Beinn Narnain on its own

[cheekykarma]

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First off this route plan is rough - for god sake do not put it in a GPS! It is not exact just gives the idea of the route we took.

Well today this fine day Saturday the 18th June myself and 3 others in our local group were bound for Beinn Narnain.
Mountain weather Information service said "Aye! Yir Doomed. Yir all Doomed!"
Met office weather map said "Flee Flee Run for your lives!"

And Sky news this morning said it will be a wee bit windy down by Penzanze!

So the weather reports were bleak! We were prepared and arrived at the car park at Arrochar at 9am on the button.

We set about gearing up with waterproof trousers ON! - Gaiters ON! - Hat Gloves Waterproof Jacket all at the ready. We were prepared for the worst! All ready to set out and I took a few photos of Loch Long from the car park.

Car park was almost empty only a few cars as many must have saw the weather reports touting Doom!

View over Loch Long - tide not with us yet, and I think Tullich hill beyond

So get out the car park and across the road. And this little fella will greet you and point you onward to your day.

He also was saying .... Aye yir Doomed!

Foxy carving - the path starts here!

It is a straightforward gravel and stone path - that zig zags up toward the paths leading you to Beinn Narnain and of course the lovely looking Cobbler.

Good landmark is the radio tower. Used for sinister purposes to radio the Rain Gods when walkers approach.

Sinister Tower in the woods. What is its evil purpose?

And then on the path was something none of us could work out... What was it all aboot? Was it trying to shoo us away! And have I ran out of corny lines to lace up this report with?

Ehhhh? There is a walker out there with one boot?

Onward up the path. And then you see one of the best sights on this walk, as you break from the trees toward the path leading between the cobbler and Beinn Narnain. Only Munro number six for me. But I will be back around here a few times. The sighting of the cobbler is amazing. You walk up through trees and on an everyday stone and gravel path, but then this sight tells you, your in the mountains now boy! Here they be monsters!

First sight - the cobbler!

At the point of this white fence post marker was the end of our path for now. Its at the weir or mini dam. Now we look up toward where Beinn Narnain sits behind and take the direct path up. Very basically a hard right off the path from that post.

Marker post. Turn right now for Beinn Narnain...

As you climb onward and upward, very quickly Loch Long treats you to a view.

Loch Long - gorgeous

And as you walk you cannot help but keep stopping and viewing the cobbler as you rise.
It is such a lovely shaped hill and worthy of something from the Lord of the Rings.

The Cobbler

And in greeny technicolour

And looking back again Loch Long not wanting to be pushed out by the views of the cobbler, shines itself too and offers you views all the way to Sea.

Loch Long

Beinn Narnain is a great false summit, just a bit more, a bit more hill. Here a view as we continue our straight head up veeering between and a bit right of this picture to get to the actual approach of Beinn Narnain. How can they hide so well?

No I am sorry I am not the hill your looking for, but walk over and past me ....

Just after reaching the break over these first notches. Some scrambling climbs lie ahead. And for me, a new guy to all this. And also not too confident or happy looking at sudden drops to my side and faced with rock stepladders in front of me. I though this was great. It has a few moments where slips can be deadly like any mountain really. But dare my novice attitude say it is easy enough as a great introduction into clambering up mountainsides.

I also learned today a superb tip and very simple of course I had not thought of. I often carried my walking poles looped to my wrists. And they do get in the way at times on these moments of climbing up. Consider if it got stuck in rocks I fell or tumbled. It locks in the rock, and my arm, wrist, or shoulder, snaps! So do not loop the poles on the wrist! Far better to lose the pole than break something.

And to a lot of you thats got to be such a simple thing but after today I wont forget that tip and have firmly stopped looping the pole loops to my wrist. Great walk and great little bit of wise information too.

May not look much - but there lies a little vertical climbing up session - the first and straightforward really.

Up here again the views were opening up as we approached the final point toward Beinn Narnain itself.

Remeber at the start, all those weather reports? All that doomed? So far so good. I just did not want to say out loud how much I was enjoying the weather holding for us. Light wind. Moist, humid even. But I just did not want to say it aloud in case the hills heard me.

