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Ladhar Bheinn from Barisdale

Ladhar Bheinn from Barisdale


Postby filox » Mon Nov 22, 2010 7:55 pm

Munros included on this walk: Ladhar Bheinn

Date walked: 20/11/2010

Time taken: 8 hours

Distance: 13 km

Ascent: 1400m

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So I was off to Knoydart on Friday evening hoping to do Ladhar Bheinn, supposedly one of the finer hills in Scotland. We parked at Kinloch Hourn on Friday night and walked in to Barisdale bothy, arriving there just after 2am. The walk in is only about 8km but the path is very very boggy and can make for a tiring trip, especially if you are carrying a lot of stuff (as I was :) ).

In the morning we set off to do Ladhar Bheinn, first following the path and then breaking off and going up a steep, pathless slope.

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Stob a Chearcaill peeking over the skyline


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Looking down to Barisdale bay


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Way to Stob na Muicraidh is steep and pathless


The terrain seems to level off a bit at around 650m, but the final push to reach Stob a Chearcaill does involve some scrambling. However, once up, views of loch Hourn, Knoydart, and Coire Dhorrcaill are fantastic.

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Looking back to glen Barrisdale


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Parts can be very boggy, although it's not that common higher up


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Stob a Chearcaill doesn't seem to be getting any closer


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We are rewarded with some nice view of surrounding hills


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Luinne Bheinn already has some snow on it - wonder what Ladhar has in store for us?


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First (very easy) scrambly bit


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View into Coire Dhorrcail with loch Hourn in the background


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A very nice view of Beinn Sgritheall and village of Arnisdale


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The further ridge will be our way down


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Ladhar Bheinn is somewhere in that cloud. You can also see the Cuillin ridge in the background


Continue along the ridge (which is very flat at this point) until you reach 849m point and then turn northwest. Descend into the cull and follow the path up again (easy scrambling) and down again, a couple of times :). There is a good path all the way and the going isn't very tough.

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Looking back to Coire Dhorrcail


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The path zig-zags up the ridge


From the final saddle before Ladhar Bheinn, the final push is quite steep and the path seems to run out (or was covered in snow). This goes on for about 190m of ascent and was probably the toughest part, at least for me. Once up on the ridge, there is one branch that goes to Ladhar Bheinn (and the trig point) and one that goes to Stob a Choire Odhair. Do Ladhar Bheinn, retrace your steps, and go down over Stob a Choire Odhair. Note that there is already lots of frozen snow
on the hill and ice axes and possibly crampons would be most welcome. We didn't have any, and we did the descent in the dark, so this made our going fairly slow. The descent is exposed so care should be taken.
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Our way down will go over Stob a choire Odhair


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Ladhar Bheinn (on the left) and the trig point on the right


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Final views towards the sea before heading down


Once down, find the path and go back to the bothy. A quick note about the bothy: it costs 3 pounds per person per night, and there is no fire so it gets quite cold inside. There is electricity (just for lights), and a toilet with running water. There is room for about 12 people inside.
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Re: Ladhar Bheinn from Barisdale

Postby monty » Mon Nov 22, 2010 8:05 pm

Thats a nice report Filox.
Some excellent views in your photos. Strange not neing able to light a fire in the bothy, especially at this time of year. :D
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Re: Ladhar Bheinn from Barisdale

Postby filox » Mon Nov 22, 2010 8:19 pm

monty wrote:Strange not neing able to light a fire in the bothy, especially at this time of year. :D


They don't allow fire at all, apparently due to people using furniture as firewood :?
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Re: Ladhar Bheinn from Barisdale

Postby gaffr » Mon Nov 22, 2010 10:07 pm

That's a fine image of some of the Arnisdale group of hills. Haven't been to Ladhar Bheinn since 1981 which I did in the opposite direction to the one taken by yourself. Just wonder how many folks are attracted to the trig point top, who, like me thought that this was the main summit :lol: Not many helpful manuals in those days....a mere listing in the celebrated tables of summits. I remember finding the descent from stob a'chearcaill having to be watchful owing to the slippery mosses on the rocks of the ridge. I recall that the big cast iron stove, when stoked up, fed hot water to a bath which was very welcome :D
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Re: Ladhar Bheinn from Barisdale

Postby malky_c » Mon Nov 22, 2010 11:32 pm

8) Always look forward to reports from Knoydart, particuarly ones with views :lol:

Looks like a fine day out. Like Gaffr, I did this in the opposite direction. Conditions were fairly similar too, with snow high up and a bit of hide and seek with the cloud right on the summit.

I find Barrisdale bothy a bit of a let-down, in bothy terms at least. While it does appear to have all mod cons, it has a bit of a scruffy feel and the lack of a fire would make things a bit parky at this time of year, I'd imagine. Can't fault the location though :D
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Re: Ladhar Bheinn from Barisdale

Postby mountain coward » Tue Nov 23, 2010 10:04 am

Thanks for that report and detailed pics :D . I certainly wouldn't do it snow myself as that descent ridge looks too narrow for me to be comfortable in snow. I think looking at your pics you did the round the right way round - I wouldn't want to come down the Chearchaill end I don't think! I'm hoping I can do this round someday but it looks fairly testing for a mountain coward!
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