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Ben Challum

Ben Challum


Postby ancancha » Sat Sep 12, 2015 5:15 pm

Route description: Ben Challum, near Tyndrum

Munros included on this walk: Ben Challum

Date walked: 11/09/2015

Time taken: 5.16 hours

Distance: 12.61 km

Ascent: 978m

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Ben Challum 11 Sep 2015.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts



I had wanted to do my scramble up to Stob Binnein and on to Ben More, but it was forecast to be a bit windy and I didn't want to be blown off the steep bits above Stob Thearlaich.

What could I do :?:
Time was getting on, so it had to be something reasonable, I looked at what I had left in the area, Ben Challum :!:
Don't think I'd every really looked at Challum, it wasn't getting a great write up and was bog factor four :(
Oh well I'd get out and really needed to stretch my legs and blow the city guff out of my lungs.

Finding the parking is easy and also the track in over the bridge

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Tarmac road to the farm, the grave yards and as I later read the ruins of the Priory

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I'd started to read it, but thinking I was in a rush just took a photo to read it later. Turns out St Fillan brought Christianity to the Picts and Scots in the area. You can find out more information on these sites.

Canmore

Walking and Writing

I guess the ruins didn't register with me because of the overgrowth. I did notice the grave yards though

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On up the track to the railway line. The WH route goes over the crossing, but it is marked as a private crossing :!:
I saw a bridge just along a bit, and thought it looked more interesting. It also looked very solid and I doubted it would be left over a busy railway track if there was any issue with it

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Oh well perhaps on the way back, I was at the crossing now and soon on my way up. After a bit of confusion started up the path next to the fence with nice views opening up.
Ben Lui across

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I zoomed in on Stob Binnein to try and gather more information for my scramble, looks like it will be fine, although a bail out traverse that I'd considered may not be an option

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Crossed an unnamed stream that emanates from an interesting cleft in the hillside

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The terrain on the way up to the plateau isn't dramatic, but it does have interest and views of the Crianlarich range and Ben Lui with the surrounding Munros.
The colours in this patch of Cotton Grass didn't come out as vivid as the actuality :(

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Reached the plateau shortly afterwards and a first view of Ben Challum

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and to be honest the reputation of this walk being a bog factor four didn't seem deserved at this point and the gaiters I'd put on at the start were now making my legs hot :(
Mmm :lol:

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I took the photo for amusement, I'd considered the fact that it had been dry for a while with a drying wind and although there were a few squidgy bits, general it was fine.

Shortly after getting to the plateau I picked up a better path and was cruising along admiring the views 8)
The source of the stream I assume with Ben Lui in the background

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There was a wee bit of a dip before the path climbed up to the to start of the ridge

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Met a nice couple coming down. They were delighted with the great views at the top, they were staying in a wigwam nearby and from what I gathered were quite new to mountain walking; I told them about walk highlands :wink:

Shortly after I met another walker called Steve coming back down and chatted to him for a while before I noticed the weather starting to close in and I made off for the summit to get the view and my holiday snaps.
You can just make out Steve in the middle of this photo looking back down to the dip

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The path is dry and in good nick and I am enjoying the walk up. The first cairn on the ridge

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Surely this isn't it :?:
There was higher ground beyond :!: I carried on and the walk soon became interesting with a wee ridge walk and a view of the summit cairn

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I was quite surprised by the change in landscape, but it was a pleasant surprise. I though I heard a Raven cawing at this point and stopped to listen and heard it again. I got the camera ready and called out for the Raven to show itself, but it was probably eyeing me from behind a rock somewhere and wasn't going to give me a pose :roll:
Not to worry plenty of inanimate interest

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The wee ridge walk and climb up through the boulders was good fun and made me smile :)
Got to the summit cairn

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and the main view I was looking forward too, down Glen Lochay

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The weather was starting to close in and it wasn't what I'd hoped for, said la vie :(
Still got a good impression of the landscape. Even at the start of my walk views were a bit hazy.

I didn't hang around and was quickly back down on the wee plateau and following the path that I'd found on the way up

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I was kinda hoping that it would go past the cleft for the stream, but it was further to the North. Don't be put off, although this section was a bit squidgy in places this route down was more or less dry

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Through the fern forest and a sheep led the way to the bridge

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which is substantial and I would think used for getting the sheep and cattle across the railway. No signs up to say walkers aren't allowed

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The Rowans are out and you can see the crossing not far up the track

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There's evidently been a human investment in this area through the years

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It had been windy further up, but it was sheltered here in the valley. I got to the tarmac road and was just before the bridge when a train rattled it's way along the track. The echo off Fiarach was incredible and amplified.

An evening view up the river Fillan from the bridge

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As walks go it wasn't amazingly spectacular and it was a bit of a trudge up, but the fun ridge and landscape at the top made it worthwhile.
So long as you take the route I came down I doubt this would get above a bog factor three.

Enjoy 8)
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ancancha
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Re: Ben Challum

Postby Petr Dakota » Sat Sep 12, 2015 6:32 pm

Another nice walk, makes double lucky number ! :clap: :wink: :D
I was waiting when and where will be your next trip :D :wink:
Good description... 8)
Pity for the muddy step(s), it happens so often in lower levels, especially this special summer :lol:
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Re: Ben Challum

Postby Gordie12 » Sat Sep 12, 2015 6:48 pm

We seem to be covering the same part of the country just now and I would have been over this way myself but I had to pick up the car in the afternoon after a disagreement with a deer a couple of weeks ago (the deer was unscathed, the car wasn't).

