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Bidean nam Bian

Bidean nam Bian


Postby Bod » Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:34 pm

Route description: Bidean nam Bian

Munros included on this walk: Bidean nam Bian, Stob Coire Sgreamhach

Date walked: 25/09/2010

Time taken: 8 hours

Distance: 10 km

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5.30am the alarm is delayed until 6.00am, then 6.30am followed by a few 10 min "snoozes" - this walk nearly didn't happen! We are so happy we crawled out of bed, got ourselves moving and drove straight to Glencoe. Snacks and coffees in the carpark and we were ready to walk by 10.00am on the dot.
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Crossing the Bridge at the foot of Coire nan Lochan (First meeting with our new pal John)
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Me and ma dug Ritchie mid-way up Coire nan Lochan (Valerie spotted several climbers on the craggs opposite the path. Spotted the howff too!)
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The lochans below the coire where you can chose to go left or right?
These lochans were a great place to sit and enjoy our first food-stop and let Ritchie have a play and paddle. We noticed most other walkers were heading straight up the left side boulder areas, but we're heading NW to catch the north coire edge to reach the top of Stob Coire nan Lochan. What a great route! (caused my wee wife a bit of concern as to why we were departing from the route of others, but she loved it!)
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Valerie making good progress (she's a mountain goat on the path, but off-path I have more fun, he he)
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The Lochans below.
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Valerie sitting on the edge of the cracks and the pinnacles (we could have been much more daring, but it made sense to be happy with a degree of due concern. A wonderful spot.)
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The last stretch to the top of Stob Coire nan Lochan (one of the best Munro Tops we have ever experienced, we saw 2 birds close by that we are almost sure were ptarmigans, certainly mountain cousins of the pigeons?)
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A fantastic view of this north running coire edge with Glencoe Village below (could have stayed and played all day, but still had two mountains to climb).
On top of Stob Coire nan Lochan it was time to settle down and recover, along with several others including our pal John whom we had enjoyed chats with on the lower path. Ritchie also met a collie dog and exchanged greetings. Next we stood up and viewed the approach towards Bidean nam Bian...wow!
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Heading SW...cool
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The only way is up!
On top of Bidean nam Bian we met a large party (including a lovely wee 7 week old puppy) who proceeded to spread a white table cover on the ground and pass round glasses of Champagne. We left this celebration of one man's completion of the Munros and headed SE towards Stob Coire Sgreamhach with a brave wee bark from the puppy to see us away.
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Heading along on a wonderful Scottish mountain day (fancied a glass of champers ourselves).
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What a day (the Buachaille ahead in the distance).
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Continued great ridge walking, including a sit down with John drinking juice near the Lost Valley pinnacles.
It is very important now to take note of the gravel-path-chute that drops into the Lost Valley (easy for us on such a great day). Here we left our rucsacs and met Kilted Biggles who joined us to the second Munro summit. We were all intrigued with the white flag flying! Biggles was great fun and we enjoyed our meeting and 20 minutes together before he shot off (ripped pants and all) to join his party.
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Would be very slippery when wet!
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Kilted Biggles and the Bean marching to the rocky summit (Ritchie and I following in awe of amazing clear panoramic views - ye ha, the Ben, Ben Lui, Schiehallion, Knoydart Hill, Garbh Bhienn, Colonsay, Paps of Jura the lot!)
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Ritchie the dug, Valerie and I with glorious Scotland all around us (photographer Kilted Biggles).
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The Lost Valley.
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Wonderful country to the South!!!
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Wonderful country to the North!!!
Time to head back to the Bealach and the gravel-path-chute that drops into the Lost Valley. Dropped down to this point, collected our rucsacs and got blethering with others about how to pronounce this mountain's name. I headed first down the chute to block the way should Valerie slip!
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he he he ...
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Almost there (though there's a fair scree scramble to follow, more solid paths eventually.)
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The valley floor, where we believe there is another howff - will need to return and look further.
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A very very large pebble in the middle of the burn (though all the water is below out of sight!)
Bidean nam Bian was a great experience and did not disappoint. There is one final point to raise, despite some hairy points during the day the final mile down the gorge had us watching our feet more than any where else. We thought at first we had lost the main path (who knows, maybe we did?), but it certainly kept you focused all the way back. Ritchie was helped for the first time in the gorge, and was delighted to get another Munro under his collar. He slept well all the way home and didn't even get up for fish and chips at the Real Food place at Tyndrum. Great scoff! Drams awaited...
Last edited by Bod on Wed Sep 29, 2010 9:07 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Bod
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Re: Bidean nam Bian

Postby kerrera » Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:23 pm

That's a great report Bod and Valerie. You certainly got a cracking day for it. It certainly brings back some fond memories of when I did it in, I think it was circa 1980. Funnily enough I did it the reverse of your route. On a day like you had it wouldn't matter. :)
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Re: Bidean nam Bian

Postby jonny616 » Mon Sep 27, 2010 4:56 pm

A great report & pics. When i did this it just rained constatly the floor of the lost valley was like a loch!. You are right about the mud chute down, it was like a stream & safer to slide down on your bum than try to walk.
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jonny616
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Re: Bidean nam Bian

Postby skuk007 » Mon Sep 27, 2010 6:19 pm

Great report, could tell from your report how exciting it was. Remember doing this one earlier in the year, how on earth did you get Ritchie up BNB from Stob Coire nan Lochan? Bit of a scramble!
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skuk007
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Re: Bidean nam Bian

Postby Bod » Mon Sep 27, 2010 6:36 pm

skuk007 wrote:Great report, could tell from your report how exciting it was. Remember doing this one earlier in the year, how on earth did you get Ritchie up BNB from Stob Coire nan Lochan? Bit of a scramble!

Strangely enough Ritchie had no real problems on the mountain including this stretch, although this was a concern for us and we almost never took our dog. I noticed other dogs in people's posts and decided to take him, because he is experienced and was prepared for a not too humid day. In fact the only help he needed was down in the Lost Valley gorge. Liked your photos too of your day back in May, we were up the Buachaille about the same time.
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Bod
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Re: Bidean nam Bian

Postby Jockstar » Tue Sep 28, 2010 1:05 pm

what a great walk and report...even the dog looked like he enjoyed every minute :lol: This has shown me what I might face at the end of October and I would love it of the weather was as good as yours. The photographs are stunning...well done Bod and Val ...the beauty of the Scottish hills brought to our attention just at a time when the grey and dark nights are starting to creep in ..... :D
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