Footprints Across Scotland

Why not make a few of your own!

9th & 10th October 2010

Beinn Tharsuinn (Transverse hill) and Sgurr na Feartaig (Peak of the sea pink {thrift}) from Craig in Glen Carron and Beinn Bhan (White hill) from the bridge over the river Kishorn in Applecross.



Beinn Tharsuinn is most often combined on a long mountain day en-route to Bidean a' Choire Sheasgaich and Lurg Mhor. My intention was to combine it with Sgurr na Feartaig using Bealach Bhearnais as the access point for both hills. Starting at Craig in Glen Carron the first job was to carefully cross the railway line via the unmanned level crossing. A track then leads through and then rises above the large pinewood that forms part of Achnashellach forest. Grand views now opened up when looking back to Fuar Tholl which rises above the splendid Coire Lair.

Fuar Tholl, Glen Carron












Fuar Tholl, Glen Carron

The high winds forecast could be seen pushing the odd cloud across the sky but down in the Glen there was little more than a feint breeze. It was quite a warm day for the time of year and combined with the climb it meant that the early part of the walk was done in shirt sleeves. As the path turned under the rocky ramparts of Creag an Ardaich a small cairn marked the route down to cross the river and climb Sgurr na Feartaig via Na Meallanan Buidhe on its southern shoulder. I ignored this option and continued along the banks of Allt a' Chonais until another small cairn appeared as the track turned some crags on the lower slopes of Sgurr nan Ceannaichean. A small path dropped from the track leading over wet grass toward a shaky looking wire bridge. The waters were quite low so I decided on an easier option and used some stepping stones to ford the river.

Climbing to Bealach Bhearnais












Climbing to Bealach Bhearnais

A reasonable path now cut a corner before following the line of Allt Leathad an Tobair gaining height on its way to Bealach Bhearnais.

Looking east from Bealach Bhearnais












Looking east from Bealach Bhearnais

At the bealach I stood below the narrow western ridge of Sgurr Choinnich which rose skyward to be cloaked higher up by a narrow band of newly formed mist.

Sgurr Choinnich












Sgurr Choinnich

My way now steepened as I tackled the slopes leading to start of the broad undulating ridge of Beinn Tharsuinn's northern spur. This is one of three spurs that radiate out from the centrally placed summit to give the mountain a roughly Y shaped appearance. Two subsidiary tops sit on the north and western spurs while the south-eastern spur forms the tail of the Y.

Sgurr na Feartaig and the Torridon hills from Beinn Tharsuinn












Sgurr na Feartaig and the Torridon hills from Beinn Tharsuinn

The wind varied dramatically along the course of the ridge ranging from very strong to fairly gentle. Hazy views over to Lurg Mhor & Bidean a' Choire Sheasgaich revived fond memories of a camping trip to Loch Calavie a couple of years back. But I didn't hang around to long as I still had a fair bit of walking to do, my immediate destination was back to Bealach Bhearnais. From the bealach I would now have to regain pretty well the same height I had just lost, this would be achieved by taking on Sgurr na Feartaig directly via its southern slopes.

Taking a breather before climbing Sgurr na Feartaig












Taking a breather before climbing Sgurr na Feartaig

The steep grassy slopes eased near the top and I thankfully greeted the easier slopes of the rotund summit area. Loch Sgurr na Feartaig sat in a grassy hollow along the broadening northern slopes while my way would take me west along a narrowing rocky crest.

Sgurr na Feartaig, Sgurr Choinnich & Beinn Tharsuinn












Sgurr na Feartaig, Sgurr Choinnich & Beinn Tharsuinn

Continuing along to the western top I then followed a fine section of stalkers path as it descended in a number of long uniform zigzags.

Beinn Tharsuinn












Beinn Tharsuinn

Before dropping all the way down to the Bealach at Baobh-bhacan Dubha I paused out of the breeze for tea and a bite to eat. Taking the northern path at the T junction I headed across toward Carn Mor before dropping down below the cliff's of Creag a' Chaorainn into Coire Leiridh. The path along this section was quite waterlogged at times running through a number of boggy channels.

Sunlit trees in Achnashellach forest












Sunlit trees in Achnashellach forest

Further down the path was increasingly hard to follow as it entered Achnashellach forest where it had became quite overgrown. I chose this way down so that the final section of the walk would be through the forest but unfortunately the trees north of the track had been felled. It was a bit of a trudge along the forestry road but I soon rejoined the forest proper to then find a bridge that led onto my outward track. Another km back to the level crossing and I was just a short way from the car park. I headed off toward Applecross with thoughts of where to park overnight when I noticed the sign for a campsite when entering the village of Lochcarron. Heading up the back road a short way a further sign indicated the location of the "wee" campsite. There was a small toilet block which would provide a welcome shower so I decided this would be a good place to stop for the night. The site is on three raised levels and gives good views south over the waters of loch Carron. The site was far from full as expected at this time of year; there were only three small tents on the higher level. I was going to sleep in the van and another guy had similar ideas using his SUV for overnight accomodation. The stars were out in force as the warmth of the day soon disappeared in the chill of the evening.
The dawn broke bright and the wind had picked once up again but the few clouds in the sky were hanging over the eastern ranges. After washing and breakfasting I headed off to the shores of loch Kishorn and my much anticipated appointment with Beinn Bhan. Beinn Bhan is an impressive mountain and though it stands on the very edge of Torridon it is none the less built from the same raw materials, mainly Torridian sandstone. There are six corries that line the eastern flanks of Beinn Bhan and they eat into impressively shear cliff walls that rise almost vertically to meet an extensive summit plateau. I have travelled along the Shieldaig road a number of times often stopping to peer over the moor to Beinn Bhan wondering what secrets a closer inspection would uncover.

