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A Good Day in the Highlands

After a good sunny day on Cruach Ardain and a very windy day attempting to climb Ben Lawers from the eastern end and being thwarted by a powerful west wind so making do with two lesser Munroes, Meall Garbh and Meall Greigh, the third day dawned clear and sunny and we decided to try Ben Lawers again, but from the western end. By this time we had lost two members of the party to niggling injuries, so it was the Deightons, father and son, and myself who set off from the Ben Lawers Visitor Centre to walk up Coire Odhar to the beallach between Meall Corranaich and Bhein Ghlas.

It was a superb day, little wind, and the snow holding up reasonably well, and the views up the coire were magnificent. We progressed steadily up to the beallach where a rising traverse across the boulder strewn north east slope of Bhein Ghlas was necessary to reach the beallach below Ben Lawers. The wind up to this stage had been light and of no consequence but when we reached the beallach we encountered a howling gale The ground surface was solid ice and it was with considerable difficulty that we crossed the open ground to the very limited shelter of some rocks where we could don our crampons. As the wind, in which it was difficult to stand up, was screaming across the narrow and rocky ridge to the summit, we decided to traverse onto the north face where, although still very windy, steep climbing across good neve, brought us to the top.

A brief stop at the top to admire the fantastic views of the snow covered hills, then we returned, via our route of ascent, to the beallach and set off up the ridge towards the summit of Bhein Ghlas. Fortunately the ridge was broad as the powerful cross wind made the going very difficult and slow. However, when we were halfway up the ridge the wind completely abated - marvellous. This inspired us after reaching the summit, to plunge down the north ridge and climb our third Munroe of the day, Meall Corranaich. Good snow and crampons soon brought us to the top and this was followed by a splendid descent of the long south ridge to the visitor centre and the walk back to our wigwams.

Superb views, good snow, three Munroes and a little bit of excitement all together provided a good day in the Highlands.

Peter Dyson

Last Modified: 7 May, 2003