Some thoughts and reports from outings...
Blogs from some outdoor adventures.....
The day before, and the NW highlands were looking like the place to go according to the various online forecasts, so Torridon was chosen with a possible bash up An Ruadh Stac………. However……
The next morning and the alarm went early – too early!! First thing I did was to check MWIS – updated at 22.23pm the night before (after I went to bed for the early start)! Forecast had changed, now suggesting that the west coast mountains further south would be the place to be!! ;) So a change of plan – Beinn Bheula. This hill has been on the tick list for a while and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to bag it. A quick printing of maps at 05.30 and I was away at 06.15 headed for Lochgoilhead – or so I thought!! A quick de-ice of the car and off I headed. The sat nav wanted to take me via Tyndrum which I thought a little odd but then remembered about the landslides closing the road at the Rest and be Thankful! Glad the sat nav was intelligent and regularly upodated ;) After about three hours I was closing in on Lochgoilhead – seemed to take ages. I was looking around and was surprised at the lack of big hills – a bit odd I thought!! Onwards in the sunshine and finally I arrived at the town – no big hills here – alarm bells !! Back to the sat nav – and a seriously DOH! moment - -…. And I had arrived at Lochgilphead –NOT Lochgoilhead!! Another 50miles later and I arrived at Lettermay!!! What should have been a 1.5hr journey had taken nearly four hours!!! Anyway I set of from Lettermay (after finally finding a parking spot!!) at the back of ten. The sun was out and I moved quickly through the forest and up past the impressive waterfalls. The going was very boggy and soon I turned south and uphill towards Beinn Bhreac. The blue skies vanished and I was hit by a fast approaching squall. I could see it coming as the thick grey curtain blanked out the landscape as it drew closer!! Soon the snow started and visibility dropped. Out with map and compass!! As I reached Beinn Bhreacs top, the shower passed and I got a good view of Beinn Bheula. The part of the route which was to take me to the ridge looked very unstable with lots of wet soggy snow on steep ground. I decided against heading up this as it was not worth the risk. Looking round I could see a route through and up along a few ledges which looked safer so I headed up that way through the crags and directly onto the top of Creag Bhuic. It was only a short trip to the summit along some nice snow and I was soon stood on the top. I decided to make a circuit of it and headed down the ridge past Creag Sgoilte and eventually made my way round (through more very boggy ground) to the outflow of Lochan nan Cnaimh. Here I followed the stream down – an interesting path to descent – care required!!). The route then headed through newly felled plantations and soon I was back at the car – it was now just after 15.00. So five hours well spent as it always is in the hills J nearly spent more time in the car getting there though! Lesson learnt – double check the sat nav no matter how early it is!!
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WilkieMurraySome thoughts and reports from my outdoors activties... Archives
August 2017
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