Groban and Beinn Bheag
GrahamsGroban
Beinn Bheag Distance/Ascent10km 699m
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OtherNone
Estimated Time4h 00mins
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BothiesLochivroan
Notes |
15 August 2015
These were not part of my planned itinery. My original plan was to bike out to the car from Lochivroan and head for Beinn Ghoblach. However, they seemed so close and as I was already at Lochivroan to climb Creag Rainich, it would save several miles of biking back our to Lochivroan again. As enjoyable as it is to bike up the side of Loch a'Bhraoin, there are so many other things to do and life is too short. There is a faint path up the side of the Allt a'Ghleibh and some pretty waterfalls. The path eventually petered out and I headed for the drier ground of the broad north-east ridge. According to the SMC book "The Grahams & The Donalds", one possible meaning of Groban is swelling and could refer to the large boulder at the summit. It took just under an hour and a half to the summit of Groban.
My next objective was Beinn Bheag which required dropping down to Bealach Gorm and a steep 200m climb back up the other side. Beinn Bheag is the green rounded wee hill in the foreground with the Fisherfield hills beyond. An Teallach can be seen in the distance (right) with the nearer hill to the right being Creag Rainich, which I had climbed the previous day.
Including the photostop and refuelling on Groban, it was exactly an hour later that I arrived on Beinn Bheag.
The descent provided an excellent panorama of the Beinn a'Chlaidheimh to Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair ridge. I am curious about what it would be like to stroll up the long sweep of slabs as a route to the top of Sgurr Ban.
The completion of the two Grahams and the return to Lochivroan took precisely four hours. I was back at noon, cooked lunch and with a full belly, biked my way back down the banks of Loch a'Bhraion to the car. I was early enough to stop off at Corrieshalloch Gorge, walk down to the bridge to see the waterfall and have a bacon butty with tea and still not be home later than promised.