Beinn Bhan












Beinn Bhan

From the Kishorn bridge at the start of the Bealach nam Ba road I walked briskly along the fisherman’s path that heads over moorland towards Loch Gaineamhach. There are a number of burns that run down from the corries to form a tangled network of waterways that eventually flow into the Kishorn river. I was aiming to pick up the burn out of Coire na Feola and just before a small footbridge I found a feint path next to the burn that climbed the slopes in the direction of the corrie. Roughly halfway across the moor and just before two huge boulders the path cuts across the burn and heads more directly over to Lochan Coire na Poite. I continued to follow the burn upward but turned slightly toward Coire Each as I neared the rocky buttress that separates it from Coire na Feola. In Coire Each a large stag stood above some hinds marking his territory with a bellowing roar that echoed off the surrounding cliffs. Coire na Feola was the more impressive of the two corries biting deep into the mountain side with some more giant pieces of rocky masonry scattered around it grassy interior.

Beinn Bhan and Coire na Feola












Beinn Bhan and Coire na Feola

Heading north I roamed across the corrie floor eventually turning the lower quarters of the tower of A'Chioch. A'Chioch forms the start of a steep and narrow ridge that offers a testing scramble up onto the summit plateau. My intention for the day was to explore the corries and so I left this option for another day. Coire na Poite, "the corrie of the cauldron", is maybe the most striking of the corries with two rocky sentinels of A'Chioch and A’ Phoit standing over the inner sanctum and its hanging corrie.

Beinn Bhan, Coire a' Phoite and Coire an Fhamair












Beinn Bhan, Coire a' Phoite and Coire an Fhamair

The floor of the main corrie rises through a series of crags before hitting a wall of bare rock whose defences are breached easily to the left of a small waterfall.

A' Phoit and the waterfall showing the way to the hanging corrie












A' Phoit and the waterfall showing the way to the hanging corrie

Above the wall stupendous cliffs line two sides while a third side is formed by steep grass slopes that rise to a narrow ridge linking A'Phoit to the summit head wall. Most of the corrie was in shade but light streamed in through a gap in the A'Chioch spur illuminating the rocky bed of one of two lochans that lie enclosed within.

Beinn Bhan above Coire na Poite












Beinn Bhan above Coire na Poite

After descending back down beside the waterfall I came across a small stone shelter before rounding the rocky pillar of A' Phoit and entering "the Giants Corrie", Coire nan Fheamhair. The hillside on my left was a jumble of broken rock and boulders which gave away to large swathes of grass stretching up to the corrie headwall in front of me and terraced ridge of Sron Coire an Fhamhair on my right. The normal route taken out of the corrie lies in the north west corner but I decided to follow the interesting looking ridge on the right.

Coire Fhamair












Coire Fhamair

As I stood taking in the atmosphere a couple of hinds appeared suddenly close by as if by magic, they paused just briefly before heading off to be first up onto my chosen ridge. Once on the ridge after the steep climb I allowed my breathing to ease a while before pushing on up to the top. Tracing the edge of Coire Toll a' Mheine I worked my way around to the next top still above the same corrie, a sixth corrie, Coire Gorm Beag lies further down this northern western spur. Turning round I made my way toward Loch na Beinne Baine that sits seemingly out of place on the large grassy area of the plateau. After regaining the edge of Coire nan Fheamhair I followed its line around and then up onto the main plateau and summit of Beinn Bhan.

Loch na Beinne Baine across Coire an Fhamair












Loch na Beinne Baine across Coire an Fhamair

There were hazy views out to the mountains of Torridon while there was only the faintest outline suggesting the Skye Cuillin. But views closer to hand more than made up for loss of clarity in the distance, down below the corries were quite spectacular. A different perspective was formed of the domes A'Chioch and A’ Phoit as they thrust up from sandstone bed rock below. The twin lochans in the hanging corrie of Coire na Poite looked along way down, it seemed strange somehow to think that I was stood down below just a couple of hours earlier.

A' Phoit from Beinn Bhan












A' Phoit from Beinn Bhan

Thoughts strayed towards Sgurr a' Chaorachain but I decided that would be a prize for another day and so I headed down along Beinn Bhan's south east ridge.

Beinn Bhan southern ridge












Beinn Bhan southern ridge

As the Kishorn bridge came into view I took a direct line towards it but soon wished I'd continued along the ridge. The way down became quiet rough and the soaking ground was fairly slippery and very boggy in places, I would suggest the ridge would have provided better going?

River Kishorn












River Kishorn

It was with some relief that I reached the van and sat down to rest and enjoy the sun at the end of what had been a very fine if tiring day. Having brewed up and cleaned up it was now time to head home, face slightly reddened but thirst for the outdoors quenched at least for a few days.



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