Baosbheinn via the Oidhche Spur: Part 1
Route: Baosbheinn, near Gairloch
Corbetts: Baosbheinn
Date walked: 08/08/2023
Time taken: 7.5 hours
Distance: 25km
Ascent: 1300m
Two and a half weeks in Scotland at the beginning of July were intended to be an opportunity to climb some rocky classics in the Northwest Highlands: perhaps Liathach's northern pinnacles or some scary routes on A'Mhaighdean or Beinn Arigh Charr. But the continually rainy weather put paid to those plans. We (Pete and I) largely settled for grassy options -- the Fannichs, Ben Wyvis, and Fionn Bheinn. But while there was passing rain, and some days were a wash out, there was plenty of clear weather too. So we picked a couple of clearer days to try some scramblier options. Pete wrote up a report of our walk on Maol Chean-dearg and An Ruadh-stac, which involved more than a little scrambling: (https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=119903). But we only tried one serious scrambling route, and this is it.
Highland Scrambles North describes a grade 3 scrambling route up the Oidhche Spur on Baosbheinn, which it gives two stars for quality. Our ascent of this route was not in ideal conditions. A little rain came in part way up, with some temporary cloud and wind, and we were using walking boots because of the wet ground. Yet the climb was successful and there is much to recommend this route. The spur is easy to find. The start is very obvious, and the point where the first buttress ends and you move right onto the second buttress is also obvious. Moreover, the route is reasonably direct and it is possible, without too much effort, to match it to the description in the book. The rock is generally solid and there is a bit of choice as to route, allowing some difficult portions to be avoided.
However, note that the route deserves its grade 3 rating. Sections of the climb are quite serious -- personally, I thought the "superb rough slab" and the "easier rib and corner 5 metres rights" described in the book felt a bit insecure and exposed. Additionally, the crux section is tricky. It is not grade 3 scrambling, but a very definite rock climb. I'd probably rate it Difficult (but in the end I only climbed 2/3 of the crux and then, due to rain and some loose rock, down-climbed and selected a safer ascent, so it might deserve a higher rating). And the alternative to the crux is the "easier rib" I mentioned above. Still it is an thrilling route and climbable in the damp due to the excellent friction on Torridonian sandstone.
We left the car mid-morning in the parking area by Am Feur Loch and headed up the stony track that leads to Loch na h-Oidhche. The path is quite long -- partially explaining why Baosbheinn is a full day's walk rather than a half day's. While the track up to the loch is an easy walk, I would not want to get lost in this countryside in mist -- endless crags, vegetation, valleys and rivers.
As the track approached Loch na h-Oidhche, the views opened up towards Beinn Dearg and, behind the sharp prow of Carn na Feola, the flanks of Beinn Eighe and eastern end of Liathach. Near the lake, we left the path and headed over the moorland to cross the Abhainn a' Gharbh Choire. While the rivers were not in spate, they were very full; the water had been flowing just over the stepping stones on the Abhainn Loch na h-Oidhche further down the path. Pete opted to paddle across the top of the river at the outflow of the lake. I took the riskier option of jumping between boulders further downstream.
While pathless, the traverse across to the foot of the Oidhche Spur is on fairly easy ground and not too boggy. The spur is clearly identifiable from the approach; it is the buttress in the center of the picture below that runs the height of the mountain. The point halfway up where you traverse right on the upper part of the ridge is also clearly visible.
I will divide the description for the guide book into stages and match them to pictures (where I have some).
I don't know if we exactly followed the intended route, but the lowest rock band was readily climbable (with a bit of care) and there was plenty of choice of route.
Not much to report here: steep grass and small boulders but nothing too slippery or alarming. The weather was still fine.
Not great photos, but the tier with the overhang is shown in the first photo below (and towards the top of the photo above); the route goes up the left side, which Pete is climbing in the second photo.
This tier is shown in the following picture. The platform can be seen at the bottom of the wet stripe down the rock.
Here is the next tier of rock, which initially appears to be impassable without some serious climbing. But as the book says, it is possible to climb round to the right, which reveals sloping rock up the side of the tier. I found the climb a little tricky (Pete dealt with it more easily). Parts are a little slippery and the cracks between slabs are not always wide enough for walking boots. It felt a little risky, given the drop below the base of the slab.