The final ridge walk seems completely out of step with the rest of this hill and makes it a much more enjoyable day out.

When I did this one I crossed the railway line and basically took a line straight up the hill bringing me out on the plateau not far from the final climb - turned out to be a bit of a fluke as the feet were pretty dry by the end.
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Re: Ben Challum

Postby ancancha » Sat Sep 12, 2015 7:10 pm

Petr Dakota wrote:Another nice walk, makes double lucky number ! :clap: :wink: :D
I was waiting when and where will be your next trip :D :wink:
Good description... 8)
Pity for the muddy step(s), it happens so often in lower levels, especially this special summer :lol:


Cheers Petr, was desperate to get out and get the exercise and views which on a very clear day would be well worthwhile :!:
That one spot was the only place where it was really muddy, and as I say go up the way I came down and the worst would be to splash your boots if you pick your spots :wink:
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Re: Ben Challum

Postby ancancha » Sat Sep 12, 2015 7:27 pm

Gordie12 wrote:We seem to be covering the same part of the country just now and I would have been over this way myself but I had to pick up the car in the afternoon after a disagreement with a deer a couple of weeks ago (the deer was unscathed, the car wasn't).

The final ridge walk seems completely out of step with the rest of this hill and makes it a much more enjoyable day out.

When I did this one I crossed the railway line and basically took a line straight up the hill bringing me out on the plateau not far from the final climb - turned out to be a bit of a fluke as the feet were pretty dry by the end.


You're not wrong about the change of terrain :shock:

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It was good fun up top with some nice views 8)
This I think is Gleann a Chalchain, although it is forested on the OS :?:

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Shame about the car, I'm always real careful driving back from anywhere in the dark, modern cars are designed to crumple up; deer haven't had a major upgrade for millennium :roll:
Did you get any venison out of it :?:

Sounds like you did more or less the route I took down, I didn't go up that way because I saw the fern forest and thought it would be tough going, in hindsight :roll:
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Re: Ben Challum

Postby Gordie12 » Sat Sep 12, 2015 7:41 pm

The deer did a cartwheel then got up, shook itself down, through me a dirty look and wandered off in to the woods - leaving me with a bust bumper/grille and as of yesterday, £800 on the plastic.

There was the faintest of paths through the ferns and they weren't head high so it was a lot better than it maybe looks.
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Re: Ben Challum

Postby Graeme D » Sat Sep 12, 2015 9:49 pm

Nice. Most of the bad press this hill gets is undeserved in my opinion.
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Re: Ben Challum

Postby ancancha » Sat Sep 12, 2015 10:46 pm

Gordie12 wrote:The deer did a cartwheel then got up, shook itself down, through me a dirty look and wandered off in to the woods - leaving me with a bust bumper/grille and as of yesterday, £800 on the plastic.

There was the faintest of paths through the ferns and they weren't head high so it was a lot better than it maybe looks.


Ouch :!: eight hundred bucks excuse the pun :(
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Re: Ben Challum

Postby ancancha » Sat Sep 12, 2015 10:51 pm

Graeme D wrote:Nice. Most of the bad press this hill gets is undeserved in my opinion.


I thought the views and terrain was interesting, and top part was good fun, so tend to agree.
I'm also pretty unfit at the moment; anyone reasonably fit and looking for a sub four hour route march this would be ideal 8)
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Re: Ben Challum

Postby Silverhill » Sun Sep 13, 2015 8:13 pm

A nice hill this one, which I sadly did in thick mist. Good to see the wee ridge in full! I had to use my imagination….
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Re: Ben Challum

Postby ancancha » Mon Sep 14, 2015 9:13 am

Silverhill wrote:A nice hill this one, which I sadly did in thick mist. Good to see the wee ridge in full! I had to use my imagination….


Ah the clag :(
Hopefully my photos did it justice. I wouldn't put it in the awesome category, but it was fun and the views were great 8)
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Re: Ben Challum

Postby dogplodder » Mon Sep 14, 2015 9:56 am

Was up here in June when there was still some snow about and found boggy patches not too bad or at least avoidable. Nice hill. 8)
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Re: Ben Challum

Postby grumpy old bagger » Thu Sep 17, 2015 8:59 pm

Aha... I remember now glancing through this report last week when I was deciding myself to do Ben Challum. Your photos were partly responsible for me deciding to do it, especially the summit ridge - really cool the way the landscape changes on that final section!
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Re: Ben Challum

Postby ancancha » Thu Sep 17, 2015 9:18 pm

dogplodder wrote:Was up here in June when there was still some snow about and found boggy patches not too bad or at least avoidable. Nice hill. 8)


Same here dogplodder, I didn't have any real issues with squelchy bits, the muddy boot photo was for amusement :lol:

grumpy old bagger wrote:Aha... I remember now glancing through this report last week when I was deciding myself to do Ben Challum. Your photos were partly responsible for me deciding to do it, especially the summit ridge - really cool the way the landscape changes on that final section!


Glad it worked out for you grumpy old bagger, it was a great surprise bonus fun ridge at the top for me 8)
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