A great viewpoint but....

[past my sell by date]

I climbed Beinn Mhic Mhonaidh a small but isolated hill a few years ago without a camera, but noted the excellent views - a point mentioned in the SMC Corbetts book. In 2018 I found the route closed due to "harvesting" in the forest so I tried again this April. Some photos taken on the way back

I couldn't resist stopping to capture Ben Lui from the A82, but when I got out of the car I winced in the strong and bitter wind: I was clearly going to have a tough time

View from the bridge over the river Orchy

It can be a lot more exciting

A few hundred metres after the start you need to keep L on the old track (signposted) and then R across this bridge

A couple of views over to the Allt Brioghleachan scrap of the Old Caledonian Forest

The first time here I decided the track was going "offline" now and pushed on down this ride. I eventually climbed the deer fence, but although it may well have been shorter It proved to be a "long" short cut Not the first I have made

Further up the track

Bheinn a Bhuiridh - an impressive Corbett

The track comes out of the trees and the whole hill can be seen
Out of the forest the strong wind became apparent. There were several groups of foreign speaking (German I think) groups wandering around. One waving a blue flag with 255 written on it. Some sort of international friendship event perhaps

The route climbs these rather tedious slopes. I made very slow progress in the gale force winds which seemed to be coming from the South, and kept L - close to the gully where they seemed slightly less

Looking back down

Looking S to the Ben Lui group - it was already apparent that conditions were very hazy
The wind got stronger and stronger and standing on the plateau was almost impossible, but I managed to sit in the lee of the Summit cairn and with difficulty get a few pics across the head of Glen Strae and Glen Kinglass to the Etive hills But I wasn't really sure what was what

Views from the summit

Bheinn a Bhuiridh and parts of Cruachan behind

Beinn nan Aighenan I think

Stob Coir nan Albannaich is straight opposite: I guess those must be the Glen Coe peaks behind on its R

Stob Gabhar R of centre

A wider view of all the hills to the North

Zoomed view North to the Ben (centre) - And that must be Meall nan Eun immediately L of it: This pic allowed me to orientate all the others:lol:
There was no chance of getting pics in any other direction, so I walked/crawled back down and found some slight shelter about 50m down. The first time I was here I had walked down the whole length of the ridge before making a steep direct descent to the forest - but NOT today

The bulky lumps of Beinn an Dothaidh and Beinn Dorain to the E

Futher R - Bheinn a Chaisteil (far R) and Sheasgarnich and Creg Mhor perhaps in the distance

Zoomed view to the Arrochar Alps R of the Ben Lui group. Lochan Coire Thoraidh in the foreground
I returned the same way as quickly as I could - glad to get out of the wind

[dav2930]

Some great shots there - a fine viewpoint indeed. Looked awkward getting through the forestry and it was a shame the strong wind rather spoilt your enjoyment, but a good day out all the same.

[past my sell by date]

Some great shots there - a fine viewpoint indeed. Looked awkward getting through the forestry and it was a shame the strong wind rather spoilt your enjoyment, but a good day out all the same.

Thanks Dave The walk through the woods is fine if you're disciplined and follow the path But I was rather disappointed in the summit views: the shots needed a lot of photoshopping to make anything of them. The first time I went - sans camera - it was much better. Still on Cruachan yesterday conditions were perfect and that's perhaps the best viewpoint in the Southern Highlands Report will take a while to prepare - I need to draw a lot of lines on the Munro map to work out what was what
edit Oh No I can look at the WH Summit panorama