From Lightning Bolt to Thunderbolt

[PeteR]

Another quick report and some photos from a recent trip back onto Beinn a'Bheithir.

I had a walking companion for this one, in the shape of Stuart, a colleague from work who was keen to get out in the hills. He’s no novice himself, but hasn’t been out as regularly as myself. I’d made a few suggestions, and we decided on Beinn a'Bheithir as he hadn’t done this hill himself before. So, with the Olympics coming to an end all talk of Oosain “Lightening” Bolt was replaced with talk of the Thunderbolt

Weather wise it was a perfect day, as we had warm sunshine all day, with enough breeze from time to time to cool us down. Really don’t need many words, as hopefully the pictures tell the story

Beinn a'Bheithir from the start of the walk

I’d chosen to include Sgorr Bhan as well as the two Munros, to make a proper circuit of the walk and also because the view from that top up to Sgorr Dhearg is (in my opinion) breathtaking

Got some great views back toward the Loch Leven and the Glencoe and surrounding hills on the way up. I had warned Stuart that the trek up the flank of Sgorr Bhan was steep, pathless and involved a lovely section of heather and bracken before we eventually located the path. I’d forgotten just how steep and just how lovely the heather and bracken was A tough introduction to the hill, that’s for sure.

The bracken-fest

And the at last, the path

The "Pap" and Loch Leven

Down to the bridge and Loch Leven

Once on the path the rest of the route is a sheer pleasure (well, except for one section that Stuart was not at all keen on later in the day )

On the route up Beinn Bhan

Beinn Bhan ridge higher up toward the summit

Loch Leven from Beinn Bhan summit

The view from Beinn Bhan to Sgorr Dhearg

Walking to Sgurr Bhan and then onto the two Munros of Sgorr Bhan and Sgorr Dhonuill is on a good path and any steepness doesn’t really feel that bad. Had great views from all three summits

On the way up Sgorr Dhearg

View back from Sgorr Dhearg to Beinn Bhan

Sgurr Dhonuill from Sgorr Dhearg

The route up Sgurr Dhonuill

The Dragon's tooth

Sgurr Dhonuill - the classic view

Sgorr Dhearg from Sgurr Dhonuill

The Bidean

And then the descent

I’d chosen to drop down off Sgorr Dhonuill and work our way round Coire Dearg. Here there is a steep, scree filled gully I should have taken a picture of Stuart’s face, but it would have been cruel I don’t think he realised we were going down that And the look he gave suggested he thought I was taking the p*** He definitely didn’t enjoy it, that’s for sure.

View out to sea coming down of Sgurr Dhonuill

The "other" side of Sgurr Dhonuill as we descended

Yes Stuart, that is the way down...

See, it wasn't that steep....

Route heading into the forest back to the road

We made it down safely though, but not before some young female whipper-snapper jogged down past us like she was out for a quick stroll to the shops

After the gully we picked up a path through the forestry and onto the land rover tracks. We turned right here and made our way to the roadside close to the old church and the short walk back to Ballachulish.

Just liked this view of the burn coming down through the trees at the point we hit the forestry track back to the road

A nice view of the Loch on the walk back down the forestry track

A last view of the Pap and Loch Leven

All in all another great day on the hills and good to re-visit this beauty

[dogplodder]

Love your photo of the view back from Sgorr Dhearg.

I'm with Stuart on those scree descents.

[pigeon]

Nice one pete,brings back memories of the climb up through the heather of Sgurr Ban Had one of our best days on these hills,very under rated for some reason,maybe because a lot of people don't use the horseshoe option.Some good pics as well,cheers

[PeteR]

Love your photo of the view back from Sgorr Dhearg.

I'm with Stuart on those scree descents.

Thanks dogplodder. A good hill this one. Stuart is still complaining about that scree I take all as part of the fun of the hills.

[PeteR]

Nice one pete,brings back memories of the climb up through the heather of Sgurr Ban Had one of our best days on these hills,very under rated for some reason,maybe because a lot of people don't use the horseshoe option.Some good pics as well,cheers

Thanks pigeon. Couldn't have asked for better weather than this. I agree about this route too. Much preferable than the baggers route

[ChrisW]

Great stuff Pete, wish you'd got a pic of your mates face at teh top of that descent....we wouldn't have laughed Your photos throughout this one are stunning mate, absolutely love em

[audreywaugh]

I know how he felt! I didn't like the look of that scree gully either, getting onto it was the hardest part, but once on, it was fine, great walk back through the forest. Good report and photos thanks for sharing

[JFMurray]

Nice report Pete. I did exactly the same route on exactly the same day and have almost exactly the same photos! Judging by the shadows you left a little later than me. I wasn't going to go down the scree, but a guy I met at the summit of Sgorr Dhonuill had just come up it and suggested it was nae problem, so I headed off that way.

What a cracker of a day it was! Attached another couple of pics.

An alternative (really?) view of Sgorr Dearg

The pointy summit of Beinn Bhan