Glas Bheinn's spurs
OK, so I'd just learnt this new term 'spur' and was keen to get as much usage out of it as possible; plus there were several gridsquares I wanted to bag in the area and the forecast for the day looked good. Not having been able to persuade any friends to come a walk with me (they've all grown wise to what that term means!), and knowing I'd be doing a lot of gratuitous walking, I set off solo on what was to be a long day's walk. I'd come prepared with enough food for an army.
Reluctantly I'd curtailed my even more mammoth walk, which was to include a stop at the bothy on the Sound of Islay and changed my starting point from Kynagarry to Storakaig. To be honest, both approaches have become rather tedious to me; I hate to admit it, but there you go. I'd walked from Kynagarry more frequently than Storakaig so decided on the latter on this occasion.
With cloud just swirling round the top of my destination I set off, fully laden and went through the gate just before reaching the gamekeeper's cottage at Storakaig. . Cattle, not sheep, surrounded the sheep dip just south of the cottage . From now it's a case of plodding across boggy moorland to the corner of the fence west of Maol a' Bharra . This is the easiest place to cross. Continuing south I reached the Allt Craobhach and (Wooded Burn) which I was to follow as far as the wall between Sgorr nam Faoileann and Glas Bheinn . The ground was not as wet as it has been on previous occasions, for which I was grateful and I saw the first of many Green Hairstreak butterflies as I tramped across the moors.
The wall has to be my favourite wall on the island - and that's saying something! Nowadays it seems so redundant, but presumably it once had a purpose, sufficient to warrant workmanship which is seldom seen today and I love thinking about that. Today, however, I viewed the wall with somewhat less exuberance, for I had to use it as a handrail into the next gridsquare and from there, climb to the north-eastern ridge. It looked a steep climb. From the wall's end I looked north and then south and the route I must take . This was the only part of the walk that I would do differently; it was a bit too steep for me. It was a short, steep stretch, though and soon I was on the ridge .
I decided, due to time, not to bother going to the summit itself. I'd been twice before and it would just extend my route unnecessarily. Also, it was very windy. So I paused to view the Sound of Islay and pay my respects to the cairn which, from the valley bottom, sits tantalisingly like a perched Golden Eagle at this northernmost spur . Then I skirted the head of Gleann Dubh to the middle one of Glas Bheinn's easterly spurs. From here good views are obtained of Coire Liunndrein. I passed the moorland pool and and entered the next square from where I took photos south towards Beinn Bheigier , north towards Beinn na Caillich and Sgorr nam Faoileann , south-west towards the Sound of Islay and west towards Glas Bheinn .
With the wind coming from the south-east I was in its full force as I made my way back across the head of Gleann Dubh to the next spur - the one I intended following to its end. From here I walked to the summit cairn of Beinn na Caillich, a summit which seems not to be able to make its mind up as to its exact location. The cairn is situated at the 300 m spot height , rather than the 308 m spot height.
I got the full blast of the wind at the bealach so quickly climbed to the next summit, the 'real' Beinn na Caillich which I have named Beinn na Caillich Mòr as it is not named on the map, but is bigger than either its eastern or western sister. I paused for lunch in the lee of a welcome crag, from where I could see the ripply Lochan na Caillich and then fought my way to the summit cairn .
The easiest way down to the valley was to follow the spur where the contour lines are further apart. I passed the small lochan again and entered a new grid square. The views from here are spectacular, across the Sound of Islay to the ubiquitous Paps. Looking west, it was easy to match the topography to the map with the U-shaped valley between Glas Bheinn and Sgorr nam Faoileann clearly visible .
Before the valley bottom, I headed west, wishing I could head instead for the coast, perhaps An Claddach bothy where I have spent many a happy hour. But time was against me, as were energy levels. Staying quite high, I walked through Gleann Choireadail, turning to watch the afternoon ferry wend its way up the Sound to Port Askaig . Gradually I descended to the many burns which run down into this valley, verdant with Rowan Trees . Some of these burns are quite steep-sided and it takes some walking back and forth to find the best way across. Eventually I reached the 'proper' burn Allt Gleann Choireadail and crossed it to the northern side of the valley on the lower flanks of Sgorr nam Faoileann.
I turned for a last look down Gleann Choireadail, perhaps my favourite of Islay's glens , and to bid farewell to the massif of today, Glas Bheinn , before trudging onwards, telling myself I'd have another stop at the wall, but not before! The day had turned into a relative scorcher and I had regularly been stopping to either put on or take off layers. As anyone with a camera and heavy rucksack will testify, it's such a faff!
I got ever so slightly 'lost' on my way back. In my eagerness to head north I did so too early instead of following the Allt Craobhach. I thus missed the easiest crossing point of the fence. On the plus side, I noticed a ruin I'd not seen before. This would have to wait for another visit, however. I'd been out for 8 and a half hours and covered 11 miles. My legs were to feel the effect of the walk the next day. As the familiar tree shrouded Storakaig came into view, though, I reflected that it had definitely been worth it.
- When
- Thu, 30 May 2013 at 17:37
- Grid Square
- NR4459
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