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Out and About - Gaining Some Height - Beinn Mhic Mhonaidh
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Beinn Mhic MhonaidhBeinn Mhic Mhonaidh

Right, let's start by saying that we named this one: Beinn Mhic Beast, or if you want it in English: Hill of the son of the ... You get the picture. Don't get me wrong. I'd happily tackle this one again, but sticks and stones won't get my other half up Beinn Mhic Mhonaidh ever again. It's a beast of a mountain, we took a very faulty start... and route, and were finally rewarded with a shower of hail when finally making it to the top. When one forgets to clean the lens... one ends up with funny pictures.

Beinn Mhic Mhonaidh walkBut don't let this stop you from climbing this fine Corbett.
Start at the Eas Urchaidh car park in the middle of beautiful Glen Orchy. It's the same start as for the Allt Broighleachan Pine forest. Beinn Mhic Mhonaidh markerThey are building a new road and bridge which are not on the latest OS map, but I assume they won't have spoiled all the fun and will have kept the markers, because at this one (to the right), you need to turn right across the bridge. You'll be going through the forest, crossing some burns (can be fun when it just rained heavily) and will eventually land at the picture at the top.

Some guides challenge you to take a circular walk up and down the mountain. Some just stick to the same route up and down. That's what we should have done. Beinn Mhic Mhonaidh has a funny shape and for some reason, one of us was adament to take the steepest side up, somewhere smack in the middle of this bulk of a beast. If you're not that experienced, stick to the side arm on the right, next to the wee burn. The path isn't always that clear, but it's there.

Beinn Mhic Mhonaidh from Beinn Dorain
This is how the big mighty Beinn Mhic Mhonaidh looks from Beinn Dorain.

Beinn Mhic MhonaidhAt the end of that stretch up, looking down, it should look like this.

Like that, you're also closer to the summit cairn. Beinn Mhic Mhonaidh cairnWe ended up in the middle of the broad summit, where we were treated with a very cold shower of hail. We took "cover" for some time and then continued our way to the summit cairn. Meanwhile you can get magnificent views all around... always provided the weather is kind to you of course.
Along the line of Beinn Mhic Mhonaidh lies the Ben Cruachan range and Loch Awe.

Cruachan range

Don't you love the marvellous specks on this picture?

Bridge of Orchy hills
Beinn Dorain (right) and Beinn an Dothaidh (left) on the other end of the Beinn never really got cloud-free.

The view towards the north remained stubbornly shrouded that day.

Ben LuiBut by far the most impressive even if slightly gloomy view that day, was the one towards the south: Ben Lui and its neighbours. Despite the time of year (end of May), its pointy peak was still/again covered in snow. In the picture below, you can also make out Allt Broighleachan again.

Ben Lui from Beinn Mhic Mhonaidh


We went down along the "path" next to the wee burn, sometimes struggled to find the proper path, but got down a lot easier than when he had gone up.

I thought it was well worth it. But that's for you to decide for yourself.

Done 29 May 2015.

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