At this point, the lower ridge finishes in grass, but the upper ridge (which started in larger cliffs below) joins from the right. It was not entirely clear from the book how soon you are meant to cross to the upper ridge. I took a grassy ledge that traversed below a vertical cliff. Round to the right of the cliff, it was possible to climb a gully with large grassy ledges fairly easily.
I don't have many pictures of the crux of the climb: one picture zoomed from the grassy section and one picture from immediately below looking up. I made it quite a long way up. But while straddling the pointy rock at the top of the picture, with the rain starting and my foot on a jammed rock that wasn't so jammed, I thought I wouldn't risk the rest of the climb. It would probably have taken just one more big heave; but I would have been trusting that my boots wouldn't slip on the rock, and that didn't seem a safe gamble. So I downclimbed (with difficulty -- dropping down to ledges full-stretch on my tip toes, stepped across a delicate gully, and followed Pete's route on the "easier rib". The rib is not that easy. See the second pair of photos below, one of Pete climbing (taken from 1/3 of the way up the crux) and one taken as I followed his route.
The tier after the crux section looks difficult, but it is actually fairly straightforward (even with the conditions becoming a little damp).
I didn't think the next section was too tricky. Climb up the central gully/corner of the next tier until blocked by a wall, then traverse left and climb the left arete. It was simply a step over a gap (with some exposure). But Pete did not enjoy the traverse left. He had not had the earlier experience of traversing off the crux section of the ridge, which might have dulled my sense of fear.
For the rest of the ridge, after the "awkward step onto the prow", every obstacle is optional. Of course, I opted to climb them. But there is nothing too difficult.
And with that, we arrived at the subsidiary top of Baosbheinn. If looking for a harder scrambling route in Torridon, but not one which verges too much on actual rock-climbing (assuming the crux is avoided), the Oidhche Spur is a good choice. I don't know if it beats Slioch's west ridge or Lawson, Ling and Glover's route up Beinn Eighe, but it is at least the equal of Backfire Ridge on Beinn Alligin, with more stable rock. I can't see much sign that anyone else climbs it.
But what of the rest of the walk? Well, that is covered in Part 2, because it deserves its own set of photos. Baosbheinn is an excellent mountain even if all scrambling is avoided. The link to Part 2 is here: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=120605 .
Highland Scrambles North describes a grade 3 scrambling route up the Oidhche Spur on Baosbheinn, which it gives two stars for quality. Our ascent of this route was not in ideal conditions. A little rain came in part way up, with some temporary cloud and wind, and we were using walking boots because of the wet ground. Yet the climb was successful and there is much to recommend this route. The spur is easy to find. The start is very obvious, and the point where the first buttress ends and you move right onto the second buttress is also obvious. Moreover, the route is reasonably direct and it is possible, without too much effort, to match it to the description in the book. The rock is generally solid and there is a bit of choice as to route, allowing some difficult portions to be avoided.
However, note that the route deserves its grade 3 rating. Sections of the climb are quite serious -- personally, I thought the "superb rough slab" and the "easier rib and corner 5 metres rights" described in the book felt a bit insecure and exposed. Additionally, the crux section is tricky. It is not grade 3 scrambling, but a very definite rock climb. I'd probably rate it Difficult (but in the end I only climbed 2/3 of the crux and then, due to rain and some loose rock, down-climbed and selected a safer ascent, so it might deserve a higher rating). And the alternative to the crux is the "easier rib" I mentioned above. Still it is an thrilling route and climbable in the damp due to the excellent friction on Torridonian sandstone.
We left the car mid-morning in the parking area by Am Feur Loch and headed up the stony track that leads to Loch na h-Oidhche. The path is quite long -- partially explaining why Baosbheinn is a full day's walk rather than a half day's. While the track up to the loch is an easy walk, I would not want to get lost in this countryside in mist -- endless crags, vegetation, valleys and rivers.
As the track approached Loch na h-Oidhche, the views opened up towards Beinn Dearg and, behind the sharp prow of Carn na Feola, the flanks of Beinn Eighe and eastern end of Liathach. Near the lake, we left the path and headed over the moorland to cross the Abhainn a' Gharbh Choire. While the rivers were not in spate, they were very full; the water had been flowing just over the stepping stones on the Abhainn Loch na h-Oidhche further down the path. Pete opted to paddle across the top of the river at the outflow of the lake. I took the riskier option of jumping between boulders further downstream.
While pathless, the traverse across to the foot of the Oidhche Spur is on fairly easy ground and not too boggy. The spur is clearly identifiable from the approach; it is the buttress in the center of the picture below that runs the height of the mountain. The point halfway up where you traverse right on the upper part of the ridge is also clearly visible.
