01-02/12/23 Weekend Meet: Ochils Mountaineering Club’s hut at Inverardran, Crianlarich.

bross
Dec 1, 2023
3 min read

The month of December started off well in terms of weather but overall it was generally dreich and windy. This meant that the only highlight of the month was our successful Weekend Meet at the Inverardran hut, where folk were active on the hills from Friday through to Sunday, embracing good weather and fine views…lucky indeed considering the remainder of the month was littered with cancelled Day Walks and no reportable general activity.

First up, on Friday 01/12, BR & MM went from the Crianlarich start point on the A85, NN 38981 25136, heading SE into Coire Ardrain, then up to the NW shoulder of Stob Garbh, NN 41110 22151, then south and west to Cruach Ardrain, NN 40912 21217. Pic shows a fine view of Ben More and Stob Binnein from Stob Garbh’s NW shoulder.

Having descended Stob Garbh and climbed the somewhat tricky NE side of Cruach Ardrain they reached the top. Pic looks SE to MM and the lower second top of Cruach Ardrain.

BR at Cruch Ardrain’s cairn wondering if this will be the only time his axe will be wielded this winter?!

On the way home now, having descended the western face of Cruach Ardrain they head toward Meall Dhamh on the NW ridge.

Rather than head up Meall Dhamh they descended NE toward Allt Coire Ardrain and from there made their way back. Pic shows the view SE to Cruach Ardrain’s NW face. A cold but invigorating day out.

On Saturday 02/12 MMcE had a solo trip up Corbett Beinn nan Oighreag, NN 54168 41199, from Glen Lochay. It was very cold, minus 3 to start. The route taken was the same start route for munro Meall Ghaordaidh, NN 51440 39702. Pic shows view back south to Glen Lochay.

Beinn nan Oighreag in the distance right of centre, with the dominant shoulder of Meall Ghaordaidh left of centre.

…a strange random pole as the route starts to rise.

Evidence of a mouse track.

…and now a Ptarmigan. The only living creature spotted, apart from sheep, was a red squirrel in the glen.

The last few rises before the top.

A big boulder with a tiny cairn …is this really the top – confirmed by OS Locate!

On the easy descent we see a murky view SSW to Glen Lochay. Overall the weather was fine for the day with no precipitation until on the ridge, then light snow, and hills sandwiched between layers of cloud.

Also on Saturday 02/12, BR, CS & Harry The Dog went to do the Corbett Beinn nam Fuaran, NN 36109 38191, having parked the car at NN 31662 35499, on the A85 at the road down to the Auch estate. They accessed the Corbett from the Allt Kinglass side arriving at the bealach between the Corbett and Beinn Chaisteil, NN 34692 36400, and then directly up it’s SE face to the top of Beinn nam Fuaran. Pic shows CS & Harry at the cairn with the SW end of Loch Lyon in the background.

…going back the way they came Harry can’t resist a drink at the Allt Kinglass – a cold day out for the three of them with little wind.

On Sunday 03/12, CS, Harry & MMcE headed out to climb the Fiona Beinn Damhain, NN 28198 17277, from Glen Falloch. An easy start up the track, but rough walking on the hill, icy burn crossing and frozen bogs made it less easy than it appeared, including a couple of false summits. Another cold and frosty day, but less cloud and better views than the days before. Even a spot of sunshine for their snack stop near the summit. Pic shows the railway bridge at the start of the walk.