Beinn a'Chochuill

[HalfManHalfTitanium]

If the Munros were ranked for providing extraordinary views for not much effort, then I'd put Beinn a'Chochuill near the top of the table.

I had a good MWIS forecast for the Sunday, so decided on Ben Starav, a hill I have long admired. So for the Saturday, I wanted something fairly easy that would not tire out my metal knee before Starav. With an ok-ish forecast for western Argyll, Beinn a'Chochuill (without Beinn Eunaich) seemed to fit the bill perfectly.

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I parked near the bridge before Castles Farm. Cloud was topping the Dalmally Horseshoe, much as I expected from the forecast.

IMG_1100 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

My start was delayed by watching a treecreeper working over the trunk of this tree for several minutes. Of course as soon as I got my camera out it flew off.

IMG_1101 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

I was more successful with domesticated creatures. This is the pond at Castles Farm.

IMG_1102 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Yellow is the must-have colour for accessories this season.

IMG_1103 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The gorse thinks so too.

IMG_1206 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Th track took me easily to the cairn marking the start of the path up the south-east ridge of Beinn a'Chochuill.

From here, the little path was a delight to follow - unfolding ahead of me, a few steps at a time. I am a very slow walker, but it seemed no time at all that I had a fine view back down the valley of my ascent route, with a bit of Loch Awe and Kilchurn Castle in the distance.

IMG_1220 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Sron an Isean from the same spot.

IMG_1217 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

As I climbed, the peaks of the Ben Cruachan group were revealed, one after another - Stob Dearg was the first major summit to appear.

IMG_1227 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Beinn Eunaich and the valley of the Allt Lairig Ianachain - my planned descent route.Ben Lui in the distance.

IMG_1231 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Higher up, the path gave me a side view of the Dalmally Horseshoe - Sron an Isean almost completely hiding Stob Daimh from this angle, and Stob Garbh's north-eastern crags looking impressive.

IMG_1246 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The upper ridge merges into the main mass of the hill, and I headed for point 896m on Beinn Chochuill's east ridge. After the grassy, sunny slopes I'd climbed, the sudden view to the north was a revelation.

IMG_1356 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Looking from the same spot towards Beinn a'Chochuill's summit ridge.

IMG_1260 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

From here, the walk was absolute perfection.

What I loved was not just the quality of the views to be seen all around from this long easy grassy ridge, but their variety.

Behind me, curving ridges led the eye to the southern Highlands.

IMG_1294 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

To my right, there were views towards Loch Etive and the hills of Appin.

IMG_1287 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

To my left, there was an ever-changing view of the massed Cruachan peaks, looking truly Alpine - they reminding me of views of the Weisshorn group from across the Zermatt valley.

IMG_1276 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The ridge ahead

IMG_1297 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The ridge-top cornice just east of the summit

IMG_1299 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The cairn

IMG_1300 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

A few yards west of the cairn there was a patch of short-cropped grass like a bowling green, which had some of the finest views of all - this is looking down the west ridge towards Loch Etive.

IMG_1312 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

South to the highest of the Ben Cruachan peaks - from here, they looked colossal.

IMG_1315 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

East across a sea of ridges to Ben More, Stob Binnein and Ben Lui, with Cruach Ardrain peeping over its shoulder.

IMG_1325 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

A wider view of the same scene.

IMG_1331 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

North across Glen Kinglass, with a skyline of the Glen Etive hills, the Blackmount and the Bridge of Orchy hills.

IMG_1351 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Eventually I had to set off back down the hill. A last fond look back at the summit...

IMG_1352 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

From the Lairig Ianachain - a squall over Stob Ghabhar

IMG_1365 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The descent into the corrie was pathless but very easy. I followed the Allt Lairig Ianachain, a beautiful stream with many falls and pools.

IMG_1372 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

IMG_1382 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

From the valley, I could see clouds gathering over Sron an Isean, but I was in sunshine almost all the way down.

IMG_1374 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

I came to one of the hidden features of these hills - a tunnel leading down into the Cruachan Pumped Storage Scheme. Or possibly into the lair of a Bond villain.

IMG_1396 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The stream and pool near the tunnel.

IMG_1373 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

From the mouth of the tunnel, a good track led back to join up with my outward route.

IMG_1398 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The new monarch of the glen.

IMG_1399 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

I was soon back near Castles Farm. Despite the snow on the peaks above, these woods seemed to be on the edge of Spring.

IMG_1413 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Industrial scenes and natural beauty.

IMG_1419 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

IMG_1423 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Evening light on Loch Awe.

IMG_1436 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

IMG_1437 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Sunset over Beinn a'Bhuiridh

IMG_1442 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

[prog99]

If Carlsberg made walks they'd be like watered down p**s though.
Nice pics.