Beinn a’ Chearchaill

A large group of seven members and six prospective members assembled at the parking area on the old road just west of Bridge of Grudie for the walk in along the old stalkers path to Beinn a’ Chearcaill.   This was a new hill for a fair number of the group, so there was a fair bit of interest in the prospect of views into the north side of the Torridon hills and the promise of a quite unusual summit.

The walk in saw a lot of chatter as the members and prospective members got to know each other. After a couple of kilometres we left the stalkers path and took the rather less well made walkers path into Coire Briste, pausing at the lip of the coire to catch our breath, take the club statutory 11 am coffee break and soak in the great view to Slioch over Loch Maree.

We made our way over wet ground with several  lochans to the summit plateau of Beinn a’ Chearcaill. The summit is a large area of sandstone pavement dotted with boulders left by the glaciers of the ice age. As we breasted the lip of the plateau the views into the north sides of the Torridon mountains emerged. Coire Mhic Fhearchair bounded by Sail Mhòr and Ruadh-stac Mòr was directly opposite and grabbed attention first. We sat for a bit drinking in the panorama from Beinn an Eoin to our west, Beinn Alligin, Beinn Dearg, Liathach, the other tops of Beinn Eighe to Meall a’ Ghiuthais in the East.

We headed off to the subsidiary summit of Creag na Feòl, trying to stay high and keep the view as long as possible.  George and Mark were working later that day and reluctantly went directly down. Hazel and Debbie followed after the lochan at the head of Coire Briste and the rest of the group wandered through the lochans nestling in undulating ground to the final small summit of A Choineach Beag.  Slioch filled the view again, deer lazily watched as we passed close by, a pair of plovers (?) were started into flight and there were one or two wet bums as we slipped our way down the steep wet ground back to the stalkers path.

An excellent day.  And welcome to Lucas, who joined the club after the meet - despite not taking up the challenge of a wild swim in one of the lochans as a pre qualification for membership of the club.

Taking Part: Members - Hazel (walk organiser), Arthur, Charlotte, Chris, George,  May, Richard and prospective members Debbie, Ged, Michael, Mark, Meirion and Lucas.

Words and Photos: Chris, George and Arthur