Beinn a' Chreachain, Beinn Achaladair - Bridge of Orchy Hills - May 05

Beinn a Chreachain, Beinn Achaladair Information

I have been meaning to write up this route for ages but stupid exams got in the way, all over now woohoo!.  Anyway back onto the job at hand, this was a good walk, wouldn't say it was top 10 material but ok'ish.  The route starts at Achaladair Farm which is steeped in history and the hill was actually named after it !  There are even the ruined strongholds still remaining quite crazy.  Anyway the walk is be warned a long one ! and the long walk out is a killer.  The first part of the walk hugs the railway line traveling through Achaladair wood ( even with GPS I got lost in there ?)  The good thing about this walk is you get some cracking views, the huge escarpments on both the hills at hands are quite a site and the view across Rannoch Moor to the Black Mount is particularly fine.  If your into your Lochs you wont go disappointed Loch Tulla and Loch Lyon are on full view, I even saw the "big yin" ( that's Ben Nevis not Billy Connolly!).  By far the best place to view Beinn Achaladair is from the road, there's even a view point built for it where you can see its huge North facing cliffs (bottom photo).  Beinn a Chreachain is pretty much hidden until you get out of Achaladair Wood.  Overall excellent ridge walk along the top but the long walk in and out took its toll on me !

Beinn a Chreachain, Beinn Achaladair Route

Park the car at Achaladair Farm where farmer Joe has kindly allowed parking ( thanks !) Take to the path through the sheep field following the river.  the path continues for a while crossing the railway a couple of times before it finally enters the Achaladair Woods.  The path becomes a bit intermittent but on a clear day its pretty obvious where you are heading too.  once you are out of the forest you get an amazing view of The cliffs of Beinn Achaladair.  You need to cross through a few fields but Farmer Joe has kindly built Stiles ( what a guy ! ...he even made a stile for dogs !!!)  With Beinn a Chreachain's shoulder firmly in your sites take to a small col in the middle of the shoulder .  This is as usual a bit of a slog but the view of Lochan a' Chreachain pulls you on ( first photo).  Once your on the shoulder the walk starts to become really good fun the views open up of the Loch Lyon Hills and Loch Lyon itself and your now high enough to see up to Glencoe, Mamores and Nevis Hills.  A short jaunt along the ridge takes you to the summit of Beinn a Chreachain, nothing special about the cairn itself but like a said before cracking views.  Next head down the other side over the obvious bealach to Beinn Achaladair  At the col take a wee detour ( 5 minutes ) to check out the cliffs above Lochan a' Chreachain (photo3) an excellent spot, so good infact we stopped off for some munchies.  Next just get back onto the path and follow it right the way to the summit of Beinn Achaladair, its very straight forward, however the path takes you round the back of Beinn Achaladair and up but if I was doing it again I would just continue straight up the crest of the ridge ( photo 2), anyway... the summit here gives great views of Loch Tulla.  I got here quickly and was wondering why the guide book had quoted such a long time for the walk, the reason is if you look at the last photo as you can see there aint no way you can just drop down back to the  car !  You need to keep following the ridge along more and drop into the col between Beinn Achaladair and Beinn an Dothaidh.  from here you follow the valley back to the farm, beware its a long walk back and you don't seem to ever descend! 

Weather today was good although it was super hazy! this does not do long distance photos that much justice but I could still make out most ranges ( Ben Nevis is unmistakable !)

Beinn a Chreachain, Beinn Achaladair Photos / Images / Pictures

   Lochan a Chreachain...Beinn Achaladair poking out behind                    Beinn Achaladair's impressive escarpments

                   Lunch at Lochan a Chreachain                                                      Loch Tulla from Beinn Achaladair

Beinn Achaladair from a different day, check the steepness of that puppy!