Saturday - Binnein Beag and Binnein Mor from Kinlochleven
Friday's forecast was utter dreich so I drove up at a leisurely place, checked into my accommodation, a lovely hobbit-esque glamping cabin at the consistently fantastic Blackwater Hostel in lovely Kinlochleven. The rain cleared on Friday evening and I struck out at 8am on Saturday morning, eager to hit the hills.
I was in fact so eager that I walked 500m before realising I had forgotten my walking poles and had to pop back for them.
My delayed departure lead to me meeting a nice Scottish fella from Dundee who was heading the same way. He talked with Scottish dialect, using great words like 'ken' and 'mind', and I think it's possible he struggled to understand my predominantly Yorkshire accent. His objective was Sgurr Eilde Mor before hitting the Binneins. We chatted our way up the path from Kinlochleven via An Cumhann to the junction with the track at 390m where we parted ways.
the views back from An Cumhann toward Loch Leven
The path crossed a burn and pushed steadily upwards, soon enough I was traversing around the steep shoulder of Sgor Eilde Beag. I particularly love paths like this...
winding up along the steep shoulder of Sgor Eilde Beag
On rounding the corner the magnificent Coire an Lochain was revealed. The jeep track disappeared from view and I started to feel far away from civilisation as I pressed on into increasingly remote terrain.
Sgurr Eilde Mor looms above Coire an Lochain
looking down the valley from Coire an Bhinnein
I stopped to filter some water before following the path flanking the western slopes of Binnein Mor. I felt surrounded by nature alone, despite relative proximity to the bustle of Ben Nevis and Fort William, this is a fantastically remote area and I felt like I was in The Lord of The Rings. The path lead to another magnificent lochan at the col between Binnein Beag and Binnein Mor. Whilst my objective was Binnein Mor, Binnein Beag looked so sweet and inviting I thought it would be a shame not to climb it first.
Binnein Mor viewed from the summit of Binnein Beag
As is typically the case, climbing up Binnein Beag wasn't quite as small of a matter as it had appeared from below. I topped out in due course to absolutely magnificent views all around before grabbing a bite to eat on the summit whilst trying to relate my route up Binnein Mor from the guidebooks to reality. The route on this forthcoming section had been a source of concern as the day had progressed. A runner came up and tapped the cairn and put a split time on his watch before pulling a U-turn and trotting back down. There were a few runners in the vicinity, I expect some may have been attempting the Mamore Munro challenge which is an incredible feat!
looking back to Binnein Beag whilst gaining toward Garbh Coire
Whilst retracing my steps over the col I met my friend from earlier again, and he was making good progress, and shared some of my own concerns about the route of the impending approach to Binnein Mor. He said one of the party a few hundred feet behind him had been up the North East Ridge before and it was 'great fun' which set my mind at rest somewhat. I explained that I was going to try heading up into Garbh Corie before following the less steep slope up to the ridge. He looked puzzled. I pressed on pathless alongside a ravine and into the coire which was a beautiful place. I stopped to filter more water whilst becoming lunch for some of the resident midge.
The corrie provides good access for the Eastern ridge, but I was heading for the North East Ridge and the way up was a steady pathless clamber up boulders and big rocky scree. I reached the flat section of the ridge soon enough though and was rewarded with more magnificent views.
looking back from part way up the North-East Ridge of Binnein Mor
The next section up the ridge was an easy scramble, up and up I went and Binnein Beag started to appear quite small as I progressed to the high point for the day. The scramble gave a bit of good sport without feeling overly-committing and it offered choices of easier and harder lines. There were however some large and very precarious rocks which one could have toppled so it was important to take a precautious approach to every move.
Looking North from Binnein Mor. Left: The Ben with head in the clouds, right: Aonach Beag
I took great pleasure in topping off Binnein Mor, not least as I had started from within 10m of sea level and come such a roundabout way, but also because it is the highest point in The Mamores. The views were stunning.
Binnein Mor's short summit ridge
After a short break I cracked onward to the South Top and eventually Na Gruagaichean, via fantastic steady ridgelines which were a pleasure to bumble along whilst in such pleasant weather.
Looking back to Binnein Mor
Looking onward to Binnein Mor South Top with Na Gruagaichean on the left
The Ben just about stayed in cloud the whole day
ideal ridge walking on the way to Na Gruagaichean
Na Gruagaichean proved to be another fabulous viewpoint, and I stopped to chat with a group who had just come up the way I was headed down. There was talk of Hags and Groughs, which baffled me a little as I thought the path was meant to be a good one. The peak towers high over Kinlochleven, 1km above it in vertical terms. I adore the feeling of being high up and seeing places in miniature as if from a plane.
Kinlochleven was built for the Aluminium works and has an obvious 'new town' layout when viewed from above
Whilst the going was steep in places, I enjoyed making my way over the North-West subsidiary top of Na Gruagaichean and down to the baelach. From here the end was well and truly in sight but I still had a lot of height to loose first. I had gotten it into my head that there was a nice, reliable, well paved, easy track down from the col into Coire na Ba and thought it would be a breeze. Sadly it transpired I was thinking of the track down the next corie to the west. By comparison with the day's walking thus far the boggy, meandering path to the corrie was unpleasant. To my disdain it started going uphill again before making a gigantic dog-leg. I meandered off course at a river crossing lower down. As I got lower the Summer Afternoon heat started to get to me too. First World problems...
looking North to Coire Ghabhail from the Baelach
My frustrations eased as the going started to improve, and I noticed how completely gorgeous Coire na Ba was becoming as I dropped into the treeline.
Coire na Ba
Soon enough the path joined a landrover track which led to Mamore Lodge, after which came the final steep descent through beautiful natural woodland via a path that was boggy in some places and very eroded in others; to emerge by The Grey Mare's Tail waterfall.
The abandoned Mamore Lodge hotel
all smiles
Truth be told I was pretty done-in by the time I rocked up at the hostel; I took a shower and had a restful evening to try and ready myself for the next day's adventure.
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