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Date: 22/4/11
Hills: Beinn Mhic Chasgaig, Clach Leathad & Creise
Present: Just Me
Weather: Warm sunshine but very hazy air and breezy on summits.
Distance: 11mls approx
Height Ascended: 4500ft approx
Time taken: A very lazy 11hrs getting immersed in the surroundings.Looking like I am on a Corbett mission this year so Beinn Mhic Chasgaig was today’s target to finish off the Glen Etive Corbetts. Away from home sharpish saw me driving down Glen Etive at 7.30am and getting kitted up at a parking spot near the bridge at 7.45am. I managed to sit the rucksack down on the bite valve from my platypus and lost half of my drinking supply before I noticed
. Good job I had packed my filter bottle as I was expecting a warm day anyway.
A bit of a cool breeze as I was setting off across the bridge, but not a cloud in the sky.
Once through the gate a sign points you across some boggy terrain to avoid Alltchaorunn.
A few post’s guide you across the bog by Alltchaorunn with Beinn Ceitlein looming up behind.
A large style is reached and once over you rejoin the main path heading up along side the Allt a’Chaorainn.
Another sign to guide you back on your return leg.
A view back down the Allt a’ Chaorainn to Glen Etive and the flanks of Buachaille Etive Mor.
I was now off to a slow start admiring the many pools and waterfalls on display
.
You follow the good path to a junction of burns where you stay on the N side of the Allt Coire Ghiubhasan till you spot the narrow plank bridge. I could have crossed before here as the water level was pretty low).
The bridge is easy enough to cross with wire rope handrails to steady yourself on. Once across, head uphill for a bit and pick up a stalkers path heading up the narrow glen.
A good view back towards Beinn Ceitlein.
Looking a bit like something from Jurassic Park in the morning light.
A quick look back to Glen Etive before heading into the unknown.
A pleasant walk along the path in warm sunshine soon brings you to the gully that cuts into the flanks of Beinn Mhic Chasgaig.
I dropped down to the water and filled my filter bottle ready for the steep pull up beside the gully. Not the best tasting water I have had on the hill
.
I opted to go up the right hand side of the gully, but you could take the left or even straight up the gully itself.
A view showing how narrow the Glen is as you start the ascent.
It’s a steep old hike for a bit, just like Stob Dubh but the angle soon relents and you get a great view back towards Beinn Ceitlein.
Easier walking now and a good view of Buachaille Etive Mor as you reach the large plateau area, which could be confusing in claggy conditions I think.
Before heading over to the summit I wandered over to the North for a better look at Stob Dearg.
Eventually went over to the summit and posed for the camera before getting settled for lunch
. A bit breezy but still warm enough and no need to put an extra layer on.
Just doing Beinn Mhic Chasgaig would have been a short day, so I was now heading over to Clach Leathad, which I had missed out on a previous ascent of Creise.
Creise and Clach Leathad.
Time to drop down to the col to the East before heading up the ridge leading to Creise.
A quick and easy descent rewards with a fine view North to Beinn a’Chrulaiste.
Time for another steepish bit of walking up the ridge, but it rewards with a good view back to Beinn Mhic Chasgaig.
Creise.
Met a couple of walkers coming down from Creise and we had a blether for a few mins. They were heading for Beinn Mhic Chasgaig, but not sure where they were going after that. As the ridge starts to level off I cut across the slope towards Clach Leathad.
Still plenty of snow hanging onto the coire edge.
Meall a’Bhuiridh.
Made my way along the edge and up to Clach Leathad which is a very fine viewpoint
, though the distant views were spoiled by the haze.
Creise and Meall a’ Bhuiridh from Clach Leathad.
Summit pose
.
The wind was a bit cooler up here, so I got settled in behind the shelter for another extended lunch break. Unknown to me at the time, Hils and Dotty were lounging about not to far away on Stob Ghabhar around the same time. The hills are alive with Shillers. Another walker came by from Stob Ghabhar but he never had much to say and kept walking. Nowt as queer as folk at times. Sat a fair while before thinking I better get a move on to Creise.
A couple of walkers on the ridge to Meall a’ Bhuiridh.
The connecting ridge to Meall a’ Bhuiridh.
Marker post for the descent onto the connecting ridge with Creise behind.
I meet the walker from Clach Leathad again and I said “Hello again”. Still waiting for a reply, totally blanked me 8O . Meet another walker soon after who was much more friendly, before I continued onto the summit of Creise. Not much shelter from the wind here so I continued onto the next cairn where the wind was a bit less gusty. Lunch stop number 3 was had
.
Great viewpoint onto Stob Dearg.
I approached Creise from this direction the last time. What a fantastic scrambly route onto a mountain
.
The RAF helicopter buzzed about for 15 mins.
Panoramic view from the cairn.
The wind was fair howling over this bit of old cornice as I photographed Meall a’ Bhuiridh again.
Summit of Creise.
Who said I was a poser
.
Time to get going I suppose, so I cut a line to the top of the ridge coming up from the col below Beinn Mhic Chasgaig. I was heading to where the 2 Allts meet.
Another leg bursting descent ahead. I went about half way down before traversing to the right making toward the meeting of the 2 Allts. To continue straight down was looking a bit dodgy as you were going to be walking above a bit of a gorge. Not recommended when walking alone in quiet territory.
Looking down into the gorge I was avoiding.
I got down to a level bit a few hundred meters from the meeting point and topped up on water for the walk out. It was pretty warm back down at this level and it was going to be a sweaty walk back to Glen Etive. Just below where the Allts meet you come across this fine waterfall
.
A little further down and another fine fall. This one was really inviting you in for a shower on a hot day.
I could have spent a long time here as it was so idyllic. Just imagine these falls after heavy rain.
A look back up the glen to Clach Leathad.
A nice bit of shade from the sun as I made my way back along the narrow point of the glen.
Another look at this mornings ascent route.
The flanks of Buachaille Etive Mor in the early evening sunshine.
A last look back up the narrow glen to Beinn Mhic Chasgaig.
It was then across the plank bridge again and a nice stroll back to the car.
It was very tempting to stop at some of the waterfalls and pools along this last section of the walk and have a dip, but the water was still pretty cold with snowmelt. Maybe another time. Another very enjoyable day wandering Scotlands fine mountains. This one is worth it just to see the waterfalls and I will be returning just to spend more time photographing them in the future. 11hrs may seem like a long time for this, but the GPS said I was only walking for 6 of them, the rest of the time was spent taking it easy
.
