Ardgour Weekend

31 May - 2nd June 2024

Seven of us, Jane, Bob, Bill, Gordon, Sandy, Ruth, and Steve, assembled on Friday evening at the Ariundle Centre, Strontian. We had originally been 10 and booked two four-bed rooms and one twin. But rather bizarrely we ended up with 16 beds between the seven of us, so we were spoilt for space!

On the way across to Ardgour on Friday, Bob and Jane stopped in the Great Glen and Bob did the Corbett Beinn Bhan, while Jane cycled part of the Great Glen Way. Bill ascended the Corbett Garbh Bheinn (Ardgour), while Gordon, who had set out on Thursday, bagged two Grahams Meall nan Damh and Glas Bheinn near Glenfinnan before cycling up Conaglen to the Graham, Stob Mhic Bheathain, on Friday.

On Saturday, Bill and Bob did two Corbetts north of Ariundle. They drove to Kinlochan and left the car there and walked a few km up Glen Hurich to access the ridge of Beinn Mheadhoin. This is a very pleasant and gentle ridge for about 5 km leading all the way to the summit of Carn na Nathrach. From there they could see the steep descent and ascent to Sgurr Dhomhnuill and spent a few minutes deciding on route to avoid the steeper rocky sections. It was tough going to the summit but great views once there. They debated whether to return to the car via the Druim Garbh ridge, but decided to do the route down to the lead mines and through the oak woods back to the Ariundle Centre, meeting Steve, Ruth and Gordon on the last section.

The prospect of a glorious cloud-free day encouraged Ruth, Gordon, Sandy and Steve to walk east to west over three, potentially four, Grahams. Leaving cars at Inversanda started off ascending Sgurr Mhic Eacharna. There was little sign of a path, but fortunately the bogs were dry and the initial sharp ascent from sea-level not too exhausting. There was a nice ridge to the second peak, Beinn Bheag. After a quick lunch Sandy decided drop into the corrie and walk back down the valley to Inversanda. The others continued along another ridge with panoramic views to Sgurr nan Cnamh. The descent from there was hard going because of the rocky terrain, rough vegetation, riddled with small lochans, but once off the hill they enjoyed the walk back through the oak woods to Ariundle. There had been an option to add a fourth Graham, but the decent, and then extra 610 metres of ascent in just a few kilometres, looked brutal!

Sunday was a bit dreich, so Bob and Jane headed east and did a short walk to Loch Mallachie and Loch Garten on the way home. Bill, Gordon, Ruth, and Steve all returned directly to Deeside. Meanwhile Sandy decided to cross to Mull and avoided the rain spending the day in coffee houses and browsing book shops. Fortunately, Monday dawned fine, and he walked the Grahams Ben Buie and Creich Bheinn from the Glen More side, apparently a fantastic day.