Cona’ Meall and Beinn Dearg; Ben Rinnes
Cona’ Meall and Beinn Dearg
A team of eleven club members and two canine regulars - Monty and Trevor - gathered at Loch Droma. Sunscreen was liberally applied and a becoming collection of sun hats donned.
Our plan was to follow the path from Lochdrum up the hillside, then pick up a faint ATV track from the bealach below Meall Fèith Dhiongaig down to the Allt a’ Gharbhrain and then follow the the outflow burn from Loch nan Eilean to the loch. Fortunately, the ground was not as wet as usual and little peat dams in the peatland restoration scheme gave us an easy way through the bog.
We had a break at Loch nan Eilean and there we had sight of our first target, Cona’ Meall’s long narrow summit ridge curving up from the south-east through rocky outcrops. We split into three groups taking different routes through the outcrops to reach the summit ridge. The ridge is quite narrow with a couple of rock steps that give easy scrambling. We all met up again for lunch on Cona’ Meall summit and sat around for a bit taking in the sunshine and the fabulous views all around.
Refreshed, we set off for the Bealach an Lochan Uaine en route to Beinn Dearg. Between Beinn Dearg and Cona’ Meall is the impressive Coire Ghranda enclosed by high crags on the east and west sides. The shadow thrown by these crags presumably gives its name - it translates from the Gaelic as “gloomy corrie”. I think it is more impressive than that, so it will stick in my mind as “grand corrie”.
From the bealach we headed for the wall. “Destitution Wall”, or sometimes “Famine Wall”, was built built by destitute crofters in the 1840’s during the Scottish potato famine in return for food. The wall runs for about 4km from Bealach an Lochan Uaine, rising to above 1000m on Beinn Dearg and then runs NW above the crags in Coire Mathair Làthail. It provides a good navigation handrail in difficult conditions. Conditions were far from difficult, but we followed it anyway. It is the obvious line of ascent for Beinn Dearg from the bealach. Leaving the wall at its first change of direction gave us an easy 50m to ascend to the summit of Beinn Dearg where again we sat around in the sunshine, taking in the views and as much liquid as we could find.
Most of the party headed south over Creag a’ Choire Ghrànda summit and then descended by its south ridge. Mathew, Margaret and Sharan bypassed the summit and headed into Coire Beinn Dearg, following the burn down to Mucarnaich. I chose to descend by the corrie headwall to Loch a’ Choire Ghrànda and on to Loch nan Eilean, meeting up with most of the group at the crossing of the Allt a’ Gharbhrain.
This was an interesting mountain day, providing a new - albeit mainly pathless - approach for most of us to familiar summits and taking in some spectacular scenery.
Taking part: Margaret, Sharan, Arthur, Mathew, Emma, Stuart, Nell, Wendell, Brian, John and Richard.
Words: Arthur
Photos: Arthur, John and Brian
Ben Rinnes
On one of the hottest days of the year so far, a team of nine plus dog assembled at foot of the Ben Rinnes track. Given the weather it was busy with other walkers, but led up easily to the summit at 841m. The most distinctive features of the hill are the rocky tors scattered around, which are known as Scurrans. A quick search on the internet revealed that the word means “a peak or pinnacle on a hill, specifically of Ben Rinnes, Banffshire”.
We spent a long time checking out some of the scurrans as well as admiring the extensive view. Once past the summit the crowds melted away and we were left in peace to head up north past the Scurran of Well (there’s a well-like depression on the summit) and down the Scurran burn to Fauch Moss, and thence along the track and back to our start point. A shortish day, but much enjoyed by those present.
Taking part: Peter, Marion, Lizzie, Albert, Michael, Helen W, Ewen, Helen M and guest Evie, accompanied by Max the dog.
Words: Ewen.
Photos: Michael.
