Crianlarich weekend

This was the first full DHC weekend of 2018. 7 people travelled over to the SYHA hostel in Crianlarich on the Friday (Susan, Ali, Ruth, Steve, Tim, Graham Neish and Robert). We were joined on Saturday night by Jane, Bob and Graham Rebecca.

Tim and Graham walked a corbett on the way over on Friday, the rest travelled over later in the day.

On Saturday the party split, Ali, Graham N and Tim drove over to walk Beinn a Bhuiridh by Ben Cruachan, Ruth and Steve walked Beinn Udlaidh and Beinn Bhreac-liath and Susan and Robert tackled Cruach Ardrain and Beinn Tulaichean. The weather was forecast to be sunshine and showers and that was how the day turned out.

Beinn a Bhuiridh proved to be the toughest day, The approach through coire Glas meant the group needed to climb a steep headwall with a lot of snow on it.

View up route into Coire Glas.

After cutting steps and using crampons they managed to get onto the the plateau.

Coire Headwall

They then had a walk across to the summit cairn and a well earned rest.

Summit Beinn a Bhuiridh

The view from the top over Loch Awe and across to Ben Cruachan was splendid.

View from Beinn a Bhuiridh.

The team then had a steep slippery grassy slope down so they kept crampons on until they reached the track. They used crampons for a full 5 hours.

Ruth and Steve found easier conditions on their walk and didn’t use crampons.

Susan and Robert were the only ones to tackle Munros on the weekend. A short drive from the hostel took us to the start up Glen Falloch and then it was a hard climb up to Cruach Ardrain. As we were puzzling where the actual summit was the clouds parted for a moment to show it was only 50m away. We put on crampons and walked over hard snow to the summit cairn. Susan was complaining of altitude sickness since she hadn’t been so high at 1046m for several years.

Susan on summit.

With the cloud clearing we could see Beinn Tulaichean and since it was only 11.00 we decided to head over there. It was a lovely walk in crampons over firm snow.

Beinn Tulaichean

Having had lunch in the sun on the ridge we headed down into Glen Falloch following snow for as long as possible. We got back first at about 15.30hrs having had a wonderful day.

The others joined us at the hostel on Saturday evening and Ruth, Susan and Steve had a very nice looking venison casserole for supper, the rest went to the Ben More Inn.

It rained in the evening and Sunday dawned grey and the whole group headed to Beinn Mhic Mohonaidh in Glen Orchy. The initial 4 or 5km of the route was up through open forestry on a good path.

Approach to Beinn Mhic Mononaidh

After a stop for coffee in the shelter of the wood we climbed up a steep grassy slope to the summit plateau. As we climbed the top was largely in cloud. Once on the plateau it was a short walk to the summit cairn but there was insufficient snow to require crampons.

Near the top

Once at the summit the clouds cleared occasionally so we got some views.

Summit party

Overall it was a great weekend although a number of us commented that we were stiff on Monday as we are getting old and hadn’t done much walking over the winter. Roll on the next weekend.

Robert Brown