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This group of hills, lying some five miles
south-west of Tyndrum is dominated by Beinn Laoigh. On its
Cononish side, steep ribs rise to buttress twin peaks on the headwall of
Coire Gaothaich. This great scoop holds snow much longer than most
others in the Southern Highlands and has long been popular for its
winter ascents.
Beinn Laoigh
The eastern face of Beinn Laoigh can be seen
from the bridge crossing the Fillan on the Crianlarich to Tyndrum road.
Nearby, the old schoolhouse at Dailrigh (now used as a barn) lies at the
start of the Cononish track. This leads to a sheep fank on the
Allt an Rund. Either of this burn's tributaries can be followed
into the mouth of Coire Gaothaich, where there is a choice of routes.
On either hand, short spurs abutting the summit ridge climb to narrow
rocky crests, each leading to a small conical top. The summit,
seen to the left, is marked by a large, untidy cairn. The hanging
coire is dominated by the steep couloir of Central Gully, which is a
traditional and popular ascent route in winter for the competent
mountaineer.
On the shorter approaches from Glen Lochy,
the walker has to negotiate forestry plantations. Start from a
car-park opposite a railway bridge spanning the outfall of the Eas Daimh.
This is near its confluence with the River Lochy, which is fordable, but
there are footbridges to the east and west. That to the east, near
the site of the old Glenlochy Crossing signal box (Grid Reference NN
255295), by a stand of mixed trees, was the traditional starting point
for the ascent. A newer structure to the west is difficult to see
from the road, as it is almost hidden by a small mound. A useful
point of reference is a short section of the old road to the north of
the present highway. Nearby, a little to the east, a poor path
crosses heathery ground in the direction of a hut, seen on the opposite
side of the railway.
From both bridges follow the railway to a
stile immediately east of the Eas Daimh bridge. A path, following
the left (north) bank of the burn, climbs past a footbridge below the
Eas Morag waterfall. Keep to the north bank of the burn, to a
stile in the fence at the foot of Ciochan Beinn Laoigh, or cross the
burn where it is joined by its largest tributary. The tributary is
then followed for a time, and then the path steepens in a firebreak to
reach open ground in the Fionn Choirein. At times of spate, cross
the Eas Daimh by the Eas Morag footbridge and follow its western bank to
a plank bridge on the tributary. Above the forest fence (stile), a
useful exit through the coire headwall is by a patch of rough scree,
seen to the left of the broken face of Beinn a' Chlčibh. Grassy
tiers rise to a col, where, turning to the south-west, along the line of
the coire's rim, a short climb leads to the cairns of Beinn a' Chlčibh.
The steeper climb to the north-east leads to the summit of Beinn Laoigh.
A more interesting approach to Beinn Laoigh
is that along the Eas Daimh (stile in an angled section of the fence
close to the burn). Above the trees, craggy bluffs on Ciochan
Beinn Laoigh can be turned on the right. This steep, grassy nose
rises to a ridge crest which narrows gradually to the cairned point of
the northern summit, above Coire Gaothaich. A short walk along the
lip of this great scoop leads to the higher southern top.
Beinn a' Chlčibh
The easiest route to Beinn a' Chlčibh is by
way of the Fionn Choirein as previously described. The steep
north-east slopes overlooking this coire are not really suitable for
ascent or descent. The mountain's long western ridge, immediately
above Succoth Lodge, is a mass of trees, and nowadays the only route
through them starts at the westerly river crossing to the railway hut.
From this point, follow the fence to the right until the first angle in
it is reached. Continue along a boggy firebreak, which runs
straight up the hillside to a stile on the forest boundary. The
roughened face of Creag na Cloiche Gile (on the left) is then avoided by
continuing above the fence to the top of a broad shoulder, almost due
west of Beinn a' Chlčibh's summit. Two small cairns mark the top
of the easy grass ridge, and on the approach to the mountain's level
crown, several cairns are seen, the largest one, on a flat rock near the
south-eastern edge of the plateau, would appear to be the highest point.
Other piles nearby are useful guides in mist, indicating the proximity
of the broken eastern face. The most southerly pile marks the turn
onto the Stubby ridge dipping to the col at the head of Fionn Choirein.
Beinn Os
Beinn Os and its near neighbour, Beinn
Dubhchraig, when not included in a greater traverse of the four peaks in
the group, are usually climbed from Dailrigh.
An east-west traverse seems to be preferred as the prior ascent of Beinn
Dubhchraig gives an easier start to the day. The near-vertical
slopes above the Allt Coire Laoigh preclude any sensible attack on Beinn
Os from that quarter, though the climb between it and Beinn Laoigh
provides reasonable access to the broad ridge linking the two.
The level summit ridge of Beinn Os runs
roughly north to south, and has a cairn decorating its southern
extremity. The route to Beinn Dubhchraig goes north along the
ridge, which dips, turns eastwards, and climbs across a small cairned
top to a col. Beyond this short saddle, the broad stony crest of
Beinn Dubhchraig confronts the walker. Seven hundred feet of
tiresome plodding leads to the cairn, at the eastern end of an expansive
back.
Beinn Dubhchraig
The most pleasant, and the shortest, route
to Beinn Dubhchraig starts at Dailrigh. The Cononish track should
be followed to the railway, which can be used to bridge the river.
Beyond the railway bridge, a track leads to a footbridge over the Allt
Coire Dubhchraig, which is crossed to its western bank. The stream
is then followed through scattered Scots pines to Coire Dubhchraig.
At the head of this heathery hollow either of two broad ridges lead to
the summit. A path, which runs a short distance to a fence on the
crest above Creag Bhocan, affords a route to the upper slopes.
Added attractions are the fine views to be had of Beinn Laoigh's great
coires. In mist, the slight arc of this ridge may mislead those
seeking the short neck between Beinn Os and Beinn Dubhchraig. In
such circumstances, either a south-westerly bearing, or the location of
the tiny lochan on the higher slopes are the surest guides.
The traverse of all four hills is best
attempted from Glen Cononish, as this more easily accommodates the short
diversion to Beinn a' Chlčibh, Beinn Laoigh then being contoured to
reach the bealach at the head of Coire Laoigh for the return across
Beinn Os and Beinn Dubhchraig.
Irvine Butterfield
Routes in The High Mountains of Britain
and Ireland are reproduced by kind permission of Irvine Butterfield. The
Routes are provided from the PC CD-ROM The Munros through Windows by
Iain R White which includes walks up every Munro and Top. Indeed it is
the only publication to provide routes up every Munro and Top. Routes up
the 3,000 foot hills in the British Isles furth of Scotland are also
included.
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