby GillC » Mon Sep 20, 2010 7:47 am

Munros included on this walk: Ben Cruachan

Date walked: 12/09/2010

Time taken: 7 hours

Distance: 16 km

Ascent: 1126m

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On a day of very low cloud, light showers, we decided to head for Cruachan via the most direct route. Up over Meall Cunail, just over 3000 feet but not listed as a Munro! Any possible views we had disappeared around the summit of Cunail, cloud cover dropped and we were left with about 20-30yd visibility, dropped down over rocks to a small lochan the straight back up, this time, using hands, feet, knees etc to scramble up through gravel and over rocks to reach the summit. Total whiteout at the top except for 2-3 second gaps in the cloud when the wind whipped them away,,caught the odd glimpse of Loch Awe snaking off to the south and it looked sunny out there,,somewhere.

Descended back to the lochan then took a left straight down the valley side to the reservoir, pretty wet underfoot and following the main stream, got back to the track beside the reservoir,,following this back to the main service road.

This was only my 3rd Munro and if Id seen it without the cloud cover, I may have been a little daunted but, as it was,,took a little longer than the guide book said and as a result, didnt feel pushed or over my head at any time. Great climb, great sense of achievement , just a pity about the lack of visibility. Thoroughly recommend this one. number 31 in the Munro list so a big bit of a mountain. :D
Attachments
120910 Ben Cruachan & Loch Awe B Cropped.jpg
fleeting view of Loch Awe
Last edited by GillC on Wed Apr 06, 2011 9:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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GillC
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Posts: 1662
Munros:64   Corbetts:50
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Sub 2000:22   Hewitts:5
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Joined: May 14, 2010
Location: Chryston

Re: Ben Cruachan

Postby davetherave » Mon Sep 20, 2010 10:41 am

They do say this is a great hill ! although we have done Ben Cruachan , we got cloud just like you guy's got. (shame) so it looks like we will be back sometime soon.
Our plan on the day was to do the whole ridge. We camped over night south of the reservoir dam as the forecast was expected to be good. We left our crampons and ice axes in the tent as the day looked like it would be as expected. Unfortuatly weather turned out to be very poor, and once Ben Cruachan was complete we decided not to do the ridge as the wind was strong and visibility was poor.
nearind Ben Cruachan Bealach (2).JPG

Ben Cruachan summit.JPG
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Posts: 717
Munros:220   Corbetts:88
Fionas:26   Donalds:5
Joined: Apr 25, 2009
Location: Brechin

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