free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Work has played havoc with writing walk reports recently. Two behind already, with possibly another to come after this weekend. So I'm playing catch up.
If my last report on the Monadh Liath Munros had been about a trip of two halves then this report keeps the numbers theme going, as I was having my third bite at the secretive Beinn Bhuidhe cherry.
My first experience of Beinn Bhuidhe had been Easter Monday 2012. Things hadn’t looked promising as I turned at the parking area at the head of Loch Fynne. Lots of big puddles and a persistent drizzle falling from the sky. Still, I was there and eventually suited and booted for the off. It’s a long four and a half mile walk to the locked bothy of Inverchorachain.
- First time down the Glen Fynne track
Passed the meeting place of the Heilan Coos. For some reason I take to talking to these beasts if ever I have walk through them, just to reassure them I mean them no harm........and could they please refrain from spearing me with those horns. Not too sure how good their English is, but it makes me feel better
Overall the walk in isn’t too bad, which was just as well really. Little did I know this was to be the first of three round trips just to bag the one hill. 27 miles without hardly and ascent at all
From the bothy the initial climb is quite steep (when aren’t they
), but over pretty soon, to be replaced by a lovely walk along the hill path which hugs the side of the ravine.....nice and snugly in places
Then came my first encounter with the ‘granny stopper’. I recall faffing about a bit with this at the time. Looking at it from either side and it looks like nothing to trouble anyone really. And in reality it isn’t that bad. Standing on it though and I was feeling the exposure of the steep drop behind me were I to slip
It was all conquered in a flash, with no real difficulty once I’d stopped faffing.
- Allt na Faing waterfall
Past the ‘granny stopper’ and it’s was a nice, if boggy, climb up by the waterfall off the Allt na Faing
By now patches of blue sky were showing and I was hopeful the day might not turn out too bad. By the time I hit the top of the path though up by the burn and onto the confusing, undulating plateau the cloud had descended so that I couldn’t see a thing ahead of me. And to make matters worse the rain had now turned to snow. To make matters even worse the wind had picked up and was blowing said snow right in my face. I decided, quite easily as it happened, that I didn’t need this, so decided to put it down to experience and call it a day
- Some sun before the snow hit
- Granny stopper on the return
Back down, over the ‘granny stopper’ (easier second time round even though it was now nice and wet) and back to the bothy and the return four and a half mile trip back to the car.......with the sun coming out
As a consolation I stopped off at the Fynne Brewery to avail myself of some of their Fynne Ales. And Fynne they were.....
- Even more sunshine on the return
- Coos
.....The second bite of the cherry was on 9 December 2012. I was accompanied by my work buddy Stuart and this time the weather was looking good, so far as cloud free Munro summits was concerned.
This time round the parking area at the head of Loch Fynne had been transformed into an ice rink
As we were getting ready we saw a car drive in, accompanied by an horrendous crashing noise. Unfortunately the chap had misjudged the height of his mountain bike on the roof of his car, which had been knocked off by the top of the barrier and smashed his rear windscreen
Ouch
A rather abrupt end to his day unfortunately.
Stuart and I headed along the ice rink that was the tarmac track past the Fynne Brewery. It was really quite bad in places and didn’t improve any the further we headed into the Glen. Stuart was a little unnerved by the coos at the meeting place of the Heilan coos, but they left us well alone
- Wintery day in Glen Fynne
- Ice cold water
- Icy track on the walk in
Arriving at the Inverchorachain bothy and we prepared for the initial steep climb up. It was pretty icy and Stuart at this point didn’t have crampons. It was difficult to know how much it would be icy further up or how much it would be softer snow. As a result we decided to jack the walk in and return from whence we came. It wasn’t worth the risk, even though it looked to be set for a good day otherwise.
- Inverchorachain
- Icy route up
Stopped off at the Fynne Brewery again on the return to avail myself of some more of their Fynne Ales as consolation........
