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The penultimate on Beinn Dubh, with a tasty dessert

The penultimate on Beinn Dubh, with a tasty dessert


Postby malky_c » Thu May 19, 2016 7:39 pm

Fionas included on this walk: Beinn Dubh

Sub 2000' hills included on this walk: Meall Mòr (Rannoch Moor)

Date walked: 15/05/2016

Time taken: 3.5 hours

Distance: 10 km

Ascent: 840m

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Grahams: Beinn Dubh/Mid Hill.
Sub 2k Marilyns: Meall Mor.
Date: 15/05/2016.
Distance: 8km + 2km.
Ascent: 660m + 180m.
Time taken: 2 hours, 45 minutes + 45 minutes.
Weather: Sunny and warm.

(link to previous day)
Having descended Beinn Luibheann after an overnight camp, the weather was way better than forecast - I had expected grey skies and some rain today. The drive round to Luss was uneventful, and feeling lazy, I decided I would try and start this walk at the head of the road in Glen Luss rather than down by the A82. The road had been newly surfaced the whole way up, but was still very narrow and short on parking spots. I went beyond the end of the public road, over an extremely narrow bridge (that I needed a couple of reverses to approach it at the correct angle), then over a second bridge on the Mollochan. After that I found a small spot off the road - just big enough for my car and to allow someone else to use it as a passing place.


Luss.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts


Back over the bridge I passed through a gate then up the side of a field. I was off the more normal Glen Striddle approach here, so had to climb a fence at the field corner. At a gate nearby was a dead ram who had got his head stuck in the bars and no doubt starved to death.

Beinn Eich:
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Creag an Leininbh and Edentaggart farm:
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Before long I had joined up with the path used by most people and was on the way to Mid Hill. After the last couple of days of steep ascents and heavy loads, this was a lovely change. The sun was in and out from behind the clouds giving me temporary respite, and before long, I had reached the summit of my penultimate Graham. Not the most shapely of hills, but the Arrochar Alps looked good from the top and there was even better to come.

North to the Arrochar Alps from Mid Hill:
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If the weather had been poor, I'd have dropped back to the car the same way, but the main attraction of this hill is the ridge that comes up from Luss to Beinn Dubh, so I decided to go down that way. The recent dry weather meant that the peat hags on the plateau were barely noticed. I stopped for a break above Glen Douglas, with the views over Loch Lomond beginning to appear.

Loch and Ben Lomond:
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Beinn Bhreac and Crianlarach hills:
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Glen Douglas and Ben Lomond:
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Summit of Mid Hill:
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I passed a fell runner and a couple of walkers on the approach to Beinn Dubh, but as I got closer to the summit, I decided to head for the eastern edge of the rolling plateau-like ridge for better views over Loch Lomond. Well worth the diversion as you can see a very large proportion of the loch from here.

Better view up the loch from the edge of the Beinn Dubh plateau:
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Across the loch to Rowardennan:
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South to Conic Hill:
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There were more people on the summit as I diverted back to the main path, and a steady stream of people coming up from Luss. I started down this way, which has spectacular views out over the islands in the loch, then diverted to the east again at a landslipped area for another break. Again away from the path, you could see most of the loch.

Beinn Eich and Beinn Chaorach:
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Loch and Ben again:
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Islands in the loch:
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After a short distance further on the path, I decided to cut back to where the car was parked, and dropped down the steep side of Glen Luss following a fence. Lower down, I started a descending traverse which brought me out by the narrow bridge - a bit brutal, but being really dry and before the main bracken season, it was pretty fast. Then back along the road to the car. Not a bad way to set things up for a trip to Rum and the end of bagging :wink: .

The way back to the car:
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Glen Mollochan:
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Steep descent:
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Bridge over the Striddle:
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Narrowest bridge I’ve ever driven over:
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Not sure if you’re supposed to park here, but there aren’t any signs forbidding it:
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I had always intended to be back up the road at a reasonable hour on Sunday so we could go out for a meal, but it was only lunchtime now. The drive up the side of Loch Lomond was hot and slow - I think my patience when driving has increased a lot over the last 10 years, but getting stuck behind someone doing 30mph on the A82 (and slowing to 20mph every time they passed someone) is a bit tedious, so I was glad when the road opened up again.

When planning this long weekend, I had decided that one of the Marilyns on the edge of Rannoch Moor would be a nice little stopoff on the way home. For once, I had both the time and the weather, so decided to take a short walk up Meall Mor, as it has a great reputation for views of the Moor and surrounding hills. I parked at an unmarked layby near the phone mast and followed a faint track across the grass.


Meall Mor.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts


Not much to say about the ascent. Even in my state of knackeredness, it only took 20 minutes, and the views improved all the way up, particularly when Lochan na h-Achlaise and Loch Ba sprung into view.

Beinn Achaladair and Beinn an Dhothaidh:
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…and Loch Tulla:
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Lochan na h-Achlaise and Loch Ba:
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…with the Black and Grey Corries behind, and Loch Laidon:
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Bridge of Orchy hills:
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Stob a’ Choire Odhair and Clach Leathad:
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Grey Corries:
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I took a wander over to the memorial marked on my map - it is built in the shape of a large trig point and dedicated to Ronald Harvey. Not sure who he was, but he died at the age of 26.

Monument to Ronald Harvey, whoever he may be:
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Moor and lochs:
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I hadn't bothered to bring a bag with me, so had no food or drink, but I spent a bit of time lingering anyway. Then back to the car for the rest of the drive home.

Clach Leathad and Meall a’ Bhuiridh:
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Stob a’ Choire Odhair and Stob Gabhar:
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Lochans:
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Halfway back to the car I was surprised to hear voices - there were no other cars in the layby and it wasn't the sort of place you'd walk to from anywhere else. Then I looked up and saw 2 paragliders above. They later landed on the ski centre road right in front of me when I took a quick detour to the café there.

Was wondering where the voices came from:
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Looking back up the line of ascent:
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Buachaille Etive Mor from the ski centre:
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By the time I neared Inverness, it was getting increasingly grey, and it was even raining at home. I think I'd picked the right place to be this weekend 8) .
User avatar
malky_c
 
Posts: 6342
Munros:282   Corbetts:222
Fionas:219   Donalds:80+37
Sub 2000:315   Hewitts:281
Wainwrights:140   Islands:39
Joined: Nov 22, 2009
Location: Glasgow/Inverness

Re: The penultimate on Beinn Dubh, with a tasty dessert

Postby Scotjamie » Fri May 20, 2016 11:41 pm

Excellent stuff as always Malky. Often visit that top by the lochans on my way home. A great lunch spot.
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Scotjamie
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Location: north berwick

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