Two cracking Grahams But! Cleggs, Black Flies, Crags etc.

[The Rodmiester]

With the weather forecast being pretty awful for the Saturday of the AMC club meet I therefore decided to do a couple of Grahams on the Friday. I had read other WH reports (not many) and had made up my mind that these two required dry underfoot conditions and reasonable visibility due to enable to take advantage of the views from both summits of Binnein Shuas and the second Graham Binnein Shios. I have often admired both peaks from the drivers seat as I travelled on the A86 the Laggan to Spean Bridge road on the way to bag bigger hills on the North West and Skye. There are two large parking areas near Moy Lodge on the A86 South side, cross the track bridge across the River Spean, take the track which heads East (left) and after passing some heavy excavations including equipment, used for estate road/track building you soon come to Y junction, take the right fork and walk in a Southerly direction towards the Allt Meall Ardruighe.
Since it had been such a dry spell I decided to cut directly up the West flank of Binnein Shuas so left the track very early on and climbed the easy but somewhat long grassed slopes of BS which I found out very early on had been harbouring thousands of black flies and what seemed like hundreds of skin piercing Cleggs, which meant no stopping all the way to the summit ridge, sucking at the platypus often to put back some of the fluids I was loosing as it was about 24degrees temperature. Constant flapping of hands to try and remove some of the blood sucking little Beees must have made me look a little unhinged, I'm very glad I had my long thin Summer trousers on, 'stuff shorts on a day such as this', bare legs with those things, not nice.

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Binnein Shuas behind the excavations for new track material from the track

Ithink this Western flank of BS would be pretty wet after a wet period of weather, but today was fine although with there being no path in any form made for quite hard going with such deep grassed areas

Looking West towards the West end of Loch Laggan and also An Cearcallach a Munro Top on Creag Meagaidh (right) and the South flank of Beinn a' Chaorainn (left)

Looking towards the summit, the further you go the rockier it gets

Now and then a feint path appears this one just alongside and beloe this rockface

Summit reached in One Hour twenty minutes. View looking East towards the second Graham Binnein Shios with Lochan na h Earba on the right

Looking West from the summit ridge

Loch Laggan, Binnein Shios and Lochan na Earba from the summit

Small downclimb to a peat hag area then keeking the large summit rocks on your left head along at the base towards the second Graham

Keeping on low ground head towards the V in the summit and down a quite steep section with crags to avoid until you cross over another deep grassy area harbouring more of the dreaded all ready mentioned blood suckers and more of the swarming black flies, not stoppe for anythin to eat as yet, maybe at the second summit!

Looking back from where I'd come Binnein Shuas in the far distance with Loch Laggan on the right

Creag Meagaidh on the other side of Loch Laggan from the summit ridge

View from the summit of Binneinn Shios looking East

The East Beach at Loch Laggan Zoomed

Looking down from the summit towards Loch Laggan (West) . As I am coming off the summit veering slightly North as I go so I can see if an access gate alongside the Soth side of the tree plantation exists, as I am to be aiming to gain access to the South Loch Laggan track ASAP

Coming over this Western flank of BS, quite difficult to keep your feet as there are many hidden boulders because of the deepness of the grass, so care required

Beyond a single tree on the Western slopes there is a distinct low point where a wee burn passes below the deer fence, there is also a gate at this point which needs to be climbed

Maybe not the best way as there are some fallen trees barring your way but there are ways around them and as long as your heading North your going to find the track, its much better and much faster walking than through the deep grass

Loch Laggan from the South track

Moy Lodge Zoomed from South track

[AnnieMacD]

Fabulous views on a fabulous day. I was at the Grahams too this weekend - much harder to find and keep to paths if they exist at all.

[BlackPanther]

You beat us to these two They are high on our list, but not necessarily in the company of clegs
I guess all scrambling on Binnein Shuas can be avoided? Not that I'm afraid of bum-shuffling down the rocks

We visited the wee minister yesterday and met some really BIG horseflies. Kevin photographed one warming itself on our car. I suppose that's the biggest British species - band-eyed brown horsefly. Horrible creatures, they were about inch and a half long, luckily they didn't attack us.

