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Lui, a Chleib, Oss, Dubhchraig from Dalrigh along Cononish

PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 1:15 am
by rockhopper
Having read various reports, I decided that I wanted to approach the Ben Lui group along the track from Dalrigh by the River Cononish as it afforded the best views of the approach to Ben Lui.
[My track below is truncated to less than 500 waypoints as the activelog was too large]


Lui, a Chleib, Oss, Dubhchraig - 25sep2010.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts



Crossing the Erskine Bridge with first light just appearing to the east was magical – followed by ever increasing light over Loch Lomond. It was 2-3 Celsius all the way up until it dipped to zero at Crianlarich but better to be cold than wet.

Given the distance, I decided to cycle the first few miles – with hindsight, this probably doesn’t save much time as it means funding a return route to the bike instead of returning from Beinn Dubhchraig by the usual route, a 200 – 250m ascent by bike and extra hassle/stops to changeover and secure it. On the plus side though, the return down to Dalrigh was faster even with walking boots on rather than cycling shoes !

Part way up the track I rounded a corner and got my first glimpse of Ben Lui – a majestic site with the rising sun catching its eastern side which was also my approach route.

1 - first view of Ben Lui from River Cononish.JPG


3 - sunrise.JPG


Close to the end of the track there’s an old rusty fence post with a diagonal strut set into concrete – very useful for securing the bike before starting to walk. From there I crossed the Allt an Rund burn, where there’s also an old dry stone walled sheep pen, and headed up into Coire Gaothach on the northern side of the burn which comes down the corrie.

4 - from foot of Ben Lui - track rises on left of burn.JPG


There’s a good track all the way up and was not boggy. There are two straightforward approaches from the corry, ie the northern and southern flanks and I had picked the northern one. From lower down they look very hard but once inside the corry they are actually not too bad.

6 - looking back down River Cononish.JPG


Heading on up the track I got to a point where it split to go to either side of the corry. There’s a small cairn at this point.

7 - track divide beside small cairn - north route ahead.JPG



I headed off up to the northern flank of the corry with great views backwards. [At this point I had to stop to put on sock liners as my toes were frozen].

9 - east towards Ben More.JPG


The view got even better when I reached the northern ridge where I turned south up towards the top of Ben Lui.

10 - Top of Coire Gaothach before turning south up final ridge.JPG


There’s a wee bit of scrambling and some steep drops but again it’s not hard going.

11 - ridge to top.JPG


I got to the north top then the main top when, as luck would have it, the wind had got up and it got a bit cloudy. I waited a bit before going on Beinn a Chleib but it didn’t move away.

12 - River Cononish from Ben Lui summit.JPG


13 - west towards Ben Cruachan.JPG


14 - Ben Lui summit.JPG


The path down to Beinn a Chleib is mostly loose stones/rocks but is easy enough and then there’s a good track upwards.

15 - Beinn a Chleib.JPG


The top comes fairly early on but I walked its length to see the views over to Ben Cruachan and Loch Awe. It’s a very exposed ridge and the strong winds made standing upright harder but the sky had cleared again and the views were wonderful.

16 - Ben Cruachan from Beinn a Chleib.JPG


17 - south to Arrochar Alps.JPG


I then headed back down Beinn a Chleib now aiming for Ben Oss. However, rather than going back up to the top of Ben Lui and then down the flank via Coire Laoigh, I headed round more or less following the same contour line. There was no track here and the ground was a mix of soft grass and boggy bits with some streams to cross – it can also be harder on the ankles walking at an angle but the views more than compensated.

18 - Coire Annaich.JPG


I rejoined at the Creag Dhubh bhealaich which is a fairly flat piece of boggy ground, offering some respite from the strong wind (stopped here in the sunshine for lunch), which then takes you north east to start the walk up to Ben Oss.

19 - approach to Ben Oss.JPG


I did find some tracks but also tended to lose them but it’s a fairly straightforward climb up to the top. At the top, I met Graeme Dewar with his dog, Lucy - he had camped out the night before.

20 - Ben Lui from Ben Oss.JPG


21 - Ben Lomond and Loch Lomond.JPG


22 - Ben More, Stob Binnein, Cruach Ardrain, Ben Tulaichean.JPG


23 - Beinn Dubhchraig and Loch Oss.JPG


24 - Ben Lui.JPG


There’s a track from Ben Oss to Beinn Dubhchraig but I missed the first part of it as I wanted to have a look further over to the north. Picking up the track I headed on up to the last munro of the day with lovely views all round and down over Loch Oss. At the top of Beinn Dubhchraig the 360 degree view is fantastic and I could see over Ben More, Stob Binnein, Cruach Ardrain, An Caisteal, down to Ben Lomond and Loch Lomond, Arrochar Alps, round to Beinn Bhuidhe etc.

26 - Arrochar Alps.JPG


27 - Beinn Dubhchraig summit.JPG


Instead of heading north east down from Beinn Dubhchraig I had to head north west back to get my bike. I had worked out a route which took me down the north ridge and then west along the bottom of Coire Buidhe. The going was fairly easy in long grass although it was boggy at time with burns and water to cross. On the plus side, I had some lovely views of Ben Lui with the sun now behind it from the south.

28 - return route to bike.JPG


Then on to the bike and a nice cycle back down the track to Dalrigh. A fantastic day and a trip I’d love to do again but the next time I think I’d vary it a bit, eg walk up Cononish with the return down the north eastern ridge from Beinn Dubhchraig.

