Beinn a' Chreachain (1081m) NN373440
Summitted: Saturday 14th May 2011
Beinn Achallader (1038m) NN344432
Summitted: Saturday 14th May 2011
Setting off from Edinburgh on the Friday evening, we (Myself, Moray, Andy and bothy neophyte/Papa Smurf lookalike Will) parked up at Achallader farm just in time for the rain to start. We managed to make it over the ford (with wet feet) and over the main bridge before it got dark, and hammered it the rest of the way up the track to Gorton without stopping to put on head torches. There were a few stumbles, but we all made it in one piece and arrived to find the place empty. After just a few drinks the call of the sleeping bag became strong and we had all turned in by about 2 a.m.
The following day, we managed to get ourselves fed and out the door in the direction of Beinn a' Chreachain by just after noon. An early start by some standards. We were expecting to take about 7 hours to do both Beinn a' Chreachain and Beinn Achallader but this ended up at almost exactly 10 hours walking, give or take a few breaks.
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| The 'Jacobite', on the way up to Fort William for the summer season |
We followed the track East from the bothy over the bridge and under the railway line (at the exact moment a train came speeding over!) and picked our way along a very rough track towards the square tree plantation. We followed the eastern fence of the plantation up onto the NE ridge of Beinn a' Chreachain.
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| Eating lunch in the lee of a rock on the NE ridge of Beinn a' Chreachain |
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| Will wondering how much further to go (only 8 hours more!) |
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| Rannoch moor - Ben Alder and Beinn Bheoil just visible to the left of the Loch Ericht gap |
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| 'Papa Smurf' not looking happy - Only 7 hours to go! |
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| Snow on the Blackmount, rain guarding the gates to Glencoe |
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| The summit of Beinn a' Chreachain |
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| The summit of Beinn a' Chreachain |
We headed down from the summit and followed the path over the shoulder of Meall Buidhe to Beinn Achallader, which is considereably more rocky than Beinn a' Chreachain. There was a little bit of scrambling to be done at the foot of the summit cone, with a sheer drop to the right hand side, but apart from this, it's not a difficult ascent.
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| Papa Smurf, nearing the summit of Beinn Achallader |
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| Loch Tulla from the summit |
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| The summit cairn |
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| Beinn Achallader summit photo |
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| No more climbing, right? |
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| Loch Tulla from Beinn Achallader |
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| Descending the steep side to the burn (Allt Coire Achalladair) |
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| Allt Coire Achalladair |
The descent down the west side of Beinn Achalalder was very steep and seemed to go on forever, dropping over 500m of height in less than 1Km, but once we reached the burn, it was easy to follow it north to the railway line. We had decided to walk alongside the track until we got to the bridge at Barravourich, to avoid getting our feet wet at the ford near Achallader farm.
By the time we got back to the bothy it was after 10 and we'd been on the hoof for about 10 hours, a good few hours longer than we had expected. We were all glad to see the bothy and got the fire going and some food on. Will the Rookie was looking exhausted but managed to get enough Jack Daniels down his neck to feel queasy before crashing out.
On sunday, we had a leasuirely breakfast and headed down the track in a bit of light rain. Pizzas (and a porcelain toilet) at the Green Wellie Stop beckoned.
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