The Vair Pair

Beinn  A' Bheithir

Sunday 3 May 1987

Jack and I arrived at Luss car park around 8.30am to find Margaret Joyce, Graham Duff, Evelyn Reid, Graham Pearson, David Lockhart and friend Paul all ready and eager to go. After Margaret had decided whose front seat she was going to travel in we set off for Ballachulish.

Bill Gray had arranged to uplift Kenneth, Ronnie and Gail and would meet up with us at West Laroch which we reached around 10.00 am. We parked the three cars by the bridge over the river Laroch at the foot of the road which leads up to the school, the playground of which is accessible and provides more suitable parking space for walking in this area! Bill Gray and party arrived around 10.30 am and the group of twelve set off up the road which is the start of a "right of way" track to Glen Creran.

Leaving this road at the school we were soon gaining height rapidly up the side of the N.N.E. Ridge of Beinn Bhan. However, around this point the group was reduced to ten as Ronnie decided to descend with Gail who was feeling unwell, and settled for a low level walk. The main ridge and snow level was reached and though it was a dry day, the chill wind soon had most of us (except Kenneth) reaching for waterproofs to retain the body heat generated on the ascent.

The cairn on Sgorr Bhan (3104 ft) was reached around 1.15 pm and after a brief stop for eats, drinks and pictures, we set off down the S.W. ridge to the col at 3248 ft, then up the beautifully corniced curving East Ridge to our highest top of the day, Sgorr Dhearg (3361 ft).

The views from its white trig-pillared top were superb, the hills to the south, Glencoe to the east, and across Loch Leven to the Mamores and Ben Nevis, all showing up well.

On leaving this top our route took us down the W.S.W. ridge to the Bealach at 2450 ft.

While Jack and I lingered there a while, charging our batteries, the rest of the party pushed on up the climb to our final top of the day, Sgorr Dhonuill (3284 ft).

By the time Jack and I were on the final scramble to the Cairn, Bill and the rest of the "fell runners" passed us on their way down (perhaps they had a table booked at the Drover's Inn at Inverarnan?).

From the cairn the views again were impressive, across the Firth of Lorne & Loch Linnhe to Mull, Morven and Ardgour.

Having spent over half an hour taking in the surrounding scenery we retraced our steps to the bealach and descended south to the Glenduror Forest where we spent a frustrating time making our way across a raft of felled trees (complete with branches) to gain access to the forest track. This we followed east for half a mile to reach a forest fence with a stile, thereafter a reasonable path led us 3 miles back to our car.

The "Beinn A' Bheithir Horseshoe" surely brought "Good Luck" to this outing. The good weather, pleasant company and magnificent scenery made the eight mile circuit all very much worthwhile.

John Hastie