Big brute Bidean
Route: Bidean nam Bian
Munros: Bidean nam Bian, Stob Coire Sgreamhach
Date walked: 03/09/2022
Time taken: 6.25 hours
Distance: 13.1km
Ascent: 1279m
Friday night, bad forecast (wet and windy), but the clouds are high so text my walking buddy Duncan and we’re set for Saturday to take on the formidable Bidean. A first for both of us.
Car park is quiet on Saturday, off we go a quick jaunt down across the river then look up and it’s the first “we can’t climb up there”!! A seemingly impossible gnarly stream to walk up. But of course we can, and it gains us quick height on a good path, with great views back of the Aonach ridge and Glencoe.
Eventually get up under a huge dome of rock and choose the right hand path over a stream (it’s apparently more scenic). Well it is, it takes us up under Stob Coire nan Lochan, a big broody wall of rock, and round onto its west ridge. The sheer size of the hills is impressive, the ridge is Batman- style with all the sharp bits of rock sticking up, but is easier to walk than it looks, although the rocks are slippery underfoot. The summit arrives eventually, with great views. It’s elegant enough to seem like a Munro.
Then it’s on to the connecting ridge ver to Bidean itself, tougher to negotiate than it looks but no real exposure.
The haul up to the summit comes quickly, and finally we’re there! Big bad Bidean. Superlative views of a sea of peaks, it’s stunning. But as well as the constant 200mph hurricane, the rain now has a go. So onwards to the second summit along a great ridge, but it’s hard to make progress as the rocks are slippery and we take some tumbles. We finally reach it, lovely view further along the ridge which is tempting.
Back down to the bealach, and the top of the crazy red mud chute. It’s almost vertical and takes some effort not to slip, but plenty of handholds save the day. Then it’s a long march down into the Lost Valley, which is just an amazing place - a first for me. Suddenly, the rain stops and we see tourists!
Back through the boulders and soon back to the car park, with a final look back to where we’ve been. They still look impossible, and so forbidding. An excellent day. Cheated the worst of the weather.
Car park is quiet on Saturday, off we go a quick jaunt down across the river then look up and it’s the first “we can’t climb up there”!! A seemingly impossible gnarly stream to walk up. But of course we can, and it gains us quick height on a good path, with great views back of the Aonach ridge and Glencoe.
Eventually get up under a huge dome of rock and choose the right hand path over a stream (it’s apparently more scenic). Well it is, it takes us up under Stob Coire nan Lochan, a big broody wall of rock, and round onto its west ridge. The sheer size of the hills is impressive, the ridge is Batman- style with all the sharp bits of rock sticking up, but is easier to walk than it looks, although the rocks are slippery underfoot. The summit arrives eventually, with great views. It’s elegant enough to seem like a Munro.
Then it’s on to the connecting ridge ver to Bidean itself, tougher to negotiate than it looks but no real exposure.
The haul up to the summit comes quickly, and finally we’re there! Big bad Bidean. Superlative views of a sea of peaks, it’s stunning. But as well as the constant 200mph hurricane, the rain now has a go. So onwards to the second summit along a great ridge, but it’s hard to make progress as the rocks are slippery and we take some tumbles. We finally reach it, lovely view further along the ridge which is tempting.
Back down to the bealach, and the top of the crazy red mud chute. It’s almost vertical and takes some effort not to slip, but plenty of handholds save the day. Then it’s a long march down into the Lost Valley, which is just an amazing place - a first for me. Suddenly, the rain stops and we see tourists!
Back through the boulders and soon back to the car park, with a final look back to where we’ve been. They still look impossible, and so forbidding. An excellent day. Cheated the worst of the weather.
Click to mark this as a great report. Register or Login free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Snow!
Munros: Creise, Meall a' BhùiridhDate walked: 26/03/2022
Views: 636
Sgulaird days
Munros: Beinn SgulairdDate walked: 17/04/2021
Distance: 15.1km
Ascent: 1112m
Views: 948
Two lairigs - five stars
Date walked: 19/09/2020Distance: 15.14km
Ascent: 609m
Comments: 1
Views: 3091
Scorching Buachaille Etive Beag
Munros: Stob Coire Raineach (Buachaille Etive Beag), Stob Dubh (Buachaille Etive Beag)Date walked: 17/09/2020
Distance: 9.7km
Ascent: 879m
Views: 917
Pleasant short walk
Date walked: 14/09/2020Distance: 5.54km
Ascent: 144m
Views: 833
Beinn Fhionnlaidh
Munros: Beinn FhionnlaidhDate walked: 21/07/2020
Distance: 14.5km
Ascent: 959m
Views: 893
-
meles meles
- Activity: Mountaineer
- Mountain: Ben Cruachan
- Munros: 46
- Corbetts: 1
- Fionas: 2
- Wainwrights: 2
- Hewitts: 14
- Islands: 18
- Filter reports
- Trips: 2
- Distance: 13.1 km
- Ascent: 1279m
- Munros: 4
- Trips: 1
- Distance: 15.1 km
- Ascent: 1112m
- Munros: 1
- Trips: 4
- Distance: 44.88 km
- Ascent: 2591m
- Munros: 3
- Joined: Jun 07, 2018
- Last visited: Sep 23, 2023
- Total posts: 11 | Search posts