[The Rodmiester]

You beat us to these two They are high on our list, but not necessarily in the company of clegs
I guess all scrambling on Binnein Shuas can be avoided? Not that I'm afraid of bum-shuffling down the rocks

We visited the wee minister yesterday and met some really BIG horseflies. Kevin photographed one warming itself on our car. I suppose that's the biggest British species - band-eyed brown horsefly. Horrible creatures, they were about inch and a half long, luckily they didn't attack us.

Hi BP, yes no real scrambling required, just take care, and save for a day when you can see where your going, and it's dry underfoot, no problems.

[The Rodmiester]

Fabulous views on a fabulous day. I was at the Grahams too this weekend - much harder to find and keep to paths if they exist at all.

You don't meet many folk on the Graham's even at the weekend, and as you say what paths!

[jmarkb]

Nice photos!

Another option for Binnein Shuas is to use the climbers' approach and descent paths on the SE side. Follow the LR track to the loch, then take a rising traverse path towards the crags. Once you get to the foot of the crags, look for a narrow path cutting back up left up a wide rake/gully - a bit steep but nothing difficult. The path fades out at the top of the gully, but it's only a short distance to the top from there.

[The Rodmiester]

Nice photos!

Another option for Binnein Shuas is to use the climbers' approach and descent paths on the SE side. Follow the LR track to the loch, then take a rising traverse path towards the crags. Once you get to the foot of the crags, look for a narrow path cutting back up left up a wide rake/gully - a bit steep but nothing difficult. The path fades out at the top of the gully, but it's only a short distance to the top from there.

Thanks for that jmarkb, will check it out the next time I'm up there, sounds interesting Better than the long tufted grass!

[Fife Flyer]

Another nice one Rod, love the photo's of Loch Laggan - especially the beach

You are certainly romping up the 'wee' hills, bet you hardly broke sweat

PS: Thought you looked good on the telly Signed many autographs since?

[Gordie12]

These two look good Rod but I think I'll wait till the clegs have had their quota of blood - perfect day for them on Friday (warm and flat calm).

[The Rodmiester]

Another nice one Rod, love the photo's of Loch Laggan - especially the beach

You are certainly romping up the 'wee' hills, bet you hardly broke sweat

PS: Thought you looked good on the telly Signed many autographs since?

Hi Martin, I'm having a job keeping up with you! So you recognised me on the Beechgrove Garden did you! I'm filling in some of my spare time doing some Drystane Dyking, really enjoying it. Jim and George were very nice and chatted along with all the volunteers. Back to the grand wee hills, surprisingly I did find it quite hard, it's been about four weeks since I had done any climbing (I don't count the Nottingham Walk) enjoy the Cairngorms when you go, we must meet up again soon.

[The Rodmiester]

These two look good Rod but I think I'll wait till the clegs have had their quota of blood - perfect day for them on Friday (warm and flat calm).

They surely won't be needing any more than they got from me! Hey Gordie, you better find an easier way down to the Lochside track , the trees reminded me a bit of Crock!

[rockhopper]

Nice report - helpful detail for those who plan to follow Would agree on the clegs - I find that midge bites generally disappear overnight but cleg bites remain annoyingly for several days - cheers

[Graeme D]

Bad news about the beasties Rod but a couple of superb hills. I have very fond memories of these two.

[The Rodmiester]

Nice report - helpful detail for those who plan to follow Would agree on the clegs - I find that midge bites generally disappear overnight but cleg bites remain annoyingly for several days - cheers

Thanks rockhopper, much appreciated, my intention was to try and highlight some of the pitfalls of this walk, especially the downclimb from the first Corbett, and also finding a good way to the track at the Lochside. Your right about the Cleggs or should it be a Clegs, the bites are still itchy. Worth it though to get another good day

[robertphillips]

well done,a great walk, got to agree 2 of the best grahams.