Loch Treig and Loch Ossian: Carn Dearg (98), Geal-charn (26), Aonach Beag (37) and Beinn Eibhinn (48)

Walk date: 8/7/14

My Munro #'s: 247, 248, 249 and 250

Pronunciations - translations - heights:
Caarn jerrack - red hill - 1034m
Gyal chaarn - white hill - 1132m
Oenach byek - small ridge - 1114m
Byn ayveen - delightful hill - 1100m

Statistics:
Duration - 08:20 - 17:20

Distance -  approx 25 km
Total ascent -  1093m
Weather - Grand.  Almost no wind all day.  No real sunny spells but mild throughout, just a few spots of rain but nothing to worry about.
Team - with Paul P

Other hikers: none




















Day 4 - Tuesday

And now, time for the hike that inspired this year's choice of accommodation; the impressively remote string of four munros on the north side of the Ben Alder group.  After abandoning even the idea of it on year's week of snow, it was indescribably wonderful to start hiking from our own flat toward some of the least frequented Munros in the land.

The route meant we would stay low until the furthest point, and then return along the peaks, the opposite of our strenuous Loch Mullordoch approach in Glen Cannich, however this was very different with a good 'low' path.  This track took us past hydro plant work, and we had to avoid hard-working JCB diggers on the way.  This track also gained a lot of height before we lost it, only to have to get it back along long grassy slopes.

There was no marker to leave the well-made path that we were on, but as Culra bothy got closer, and we started to round Carn Dearg, we had to make a move, and so just randomly left the confines of the path and made a bee-line for the bealach between Dearg and Charn.  

Progress was surprisingly good along spongy grass slopes.  As we crossed a small river for a short while there even looked like there was a path, but it soon disappeared.   The incline increased slightly and we were on the broad back of one of the most remote Munros there is.  A short push and we were at its summit, looking proudly down on Culra, and wondering if we would have even made it this far if we'd have pushed ahead with the bothy-stay plan in last year's snow.

After some snacking we were off toward Geal-charn and the contour-packing east ridge, which had had me quite worried as I'd studied the map at home, but which in actual fact was a steep but very safe ascent.  However, the impressive amount of snow that remained in July made me glad we'd never made a winter visit!

After the impressive ridge, there is an unexpected wide summit plain, and it merely takes a leisurely stroll along bouncy grass to make it to the summit cairn.  From there Aonach Beag and Beinn Eibhinn were very straightforward; indeed I was taken aback by how easy the walking became, although I also accepted that this was largely down to the weather and total lack of wind, and I also found myself imagining how unpleasant they would be with a storm raging, given their height and general exposure.

The two downsides to the day thereafter became apparent.  The first was when we attempted to rest for food on Beinn  Eibhinn and discovered that even at height, no wind and warmth meant masses of midges!  The second was that, despite much less pain without the insoles in my boots, the descents still caused me many problems and it slowed things up greatly.  Nevermind, it had been a wonderful day, and returning to our very own flat at the end of the walk meant that the homebrew was quickly poured and we were correspondingly refreshed!!

Looking up at the north side of Ben Alder from the track:

Almost up on Carn Dearg:

Approaching the ascent onto Geal-charn:

Approaching the summit of Geal-charn:

Aonach Beag and Beinn Eibhinn ahead:

Approaching the summit of Aonach Beag:

Aonach Beag summit, just Beinn Eibhinn to go:

Looking back up from the descent:

Views down to Ossian on the descent:

Ben Nevis, The Aonachs and the Grey Corries: Aonach Mor (8) and Aonach Beag (7)

Walk date: 09/07/05
My Munro #'s: 37 and 38

One steep path onto the Aonach ridge!


One lucky woman's 284th Munro! Aonach Mor:


Watch your step around Aonach Beag:


Paul and Andrew walks 2005. 7 hours. We parked at the end of the Glen Nevis road and progressed with easy walking through the forest and along the glen to the Steall ruin. Here, due to ambiguity in my guide book, we crossed the bridge and started ascending our descent route from Aonach Beag instead of starting on the route to its neighbour alongside Allt Coire Giubhsachan. Before too long however, we had realised our mistake and were back on the right path. This right path soon turned out to be very wet indeed, soon coming out onto a hidden glen with a flat bottom of wet grassland and bog. Despite taking care with our routes, both Paul and I had soaked feet within minutes. The cloud on this day was very low, only just above the floor of this glen. Ahead of us disappearing into this misty ceiling we could make out a bunch of hikers and the sight gladdened our hearts, ensuring we were not mad to be out on such a day, or at least that we were not alone in our madness. We caught up with this group at the col between Carn Mor Dearg and the first target of our day. It turned out that one of their party was finishing ALL OF THE MUNROS with Aonach Mor! We wished them luck and moved ahead on nothing more than a bearing as initially no path was visible. One soon turned up however with attractive red earth, and led us onto the surprisingly wide ridge between the two Munros, but not before an impressively steep climb on its twisting route. We arrived at Aonach Mor to meet a second group of hikers who were waiting on their friends that we had passed earlier! They encouraged us to stay and we duly did, to be rewarded with a share in the champagne and whisky celebrations at 1221m! We bid farewell and started discussions as to how we would finsh if we ever got there, hardly noticing the arrival of Aonach Beag. A small spot of bother finding the descent of this hill got us focusing again and before too long we were back below the cloud and finding our ways back to Steall.