The Arrochar Alps: Beinn Bhuidhe (216)

Walk date: 20/06/16

My Munro #'s: 279

Pronunciations - translations - heights:
Byn voo-ee - yellow hill - 948m

Statistics:
Duration - 08:55 to 15:15

Distance -  22.2 km
Total ascent -  1031m
Weather - Dry/light drizzle, some rain higher up and blowy for a spell on tops.  A nice dry finish.
Team - Paul P

Other hikers: no others.

No track data as I didn't save it!

Andrew and Paul hiking week 2016

DAY 3 - Monday

Very long walk-in along a hydro-quarry-farm-estate track which is variously tarmac, dirt-track etc. but it does allow very fast progress - we were 1.5 hours to the actual ascent path at the 'sheep dip' designated on the path.

The actual path is just before the sheep dip and just after the boarded-up Inverchorachan as marked-up on the map.  There is a wide-gate which gives access to a good path which winds up the aouth side of the gorge alongside impressively steep drops.  With just one little scrambling moment you reach a wider area under some impressive small waterfalls.  The path continues to wind upwards after crossing the river and then coming out onto a plateau where, bizarrely, there is a wide works track which had a JCB parked on it!  Ignore this track and cross it to where the thin path continues (we made a cairn!).

This plateau was wet and boggy and sometimes the path was hard to see, but it all comes together again ready for the next section of ascent.  This ascent is a little loose but it's OK.  However, the path on the very top is quite close to the edge with steep drop-offs so it wouldn't be the best for high wind.  With all the rain coming rain we didn't stay too long on the top and made our way back straight away.  Thankfully, we were rewarded with our work with a pint at the Fyne Brewery helpfully situated at the base of the walk.

The glen either way from the ascent path:

Various ascent views:

Fyne Brewery!

The Arrochar Alps: Ben Vane (283), Beinn Ime (118) [and also BeinnNarnain - repeat]

Walk date: 19/06/16

My Munro #'s: 277 and 278

Pronunciations - translations - heights:
As spelt - unknown - 915m
As spelt - butter hill - 1011m

Statistics:
Duration - 09:15 and 17:15

Distance -  24.1km
Total ascent -  1569m
Weather - drizzly to full rain, sometimes blowly and sometimes calm.
Team - Paul P

Other hikers: several between Ime and Narnain.

Andrew and Paul hiking week 2016

DAY 2 - Sunday

This was a long day in the wet!  This hike can be done from the Loch Lomand side, but I quite fancied this Glen Kinglass start, especially as it was closer to our base at Inveraray.

Immediately after starting on a track off the road, the track has to be left for a river-crossing, and a steep and slippy-in-the-wet stile.  A rough path then goes through rough grass for a steep section of ascent, but we have to leave this when we got high enough for the turn to head toward the col of Beinn Chorronaich.  The climb to the col is tiring and there are no paths to speak of, but it's OK.

Once at the col, we descended down toward Lag Uaine over rough grass.  In the low visibility this wasn't simple, as we had to make a few detours to avoid some crags and cliffs.  

The ascent of Vane from this side is on more rough grass and the progress is fine despite the continued lack of paths.  There is a double top to Vane which was a little confusing in the cloud, but we managed both!  We returned to Lag Uaine for a late lunch before the return climb to the Beinn Chorronaich col this time without meeting any cliffs.  

We managed to find a path up Ime by heading up along when we reached its western cliffs.  We got the worse weather here, but made quick progress and the onward path to Narnain was fast as well.  

Our avoiding of Ime on the return worked out well, but there was again no path to speak of.  The descent was fine but the tufty grass did require great care for tired knees and ankles!

Lunch at Lag Uaine:The splendour of Lag Uaine!The weather improved enough at Narnain for a photo!

