Beinn nam Beathrach

15 March 2016

Participants: Neil and Ben

Where: Beinn nam Beathrach, 582m/1911', Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 49, NM 752572

 

I was staying at Strontian and you could see Beinn nam Beathrach from there, across Loch Sunart. This was the view of it in the morning.....

 

 

It was only a few miles drive to the start of the walk, the high point of the road that goes to Lochaline. There was a convenient parking place at the start of a rough 4WD track that went to a couple of masts a short distance up the hillside. After that it was a case of picking my way up to the ridge keeping to the right of an obvious gully to arrive at the east top and another superlative view! I found that this was the best bit of the hill from which to see the hills of Ardgour, with both Sgurr Dhomhnuill  (centre in the next photo) and Garbh Bheinn (right hand side) prominent. Loch Sunart is in the foreground and you can also make out Strontian.....

 

 

 

The summit was the best bit of a mile away over some lumpy ground with lots of little lochans; I could just make out the trig in the distance.....

 

 

To the east I could see the mainland hills over Loch Linnhe.....

 

 

and to the north Beinn Resipol over Loch Sunart.....

 

 

Then Rum, with Eigg in front of it, and Skye came into view.....

 

and it didn't take too long to reach the Vanessa trig. Ben knows now that he has to sit at the summit to get his photograph taken, here with the whole range of the Ardgour Corbetts in the background.....

 

 

Loch Sunart, Rum, Eigg and Skye and you can just make out the Outer Hebrides in the background.....

 

 

Beinn Resipol.....

 

the hills of Mull.....

 

 

Needless to say, I sat around for quite a while. You don't get many days like this in a year. While I was at the trig, Ben suddenly shot off, down the slopes to the south and up the other side. I hadn't seen them but there were some deer there and I watched them take off as this white shape charged towards them. He obviously realised that he was getting rather far away from me so I saw him stop and head back. It was a tired dog that dragged himself back to the trig after about a half mile run full tilt!

 

We went down by the same route and as it was still early I headed down to have a look at Lochaline. There were some strange cloud formations over our hill.....

 

 

And to complete a perfect day, there was a good sunset so an evening pic of Beinn nam Beathrach to finish.....