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Beinn a Bheithir

Beinn a Bheithir


Postby jonny616 » Wed Jun 08, 2011 4:42 pm

Route description: Beinn a' Bheithir via Schoolhouse Ridge

Munros included on this walk: Sgòrr Dhearg (Beinn a' Bheithir), Sgòrr Dhònuill (Beinn a' Bheithir)

Date walked: 04/06/2011

Time taken: 9 hours

Distance: 15.5 km

Ascent: 1350m

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I have had this walk in my mind for a long time, so I was up & away from Glasgow at 6am with my friend Harry & his 10 month old golden retriever, Millie, for her first taste of high mountains, with a great deal of excitement. Weather forecast looking good, clear tops, little rain & not as hot as Friday! :D

Arrived at the tourist information car park, following a good run with every Munro on the way up wearing a cloud hat. :(
You get a good view of Sgorr Bhan from the car park & what a view it is rugged steep peak.
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Sgorr Bhan from the car park


We had opted for the WH route going up the very steep grass slopes of Beinn Bhan which is the north north east ridge to Sgorr Bhan rather than the scramble of the north east ridge as we were not sure if Millie was ready for scrambling.
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Ascent to Beinn Bhan


As you climb up the slops of Beinn Bhan, which is a bugger, the views open up & once you get onto its top at about 450 meters the views down Loch Leven & up Loch Linnhe, down Glencoe & the Bidean massif, to name but a few are stunning.
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Loch Leven & the Pape
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Up the steep grass slopes above Balachullish
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You need to spend a while taking in the views to let your legs recover from all the hard work to only be at 450 meters.
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Looking down Glencoe


From this point the path to the summit of Sgorr Bhan is straight forward & once the summit is reached the ridge to Sgorr Dhearg looks as fantastic as all the pictures you have seen.
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Path to Sgorr Bhan
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Deeper than she thought!
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North East ridge of Sgorr Bhan
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Loch Leven, The Pape & Glencoe
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Summit Sgorr Bhan with Sgorr Dhearg behind
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The ridge to Sgorr Dhearg
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It’s a fairly easy pull to said first Munro & then again the view to Sgorr Dhonuill is equally impressive as is the view back along the ridge.
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Looking back
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Sgorr Dhonuill from Sgorr Dhearg


Down to the bealach is a quick jaunt & then the ascent is a bit harder work than the last, with the need to put hand to rock on a couple of occasions & the odd rather long drop beside you.
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Last push to Dhonuill
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Millie in a boulder field


From here the views out to sea are great & worth spending time taking in before the decent to the bealach & the long work out.
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Two Sgorrs & a Pape
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Three Sgorrs, one Pape & I
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Looking out west
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Decent of Dhonuill


From the bealach as the notes say stick close to the right side of the fence posts all the way to the trees. The new path must be further on in construction than when the notes were written as whilst we did see the old path descending where the new path has a slight rise the new path is the more obvious of the too.
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Fence posts through the crags
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We arrived back at the car 9 hours after our start feeling weary, but elated. This in my opinion is a contender for one of the greatest walks in Scotland, but like others only if you get the right weather.

Whilst we were taking of boots etc Millie had a snooze.
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say no more!
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Re: Beinn a Bheithir

Postby atseacliff » Wed Jun 08, 2011 5:40 pm

Nice! what a day...what a dog!
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Re: Beinn a Bheithir

Postby PeteR » Wed Jun 08, 2011 5:52 pm

Nice report of a great hill and some great pictures too. That slog up onto sgorr bhan is a killer isn't it :shock: Still, gets the pain over with early and you enjoy the rest of the walk. My stepson is looking to come out with me soon and this is on the 'possible' list for him. Even so, I really must pay this hill a return visit soon :D
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Re: Beinn a Bheithir

Postby Stretch » Wed Jun 08, 2011 6:34 pm

Very nice Jonny! We all did this at the Glencoe meet-up in terrible conditions and barely saw anything. It is a fab looking pair of hills in nice weather.
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Re: Beinn a Bheithir

Postby jonny616 » Thu Jun 09, 2011 10:38 am

atseacliff wrote:Nice! what a day...what a dog!


Thanks, great day. Millie did well & was full of beans the next day unlike the two of us!
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Re: Beinn a Bheithir

Postby jonny616 » Thu Jun 09, 2011 11:13 am

PeteR wrote:Nice report of a great hill and some great pictures too. That slog up onto sgorr bhan is a killer isn't it :shock: Still, gets the pain over with early and you enjoy the rest of the walk. My stepson is looking to come out with me soon and this is on the 'possible' list for him. Even so, I really must pay this hill a return visit soon :D


Thanks Peter

I will do this again two, probably with one or more of my kids, but there a bit young for that walk yet. Hope you get a good day for it when you do
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Re: Beinn a Bheithir

Postby jonny616 » Thu Jun 09, 2011 11:23 am

Stretch wrote:Very nice Jonny! We all did this at the Glencoe meet-up in terrible conditions and barely saw anything. It is a fab looking pair of hills in nice weather.


Hi Stretch. I saw the reports from that meet up. I think the word for your weather is 'pish'. I met a couple of the guys on Crisie the day after you did the walk.
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Re: Beinn a Bheithir

Postby Bod » Thu Jun 09, 2011 6:19 pm

Great report of two fine mountains. We made it up there in April whilst up in Glencoe and I really enjoyed Beinn a'Bheithir, but I never got a post organised. Also, left my lab Ritchie at home as we were away for a few days, but like your dog, he would have loved it! Great pics...
Cheers the noo :D
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Re: Beinn a Bheithir

Postby Jock McJock » Thu Jun 09, 2011 9:06 pm

Nice to see what I missed in October when up there. We didn't get the best weather for it. Still really enjoyed the walk though. I felt like your dog at the end though :lol:
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Re: Beinn a Bheithir

Postby jonny616 » Tue Jun 14, 2011 4:24 pm

Bod wrote:Great report of two fine mountains. We made it up there in April whilst up in Glencoe and I really enjoyed Beinn a'Bheithir, but I never got a post organised. Also, left my lab Ritchie at home as we were away for a few days, but like your dog, he would have loved it! Great pics...
Cheers the noo :D


Thanks Bod. I saw the report from Jockstar who you were with i think or did i get my wires crossed. Glad you enjoyed these hills.

Regards

Jonny
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Re: Beinn a Bheithir

Postby jonny616 » Tue Jun 14, 2011 4:26 pm

Jock McJock wrote:Nice to see what I missed in October when up there. We didn't get the best weather for it. Still really enjoyed the walk though. I felt like your dog at the end though :lol:


I felt like the dog too :lol:

Regards

Jonny
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Re: Beinn a Bheithir

Postby ChrisW » Tue Jun 14, 2011 11:01 pm

What a great walk, loved the report and the pics, if I take it upon myself to drive a long way to a couple of hills it may well be these two - fantastic :D
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