The Arrochar Alps: Ben Vorlich (229)

Walk date: 18/06/16

My Munro #'s: 276

Pronunciations - translations - heights:
 As spelt - hill of the bay - 943m


Statistics:
Duration - 14:30 to 18:30

Distance -  14.8 km
Total ascent -  942m
Weather - gorgeous day - hiking in shorts!  A little cool when on top.
Team - Paul P

Other hikers: loads of others.

Andrew and Paul P hiking week 2016!

DAY1 - Saturday
It's that time again!!  Finally, after a year's wait which included a back op, the mountains have finally beckoned us back.  With just 7 Munros to go, this week would hopefully see 6 visited, leaving just Ben More on Mull for our August big-group meet!

This hike was a little longer than imagined as the only parking is the café car park just north of the hydro road, but fortunately the pay and display machines weren't working, and to be honest it made a nice change to start the hike with a blast from a double espresso!

The path to the start of the hike is actually quite good, and then it turns into the tarmac track which, apart from an offroad shortcut near the start, takes you all the way to the ascent path which starts just near the dam.  The tarmac means that the pace out is fast, and although the ascent path is steep, it's high enough quality that it feels quick too.  

Due to the amazing weather this rapid ascent meant we were rewarded with amazing views of neighbouring hills and down to Loch Lomond.  A note of caution is that the true summit is the second top - the one without the trig point!  Good return progress, just a pity about the 53-mile detour due to a road accident on the way to Inveraray!

The dam coming close:

Ascent path progress:

Neigbouring hills:

Back on tops:

Gorgeous panoramic:

Time for shorts!

We're back!

Down to Loch Lomond:

Starting the return:

Terrain of the tops:

Returning views:

Loch Lomond oddness:

Ben Lomand and the Arrochar Alps: Beinn Narnain (259)

Walk date: June 2003
My Munro #s: 8/284

This Munro was also part of the Scottish Ramsoc weekend but was most notable for The Cobbler (Ben Arthur), a mere Corbett rather than the Munro involved. The Cobbler is a very distinct top of rocky overhanging crags and can be used as a marker in the surrounding area. The day was another scorcher and it was very pleasent sitting on top of an overhand having a spot of lunch. An illustration of the beautiful weather is that Ben Nevis was in clear view (still cloudless!) some 85 miles away! We had climbed up through boring controlled forests from Arrochar onto shelterless terrain. From The Cobbler the route was easy to Beinn Nairn, but the routemaster spent most of the descent to Succoth for the bus apologising as it consisted mainly of forcing our own way through dead young forest, which was extremely tiring especially in the continued heat of the day. Ah well, you live and learn.

Ben Lomond and the Arrochar Alps: Ben Lomond (184)

Walk date: June 1999
My Munro #s: 3/284

This hike occurred on a post-exams, pre-graduation week-long break at the end of my undergrad and was the clearest example of how different the expectations of a certain Paul P and a certain Hellary, sorry, Hilary were for the week. That there was even a hike included was as significant victory for the Paul camp, but the H camp reacted to the defeat by maintaining a patented stoney silence throughout the 974m ascent (Ben Nevis had been taken in earlier in the week while my mate Antony was with us but the H had remained in Fort William throughout - that Ben Nevis climb was my fourth having also been up with my Dad and Penny Butler since my youthful ascent). Ben Lomond is the southernmost Munro and the hike starts from a carpark on the shores of Loch Lomond near the Rowardennan Youth Hostel. The day was very hot and the midges were in abundance even on the summit. Paul and I provided a hearty meal, but in a possible divine intervention, the H remained literally spotless. The obvious path climbs through controlled forest until breaking free at ~200m. The rest of the route remains obvious. The views from this hill are extremely rewarding with the entire Loch and The Cobbler laid out beneath you. However, for all its directness, the hill must not be taken lightly; I don't have such a poor record on any other hill, having only suceeded on one of three attempts due to bad weather making the exposed hillside very hard to make progress on. You have been warned! Anyway, Paul and I had a great time even paddling once back down. The H stormed to the car and put on Radio 2. Ah, memories...