walkhighlands

Not Beinn an Eoin

Route: Beinn an Eoin, near Gairloch

Corbetts: Beinn an Eoin

Date walked: 07/05/2022

Over about thirty years I have walked up Baosbheinn a few times but had not strayed on to its neighbour, Beinn an Eoin, across Loch na h-Oidhche. The forecast was good for 7th May so I decided I'd have a go.

I followed the WalkHighlands walk description -

https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/torridon/beinn-an-eoin.shtml

starting at the Red Barn.

The walk description calls it the green barn, and it is indeed green, but for all the years I have know this structure(during which it has always been painted green) it has always been called the Red Barn. Oddly enough the Gairloch Estate plate on it calls it the Red Stable.

Crossing the bridge over the outflow from Am Feur-loch gave a glimpse of Baosbheinn
BaE1.jpg


Then one of the smaller peaks, Meall a Ghlas Leothaid, soon came into view accompanied by lots of bird song, but the only one I could identify was a cuckoo.
BaE2.jpg


Soon I got the first glimpse of my objective with the path snaking uphill by the Abhainn a' Gharbh Choire.
BaE3.jpg


Everything went well until I reached the stepping stones over the Abhainn Loch na h-Oidhche. Although the river wasn't in spate, there had been some rain in the previous few days, and although the photo below doesn't show it too well, some of the stones had a good flow of water over them. Discretion, and the balance and agility of a seventy year old, was the better part of valour and I decided not to cross and go for my plan B
BaE4.jpg


Plan B was to follow the Abhainn Loch na h-Oidhche downstream to Loch Garbhaig. This exchanged the excellent path from the red barn for a pathless gentle descent which needed a lot of detours around bogs.

On the way down there was a good illustration of the power of water in this huge block the stream or rain had dislodged.
BaE5.jpg


Loch Garbhaig is delightful, though this was helped by the great weather, and it was a good place for a snack.
BaE6.jpg


The walk along the west side of the loch is easy and leads to the dam of the hydro scheme. The loch level was low so I crossed over to the north side and walked up Meall na Sealga which gives good views over the loch, towards the Torridon hills, Beinn an Eoin and Baosbheinn. Apart from the view one of the highlights was I saw a cuckoo. I have heard quite a few over the years but have rarely seen one.
BaE7.jpg


Crossing back over the dam I joined the track put in for the hydro scheme and walked down to the car park at Victoria Falls.

I was a bit disappointed by not getting to Beinn an Eoin but this walk was a good alternative that included a loch which otherwise I probably would never have visited, and it has given me some ideas for the future.


Dave

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Tringa


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Location: London
Interests: Walking, sailing, cycling, online games, wildlife watching, photography.




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Statistics

2022

Trips: 1
Corbetts: 1


Joined: Sep 02, 2008
Last visited: Mar 07, 2024
Total posts: 306 | Search posts