.......And so to the third, and thankfully final, bite of the Beinn Bhuidhe cherry
10% chance of cloud free Munros, but otherwise the weather looked like it would be pretty benign. Stuart was planning to join me again (all crampon’d up), but sadly hadn’t been feeling too great so pulled out. I did have another friend with me though. My new toy. Enter Garmin Etrex 30 (probably should have gone for the Satmap, but so far so good for the Etrex 30). This was to be my maiden attempt at using a GPS and I was thinking the confusing, undulating plateau before the final climb onto the ridge would be a good test of it, and my, capabilities
- Calmer conditions for the third.....and thankfully final time
- Baby coos monitoring my progress
This time, as I approached the meeting point of the Heilan coos they all scarpered. Perhaps it was my bright red Jacket that spooked them. Not sure what happened to them though. As I came to cross the next cattle grid further on they had all disappeared. Either it was as a result of some bizarre alien abduction........or they were hidden in the forest.
By the time I reached the bothy I was beginning to tire of this route
A quick rest and it was up the familiarly steep initial climb before the more enjoyable trek along the ravine hugging path. This time the ‘granny stopper’ was just a pleasure and then I was on up the boggy path beside the Allt na Faing. Not so much water coming off the waterfall this time round.
- Waterfall on the Allt na Faing
- Third crack at the granny stopper
- Probably as good as the views got on this walk
Cloud was descending by this point, but not to Easter Monday proportions and I was enjoying testing my ability to use the GPS. I’d had it in my head the path from this point can be difficult to locate or, if located, keep located. I can have something of an ‘occasional’ relationship with paths, but this time round I managed to follow it all the way to the climb up onto the ridge
I didn’t really need the GPS, but it was good to prove its worth in these sorts of conditions. Overall I was quite impressed and I’ll be much more confident in it when I actually do need to use it in anger
- What, where I was heading
The climb up onto the ridge looked a real shocker as I stood beneath it looking up. In truth it’s actually not that bad. I managed to keep to the eroded path all the way to the ridge and it was only in a couple of sizeable patches of soft, and as I discovered, deep snow that I had some ‘fun’
Nothing too risking, but a bit of care was needed as it was a pretty steep little climb.
- The final climb up onto the ridge
- A bit of a closer look up the route onto the ridge
The ridge was great
A good path all the way to the summit. Couldn’t see hee-haw as I walked along it and couldn’t see hee-haw from the summit either
But it was a nice easy walk after all the effort of getting onto it.
- Ridge in the mist
- View (!) down off the ridge
- Final short walk to the summit
I have to say though I was disappointed when I arrived at the summit. Not at the lack of views so much, but.......where were the dancing girls.........where was the bar......and where was the CAIRN
After all that effort I had taken over three attempts to get to the summit of this secretive lump and I’m greeted by this totie wee pile o stones
I think I deserved a bit more than that for all my efforts
- Totie summit cain
Despite the lack of views I sat at the summit for a short while before heading down. I decided to simply retrace my steps, rather than head further along the ridge. At one point I could swear I heard voices, but no one materialised out of the gloom. A bit later on I was convinced I heard them again, but still no one appeared. The drop down off the ridge was good fun as I temporarily turned away from the path down a steep bank of snow
Back on the path it was an easy meander and I made my way back. No rush and eventually I stopped again for a short break and some food.
Heading off and those voices appeared again. I was getting worried by now
Eventually I spied two bodies further down the path (way down the path) heading back to the track. Not sure if we has passed in the mist somewhere (I’d seen no trace of fresh boot prints in the snow on the ridge), but they were well ahead of me by now. All very odd, but at least I was going (any more) bonkers (than I already am)
- Waterfall on the Allt na Faing
- Heading back for the third and final time
From here on in it was a straightforward return trip to the car. The Heilan coos were back at their meeting point (the aliens had returned them........ or else they had come out of hiding in the forest). No stop off at the Fynne Brewery this time. Actually completing the hill meant the shop was closed
But this time the consolation for no ales was a red marker finally turned blue.....