I will divide the description for the guide book into stages and match them to pictures (where I have some).
Start at the right-hand end of the lowest tier of rock in the centre of the face. On the right-hand end of the tier is a corner. Start up its left arete then move right to climb the right-hand branch when the corner divides.
I don't know if we exactly followed the intended route, but the lowest rock band was readily climbable (with a bit of care) and there was plenty of choice of route.
The arete above leads to easy ground. Go up grass and minor outcrops to a steeper tier...
Not much to report here: steep grass and small boulders but nothing too slippery or alarming. The weather was still fine.
...then go left below an overhang and up blocks leftwards to more open ground.
Not great photos, but the tier with the overhang is shown in the first photo below (and towards the top of the photo above); the route goes up the left side, which Pete is climbing in the second photo.
Carry on up minor outcrops to a small steep tier, passed by going up left from a rock platform in a central niche.
This tier is shown in the following picture. The platform can be seen at the bottom of the wet stripe down the rock.
The next tier is hard, but on its extreme right-hand edge a superb rough slab leads to the top of the first section of the spur.
Here is the next tier of rock, which initially appears to be impassable without some serious climbing. But as the book says, it is possible to climb round to the right, which reveals sloping rock up the side of the tier. I found the climb a little tricky (Pete dealt with it more easily). Parts are a little slippery and the cracks between slabs are not always wide enough for walking boots. It felt a little risky, given the drop below the base of the slab.
Go up scrappy outcrops, then up right to the skyline...
At this point, the lower ridge finishes in grass, but the upper ridge (which started in larger cliffs below) joins from the right. It was not entirely clear from the book how soon you are meant to cross to the upper ridge. I took a grassy ledge that traversed below a vertical cliff. Round to the right of the cliff, it was possible to climb a gully with large grassy ledges fairly easily.
...where things get tricky for a few metres. Start on the left and climb an exposed and delicate arete. This can be avoided by an easier rib and corner 5 metres right.
I don't have many pictures of the crux of the climb: one picture zoomed from the grassy section and one picture from immediately below looking up. I made it quite a long way up. But while straddling the pointy rock at the top of the picture, with the rain starting and my foot on a jammed rock that wasn't so jammed, I thought I wouldn't risk the rest of the climb. It would probably have taken just one more big heave; but I would have been trusting that my boots wouldn't slip on the rock, and that didn't seem a safe gamble. So I downclimbed (with difficulty -- dropping down to ledges full-stretch on my tip toes, stepped across a delicate gully, and followed Pete's route on the "easier rib". The rib is not that easy. See the second pair of photos below, one of Pete climbing (taken from 1/3 of the way up the crux) and one taken as I followed his route.
Climb the corner above, finishing on the left arete, then go up blocks to an easing of the angle. Carry on up the easy ridge, with the odd outcrop...
The tier after the crux section looks difficult, but it is actually fairly straightforward (even with the conditions becoming a little damp).
...to a vertical prow. Go right of this up greasy steps until it is possible to step awkwardly left onto the prow.
I didn't think the next section was too tricky. Climb up the central gully/corner of the next tier until blocked by a wall, then traverse left and climb the left arete. It was simply a step over a gap (with some exposure). But Pete did not enjoy the traverse left. He had not had the earlier experience of traversing off the crux section of the ridge, which might have dulled my sense of fear.
Go up the arete a short step to easy ground. A pleasant ridge with more short steps carries on part a pinnacle to the summit.
For the rest of the ridge, after the "awkward step onto the prow", every obstacle is optional. Of course, I opted to climb them. But there is nothing too difficult.
And with that, we arrived at the subsidiary top of Baosbheinn. If looking for a harder scrambling route in Torridon, but not one which verges too much on actual rock-climbing (assuming the crux is avoided), the Oidhche Spur is a good choice. I don't know if it beats Slioch's west ridge or Lawson, Ling and Glover's route up Beinn Eighe, but it is at least the equal of Backfire Ridge on Beinn Alligin, with more stable rock. I can't see much sign that anyone else climbs it.
But what of the rest of the walk? Well, that is covered in Part 2, because it deserves its own set of photos. Baosbheinn is an excellent mountain even if all scrambling is avoided. The link to Part 2 is here: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=120605 .
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Comments: 1
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Christopher Pulman
- Location: Reading
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