Beinn Bhàn

Tuesday 30th August 2016

I had two different routes for this walk and even as I was parking my car I still hadn’t decided which one I would do. Ralph Storer’s route up Beinn Bhàn seemed too difficult to attempt so I had looked for an alternative and found a different, much easier route on the walkhighlands.co.uk website. This had been my favoured option until I got a taste of the strong winds coming off the sea and suddenly Ralph Storer’s corrie-foot walk became more appealing. From Torridon I drove over the hills and down to Kishorn where I parked just before the bridge over the River Kishorn. The walkhighlands.co.uk route would have had me walk along the road for a bit before climbing the long southern ridge of Beinn Bhàn, however I think that walk would have been better done in the opposite direction with the steepest section in ascent and the ridge then used in descent, which is always the more pleasing way to do a walk. Instead I headed north along a good path that heads along the valley towards a fish farm and ends at Loch Gaineamhach below the corries of Beinn Bhàn.

Ralph Storer (in his book “100 Best Routes on Scottish Mountains”) had said to come off the path when the first corrie, Coire Each, comes into view. Unfortunately the clouds were down so low it was difficult to see any of the corries and the path that I was on was so good I didn’t want to come off it onto the boggy, pathless moorland. Eventually I did come off the path, and possibly earlier than I should, and struggled through the rough terrain slowly climbing towards some distant location I couldn’t see. Heather, bogs and rocks abounded underfoot as I made my way up the steep terrain passing the mouth of Coire Each and Coire na Feòla. Ralph Storer would have had me go into the corries but I think I must have stayed quite low at this point and didn’t get to see all the way into these corries, though low cloud would have spoiled the effect. What I could see of the tall crags of these corries was still awe-inspiring and only improved after I rounded the end of A’Chioch and the crag-filled Coire na Poite. Ralph Storer directed me to climb right into the heart of this corrie “where two hidden lochans lie at the foot of the dramatic 350m corrie headwall”.

In view of the poor weather, I did not do this and instead crossed the bog between the corrie and the beautiful Lochan Coire na Poite whose sandy beaches would have been more enticing in warmer conditions. Passing the spur that ends in the dramatic pinnacle of A’ Phiot I climbed into the grassy Coire an Fhamair and contemplated the northern ridge of this corrie which looked like it might be a possible route up, albeit with a scramble. This is a viable route up, though it would have been better done in good weather, so I decided to stick with Ralph Storer’s route heading up the corrie to the far right-hand corner where a steep, grassy rake took me up to the summit plateau. This was an exhausting climb and I stopped frequently to look behind me at the view down the corrie and the mountains of the Coulin Forest where the sun was starting to come out. Beinn Bhàn remained under cloud and when I eventually reached the top of the corrie strong winds forced me back down into the shelter of the corrie rim where I had my lunch. By the time I re-emerged onto the summit plateau the cloud was beginning to lift and I suddenly had a fleeting view north across Loch na Beinne Bàine and the northern ridge of Beinn Bhàn.

It wasn’t long before I was once more enveloped in cloud, so turning south I headed into a bitterly cold wind as I headed towards the summit of the Corbett. In better weather I would have kept to the rim of the corries in order to get a good look into these steep, dramatic rock theatres, but with low cloud and a strong wind trying to blow me into the corries I wisely kept far from the edge as I made my way up the bleak hillside until eventually I reached the trig point that is encircled by a stone wall and marks the summit of Beinn Bhàn. Continuing south I headed towards the long ridge that the route of walkhighlands.co.uk would have had me climb. Careful navigation took me onto the narrowing ridge at the head of Coire na Feòla where the cold wind became a torrent that made standing upright virtually impossible. However on reaching the col I suddenly came below the clouds and I had a view of the edge of the corrie and the slowly descending ridge. This was an awesome sight and made me mourn for the other sights on this amazing mountain that I had failed to see due to the low cloud. On approaching a slight rise I turned back and beheld an astonishing sight as the whole of Beinn Bhàn emerged from the clouds with the sun illuminating everything.

This was an amazing sight that made me quake in my boots at the astounding rock scenery of this spectacular mountain. It was still very windy at this point even though I had brilliant views so that the pictures that I took at this point don’t give any indication of just how poor the weather was still. It is really frustrating to see such a spell-binding spectacle and not be able to truly appreciate it due to gale force winds. I could have stayed on the southern ridge all the way down to the road, à la walkhighlands.co.uk, but the winds encouraged me to come off the ridge as soon as possible following Ralph Storer’s direction, but I was careful to wait until after I’d passed Coire Each where long, steep slopes led all the way down to my car. During the descent the weather eastwards continued to improve prompting me to stop frequently to admire the view and take in the tremendous scenery. I like pathless descents, almost as much as I hate pathless ascents, so I was keen for this descent to take as long as possible, while the cloud quickly enveloped Beinn Bhàn once again and even darker clouds began to appear from the west. The usual Scottish weather was very quickly establishing itself once more on Beinn Bhàn.

I tried to make the most of this descent and enjoy the great views east towards Beinn Damh that looked so much better than what I had endured on Beinn Bhàn. This is a mountain that really deserves better weather with some absolutely awesome rock scenery that is screaming out for a return visit when I can better appreciate them. I only got a glimpse on this walk of what this mountain has to offer and in better weather I’m sure the experience would be considerably better. Away from the mountains the weather continued to improve and on my way back to Torridon I stopped off in the delightful seashore village of Shieldaig for supplies. The sun was shining brightly and in this sheltered location it felt lovely. The contrast between this tranquil place and the wind-swept summit of Beinn Bhàn was considerable so that while enjoying the warm sunshine I wished the weather had been nicer to me on Beinn Bhàn. Good weather is vitally important when hill-walking in Scotland, but unless you are able to go at a moment’s notice you are taking your chances. On this walk, and generally on this holiday, I was dealt a poor hand, but on the occasions when I did have some sunshine, such on the descent from Beinn Bhàn or at Shieldaig, I wanted to stop and enjoy every moment.