walkhighlands

Fabulous Frosty Fhionnlaidh

Route: Beinn Fhionnlaidh

Munros: Beinn Fhionnlaidh

Date walked: 05/12/2023

A cold but beautiful few days staying in Ballachulish!

ImageRannoch Moor by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Early morning Loch Linnhe

ImageDSC00349 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Views from the bridge over the River Creran. Glenure house looks teeny below the colossal flank of Beinn Sgulaird

ImageDSC09945 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Wild swimming, anyone?

ImageDSC09937 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

ImageDSC09941 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

First light on Fraochaidh - this is from the spot where the signed path to Beinn Fhionnlaidh leaves the track

ImageDSC09950 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Looking back over the first part of the ascent. What looks like two lochans is in fact a single reservoir on the Glenure estate. It's marked on the OS 1:50000 but if you zoom in to 1:25000, it disappears!

ImageDSC09957 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

First view of some giants - Stob Ghabhar to Ben Starav

ImageDSC09962 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Perched rocks and contorted strata

ImageDSC09965 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The first lochan on the ridge, and a familiar outline

ImageDSC09976 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Fraochaidh, Beinn a'Bheithir, and my constant companion

ImageDSC09979 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Lochan Cairn Deirg. The path goes up the gently sloping ridge beyond the lochan, then right along the skyline to the summit. It is easy to follow except for one short bouldery section at the top of the rising ridge.

ImageDSC09991 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Frosty things

ImageDSC09992 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

ImageDSC09994 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

As I went up the path beyond the lochan, views widened. This is Garbh Bheinn, Rois-Bheinn and Sgùrr Dhòmhnuill.

ImageDSC00023 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Looking back I could appreciate the massiveness of Beinn Sgulaird above Loch Creran. Some hills on Mull were now becoming visible in the distance.

ImageDSC00024 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Ben Cruachan and a glimpse of Loch Etive from the bouldery section.

ImageDSC00025 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Lots of trees

ImageDSC00029 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

I rounded a corner among the boulders and some interesting things came into view - Binnein Mòr and the Aonach Eagach, Lochan Caorainn and nearby pools, Sgòr na h-Ulaidh, and the odd 'nose' named Caoran on the map. (I hoped to have time to explore it on the way down - it must have great views - but ran out of time in the short December daylight)

ImageDSC00030 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Glen Etive hills (with a glimpse of Ben Lui, and an elegant-looking Beinn Eunaich) from some curiously grooved flat rocks just above the boulders.

ImageDSC00060 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Another view from the groovy rocks

ImageDSC00053 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

And looking back, from the same spot

ImageDSC00037 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Small things were nice to look at as well

ImageDSC00078 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

ImageDSC00085 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

I followed a grassy shelf which bypasses the summit rocks - I wanted to see the view from the eastern end of the summit ridge. It was stunning.

ImageDSC00148 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

To my north, steep rocks plunged into shadows. I am not sure about the distant hills, but I suspect the twin-topped one on the right might be Gulvain.

ImageDSC00129 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

A small frosty pond was a good foreground for the view of the Bidean nam Bian massif.

ImageDSC00093 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Looking down the east ridge

ImageDSC00098 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Approaching the summit

ImageDSC00164 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

A perfectly preserved Vanessa

ImageDSC00211 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Beautiful views from the summit

ImageDSC00174 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

ImageBen Finlay by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Except this one

ImageDSC00209 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Gorgeous afternoon light on my descent - I liked the way that the pattern of the rocky grooves matched the slopes on Beinn Trilleachan

ImageDSC00253 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Scenes far and near on the way down

ImageDSC00276 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

ImageDSC00280 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

ImageDSC00291 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

ImageDSC00263 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Last view of Ben Cruachan

ImageDSC00315 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Afternoon light on the Etive hills

ImageDSC00316 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Looking westwards

ImageDSC00329 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Just got to the car as it was going dark

ImageDSC00335 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

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Comments: 13



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HalfManHalfTitanium


User avatar
Activity: Mountain Walker
Pub: Goose & Cuckoo
Mountain: Cnicht
Place: Allof it except Ardrossan
Gear: Paramo jacket
Ideal day out: A autumn or spring walk starting in woodland, going into the hills to find unexpected places, hidden corries and lochans, maybe a spot of scrambling, a sighting of some wildlife, some snow on the tops and a view over the Hebrides, and finishing with pint or more...
Ambition: I've done it!

Munros: 119
Corbetts: 28
Fionas: 6
Donalds: 6
Wainwrights: 103
Hewitts: 152



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Statistics

2023

Trips: 3
Munros: 2
Corbetts: 1

2022

Trips: 8
Munros: 6
Corbetts: 3

2021

Trips: 7
Munros: 11
Corbetts: 1

2020

Trips: 1

2019

Trips: 11
Munros: 14
Hewitts: 3

2018

Trips: 14
Munros: 14
Hewitts: 1

2017

Trips: 12
Munros: 5
Hewitts: 8
Wainwrights 10

2016

Trips: 11
Munros: 8
Corbetts: 1
Hewitts: 3
Wainwrights 3

2015

Trips: 4
Distance: 14 km
Ascent: 916m
Munros: 5
Hewitts: 2

2014

Trips: 2
Distance: 30 km
Ascent: 2300m
Munros: 2
Corbetts: 1
Fionas: 1

2013

Trips: 4
Distance: 12 km
Ascent: 2000m
Munros: 1
Corbetts: 1
Fionas: 1
Hewitts: 3

2012

Trips: 1
Distance: 30 km
Ascent: 3000m
Munros: 2

2011

Trips: 1
Munros: 4

2009

Trips: 4
Hewitts: 6
Wainwrights 6

2008

Trips: 5
Distance: 18 km
Ascent: 1800m
Munros: 4
Hewitts: 8
Wainwrights 9

2007

Trips: 2

2003

Trips: 1

1993

Trips: 1
Munros: 5


Joined: Mar 11, 2015
Last visited: Mar 11, 2024
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