View to ridge leading to I beleive Creag Tharsuinn and A`Chrois

The Cobbler again - little did I know it was about to see me!

Here Beinn Narnain shows itself. But asks you to climb more and more upward and over its rocky scramble to its top.

Beinn Narnain - come up come up just a little bit more - Dont let the cobbler see you!

Then just before turning into Bein Narnains shadow and scrambling into its rocky side. The last view of the Cobbler before the summit of Ben Narnain.

And the cobbler can see you!!

Do not look direct into its eyes, it will call in rain, wind, and curse you. It looked right at me! Gave me the fear!

It said, "Fee Fi Fo Fum, I smell the wind of a walkers bum!"

I seeeeeee you! The Cobbler

Quickly scrambling away into the hide of Beinn Narnains bosom I scrambled my way up. A reasonable easy path to follow really on the way up. Would not fancy this going down, or in heavy rain. But great fun to go up. The eyes of the cobbler in my mind. Had it saw me? Would it call in the rain and evil weather?

The view down after a scramble toward Beinn Narnains top

And finally we reached the expansive rock strewn top of Beinn Narnain. And yes! The weather still held. Still held firm. And kept the deluge at bay from us. Perhaps the cobblers gaze had not seen me. Munro number six and I was a happy chap. One of my best climbs yet and this area of Arrochar is just gorgeous. Even more so expecting the worst and being given a real treat of a day!

The trig point

And again - Me standing Xavier sitting

The cairn was the route back down toward a huge boulderfield.

The Cairn

And a last lovely view of Loch Long from the summit.

Loch Long to the sea from the summit

The way back we came onto the path at the back of the cobbler and followed it all the way home to the car park.

One last turn back at the cobbler and the narnain boulders.

The cobbler in view and the boulders of Narnain. They are huge.

Few short vids

First being the part before the final scramble up to beinn narnain showing the main path waaaay down below and the route we came over from.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuFBuIW_bPc[/youtube]

The Seaplane was out today and quite busy giving Beinn Narnain a flyby too.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKChElB1y8s[/youtube]

And the summit and my little feet approaching the cairn.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvvd4-lz5dE[/youtube]

I think the vids show the weather held off and we got the best the day had to offer. Very lucky indeed as when we statrted to pass through Glasgow on the way back, it was clear the weather was bad.

Many folks heading out to the Cobbler and I am sure they all enjoyed, but for some late starters we saw, oooo the weather was coming in as we left ....

I loves Beinn Narnain! I will be back!

[gammy leg walker]

Great report you have there cheekykarma,and some wicked pictures of "The Cobbler"that wee scrambling route up the "Spearhead" was my favourite part when I climbed this last year.

I also learned today a superb tip and very simple of course I had not thought of. I often carried my walking poles looped to my wrists. And they do get in the way at times on these moments of climbing up. Consider if it got stuck in rocks I fell or tumbled. It locks in the rock, and my arm, wrist, or shoulder, snaps! So do not loop the poles on the wrist! Far better to lose the pole than break something.

Not so sure about this tip though,if you bring your hands up through the bottom of the loops & then grab your poles,when you then get to any small scrambles,just let your poles hang loose on your wrists & use your hands to scramble with the poles hanging loose on the straps,this seams to work very well for me & you wont lose your poles to boot

[tomyboy73]

cheeky wee report karma, i loved this hill too, done it twice and never had any views, but scrambling around the spearhead made up for it, especially in the snow. Agree with gammy regards the poles, shorten them and let them hang loose when scrambling

[cheekykarma]

thanks folks

the poles thing - well hmm i still favor losing the pole than it jamming in rock me twisting and then a break or an OUCH !

as always have to think someday - unlucky ness will kick in - i have slipped before - jammed my boot in rocks and toppled - yet when you think back if if if - that could have been an ankle snap a shin break etc

and really if if if if ever god forbid i am in a chopper ride - i want it to be for a very very very good reason and not a very embarrassing one!

winter wise i can see yeah keeping the pole wrapped as it will just slide for miles! - But i have no real winter experience yet on munros - camped out in the snows and on lower hills and hope to upgrade my gear and soon have fine snowy pics to report too

But all in small steps at a time - Beinn Narnain is a great walk and great views too - Really will do this again