Beinn a'Chaoinich
Beinn a’Chaoinich, Glenelg. Section 10A.
Height – 410 metres. Map – OS Landranger 33.
Date - 12 June 2011. Time taken – 3.25 hours.
Distance – 6 kilometres. Ascent 405 metres.
Trip Report Details:
The previous day I was on Beinn Sgritheall and thereafter the Kintail Lodge Hotel celebrating a couple’s final Munro. Prior to heading home I decided to climb this Sub 2000 Marilyn, which meant re-crossing the Bealach Ratagan, not a hardship as I enjoy the drive and the views of the Five Sisters and Loch Duich.
On the descent towards Glenelg I took the road signposted Moyle, and drove into Glen More where I parked on the grass verge just west of the bridge leading to Braeside Farm. Once geared up I crossed this bridge and followed the south bank of the Glenmore River upstream. The path shown on the map was initially indistinct but soon became obvious as it was wet and muddy with cattle use.
The state of the path caused me to abandon my plan to climb Beinn a’Chaoinich via Sron Mhor. Opposite the camp site at Cnoc Fhionn, I crossed the fence and commenced the ascent of the north face of Beinn a’Chaoinich. This was through long wet grassy vegetation which seemed to cover most of the hillside. On the plus side I had improving views towards The Saddle.
The east ridge was reached and I now looked across to the previous day’s Munro. A few animal trails were followed and this led to a dip in the ridge, which was wet and boggy. A fence came in from the south and headed west across the summit area. On arriving in this area I was pleased that the weather was fine with high broken cloud as it was going to be difficult to work out the highest point in an area of bog and knolls.
At the first cairned knoll I stopped for a coffee break, to allow me to study the map and switch on my GPS to check heights. The midges were out, my first encounter with them this year. I figured that I was on the 410 knoll shown on my map but other knolls appeared higher and there were three different areas shown with a 400 metre contour line.
I did a circuit of the summit area, crossing and re-crossing the fence and wandering round the bog taking in the knolls. As well as ensuring I had been at the highest point I had better views of Beinn Sgritheall, Skye and the distant Island of Rum. The GPS showed a few knolls at 410 metres and one knoll to the north at 413 metres. I know this isn’t reliable but I thought the northerly knolls were higher. I later checked another map which showed two 410 knolls on the south side of the summit area. Well at least I satisfied myself that I had been at the highest point. On my wanderings I came across a red deer fawn lying in a dip but by the time I got my camera out it had taken fright and ran off.
The descent was in a north-easterly direction, steep in places and through bracken where I disturbed a couple of red deer hinds. Some rocky outcrops had to be avoided as I headed for Braeside Farm, which was just a few farm buildings with no house. Lower down the ground was wet and boggy and a couple of electric fences had to be crossed. Once beyond the farm it was a short walk back to my car.
Photos taken on walk.