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Note Photos from two occasionsI've really enjoyed all the four Etive Corbetts. They are big, steep, exciting and with great views: you start directly from the road at a low altitude and they feel much more like Munros. So it was with a tinge of sadness that I set out in late May 2017 to do the last - Beinn Trilleachan. But the weather was red hot, and expecting some en route, I took only a litre of water. But I found not even a trickle
and by the time I reached the sub-summit my bottle was empty, I was already very thirsty and It seemed foolhardy to go on
But forewarned is forearmed, so on this occasion - in perfect but again very hot weather - I took nearly 2 litres which proved only just enough. This close to the West coast, the vegetation low on the hill is luxuriant - to say the least - and the lovely aroma of the bog myrtle permeated the atmosphere
. I followed the "patchy" path beside the wood through knee deep grass and continued on it for a while after it broke away to the L.
The start - Cruachan - down Loch Etive - looking majesticThe path veers off L up and across the hillsideFrom a bit higher. I am always intrigued by the perfect parabola between the Buchailles at the head of the Lairig Gartain: A parabola is of the form y= some function of x squared so I take this to indicate that the erosive power of ice is proportional to the square of its depth - but maybe that's just simplistic In theory you ascend the SE ridge, but the only description of the terrain I can think of is "amorphous" - you just plod on up the steep slope Looking back from higher still - The huge bulk of Stob Dubh fills the R of the picture Eventually the angle eases - but it's still quite a way to the sub-summitAt this point on my first attempt, an eagle flew alongside the loch beneath me. from above you see the wonderful golden colour that gives it its name. It turned across the loch, climbed steeply and came back right over my head. I quickly grabbed the camera and blasted away - a bracket of three each time. unfortunately in "idiot automatic" the focus is set for depth rather than pinpoint accuracy, and I didn't have time to adjust it, so the pics are not sharp. I was still quite pleased - at least you can see what it is
- but compared to other Walk-Highlander's eagles it pales into mediocrity
.
Across the lochBehind me and above my headEventually I reached the point where both summits come into view and it's not far to the sub-summit Views from the sub-summitThe cairn looking West - Creach Bheinn centre and Beinn Sgulaird R Sgulaird L and Fraochaidh centre: I guess that must be Ardgour behindBeinn Fhionnlaidh - with Bheinn a Bheithir behind LZoomed view - Bidean on the R and Sgor na -h- Ulaidh and Stob an Fhuarain centreWider view of the whole NW panoramaLooking up the glenBen Starav is right oppositeZoomedLooking on to the summitFrom the start of the steep descent - Cruachan across Loch EtiveLooking back at the descent - seen from here it's quite benign, but it's a convex slope and at the top it's not so obvious where to go. Like most others I think I started down to the R - L in this pic Basalt dykes in the graniteViews from the main summit The Ben Lui group on the L over the shoulder of Starav - Beinn Eunaich on the ROut to sea - over Creach Bheinn and BarcaldineZoomed view - the white screes of Sgorr Dhearg on the R, Sgorr Dhonuill centre and Fraochaidh LBack over the sub-summit and up the glenLoch Etive and Cruachan again: I could just make out the paps of Jura and Colonsay on the horizon but the picture isn't clear enough for them to be seenI retraced my steps, pausing to peer down this steep narrow gullyOn the drive back up the glen I couldn't resist a photo of An Grianan in the evening sun A wonderful day out and a beer at the Kingshouse on the way home