Re: Lui, a Chleib, Oss, Dubhchraig from Dalrigh along Cononish

PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 5:56 pm
by skuk007
Another great detailed report with good pictures. I was looking at a way to join these four into one day when I get around to them. You do like your long walks. :)

Re: Lui, a Chleib, Oss, Dubhchraig from Dalrigh along Cononish

PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 6:18 pm
by rockhopper
Thanks sku - I like the longer walks and the challenge of putting them together.....but they do take me a fair length of time as I'm not overly fast and I like to stop to look at the views and take photos.

Re: Lui, a Chleib, Oss, Dubhchraig from Dalrigh along Cononish

PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 9:27 pm
by kevsbald
Good route - we might need to get you to join up with Graeme and Curlywurly on our 'long' days.

Re: Lui, a Chleib, Oss, Dubhchraig from Dalrigh along Cononish

PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 10:28 pm
by Graeme D
Good stuff Rockhopper. I must say some of those views are quite familiar to me after the weekend! :D

Re: Lui, a Chleib, Oss, Dubhchraig from Dalrigh along Cononish

PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 9:00 pm
by rockhopper
Thanks all

kevsbald - not sure I'd be fit enough for one of yours but will have a look

graeme - looking forward to day 2 of your trip 8)

Re: Lui, a Chleib, Oss, Dubhchraig from Dalrigh along Cononish

PostPosted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 2:30 am
by mountain coward
Thanks for the detailed pics of the 'front' of the Ben Lui and its routes - Richard's really wanting to do the ridge you did - I said I'd go up and have a look but am not sure I'd continue up it. I think there's supposed to be a slightly easier route up the other ridge - or at least towards the other ridge, traversing past it across a scree path and then crossing the smaller corrie up to the summit ridge from there. I'm sure the scrambling on 'your' ridge is well within my capabilities but the steep drops might not be!

Sunday was a cracking day wasn't it? We were waving at you from the Ben More/Stobinian round :D

Re: Lui, a Chleib, Oss, Dubhchraig from Dalrigh along Cononish

PostPosted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 9:39 am
by kinley
Big Day!

Loved the sunrise shot - beautiful colour.

Been up Lui by that route twice - really attractive ascent without any difficulties. 8)

Tempted to go back again - Cheers :D

Re: Lui, a Chleib, Oss, Dubhchraig from Dalrigh along Cononish

PostPosted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 10:40 pm
by rockhopper
thanks guys

mountaincoward - the scrambly bits and drops weren't too bad ( I'm no mountaineer so I would tend to say that if I can manage it then so could most people)...............maybe it's an age thing and my eyesights not so good so apologies if I missed you waving from Ben More :eh: :crazy: :lol:

Re: Lui, a Chleib, Oss, Dubhchraig from Dalrigh along Cononish

PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2010 1:44 am
by mountain coward
And there I was thinking you were just being stand-offish! :lol:

It's the steepness which will get to me if anything - I don't like exposure or steepness at all... having said that, the photo you take looking up the actual ridge/scrambly bit, looks okay really. All I can do is go up with Richard and have a look...

Re: Lui, a Chleib, Oss, Dubhchraig from Dalrigh along Cononish

PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2010 11:21 am
by rockhopper
With your hills experience I don't think you'll have a problem ! :D eg I've got An Stuc on my to do list and from what I've read it has similar or actually trickier bits and you've already done it....

Might need to take my binoculars next time so that I can see better :lol:

Re: Lui, a Chleib, Oss, Dubhchraig from Dalrigh along Cononish

PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2010 11:39 am
by kinley
rockhopper wrote:I've got An Stuc on my to do list and from what I've read it has similar or actually trickier bits and you've already done it....


FYI - The entire steep face of An Stuc can be bypassed on a goat track running from the bealach with Meall Garbh to the N ridge of An Stuc. No rotten/loose ascent/descent :)

Re: Lui, a Chleib, Oss, Dubhchraig from Dalrigh along Cononish

PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2010 4:44 pm
by houdi
Excellent report and fantastic clear pics. I did Lui via Connonish last year. I went up on the left side of the corrie (south), over the summit and down the other side. Up on the left, I followed a path going around the left side to a smaller corrie leading up on to the path from the summit to Ben Oss and I stumbled across the wreckage of the Lockheed Hudson strewn down a shallow gulley which takes one of the hill's many burns to the Alt Corrie Laoigh. I never intended to ascend that way (like you I was going to take the reverse route as the path is better on the right hand side of the corrie), but I'm pleased I did otherwise I'd have missed the crash site.

Re: Lui, a Chleib, Oss, Dubhchraig from Dalrigh along Cononish

PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2010 9:41 pm
by rockhopper
thanks kinley - that's good to know as I was planning to follow the Coire nan Cat circuit and I'll also have a look at GraemeD's report

thanks houdi - that's interesting as I didn't know about the wreckage - might need to try and get back up sometime in the future

cheers :D

Re: Lui, a Chleib, Oss, Dubhchraig from Dalrigh along Cononish

PostPosted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 1:34 am
by mountain coward
rockhopper wrote:With your hills experience I don't think you'll have a problem ! :D eg I've got An Stuc on my to do list and from what I've read it has similar or actually trickier bits and you've already done it....

Might need to take my binoculars next time so that I can see better :lol:


Yeah I did An Stuc... from the back! Didn't go near the scramble, except to peer down into the thick mist to see if I could see it!