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Attendees: Andy, Ian, Jim, Ken, Alec, Hilary, Maggie
Accommodation: Corran Bunkhouse
Hill climbed on Saturday: Beinn
a'Bheither (Ken, Alec, Hilary & Maggie)
Hill climbed on Sunday: Beinn Dorain (Ken, Alec, Hilary & Maggie)
Saturday - Beinn a'Bheither:
On the Saturday, after discarding (so to speak) the Ben, Aonach Eagach and Bidean nam Bian on grounds of likely steep snow on the interesting routes, we climbed Beinn a’ Bheithir above Ballachulish. In dreich conditions (see evening pic, when conditions a lot better)
We walked up through semi-alpine forestry into Glen a’ Chaolais, to enter the upper corrie, where increasingly steep stones, grass and rocks required a steady head and the occasional hand, before the humpy ridge up Sgorr Dhonuill by noon, when (as forecast) sunshine broke out, first down to Loch Leven and then all round. This cheered up the descent to the col
and then up Sgorr Dhearg
passing a group of Poles (the human sort), with Bidean and the Aonach Eagach framing Glencoe, and the Ben (still clouded) up north. Excellent views in all directions for the rest of the day made almost enjoyable the long and steep descent to Ballachulish over Sgorr Bhan
Ken turned off left to go round - after a hair-raising descent to the main road - by the Forestry Commission's “St John’s Way” track back into Glen a’Chaolais for the car, while the others descended direct to the limited delights of South Ballachulish.
Sunday - Ben Dorain:
On Sunday, after an indifferent Saturday evening meal in the Ardgour Inn, reached by free ferry, we climbed Ben Dorain above Bridge of Orchy, in mist and wind on the ridge – especially near the col. This discouraged a similar effort on Ben Dothaidh - despite some improvement in the views after 12 o’clock – but enabled a return to Aberdeen in very civilized style - if one excepts the dreadful new sub-caff at The Green Welly.
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