Get Lost Mountaineering

Creach Bheinn from Druimavuic, Loch Creran

Start/Finish

Small layby on the old road on the south side of Loch Creran which is, coming from the main road, just past Druimavuic at the head of Loch Creran.

Distance/Time

14 km Approx 7 hours.

Peaks

Creach Bheinn, 810 m, NN 023 422. OS sheet 50.

Introduction

This Corbett takes some reaching but there can be few better view points on a clear day. Views include the mountains across Loch Linnhe, the western seaboard and Glen Etive. The upper part of the hill is complex and navigation can be quite demanding in mist.

Route

(1) From the layby, walk back along the road for about 20 m then turn left up a track (a second track goes straight on at this point and is the “road” when the proper road is flooded). The track has a broken mossy wall on its right which soon becomes a more substantial boundary wall for the house at Druimavuic. The track soon exits the forest then continues (not shown on 1989 OS sheet 50) above the N bank of the Allt Buidhe with Beinn Sgulaird first ahead then on the left. The track continues all the way to the bealach between Creach Bheinn and Beinn Sgulaird where there is a cairn made of very large stones. If you reach this you have gone too far! As the track makes its final climb to the bealach, look for a small cairn on the left of the track just below a right hand bend. Beyond the bend is a much larger cairn and beyond that is the bealach cairn. Opposite the small cairn, a faint path goes off to the right passing to the right of a small boulder. This path is both faint and intermittent and would soon be covered by light snow. The path goes over Creag na Cathaig, where there is a cairn made of a few large stones (but not on the highest point), then descends slightly. The path now becomes more difficult to follow as the route climbs steep grass through easy crags. In mist, navigation on this section can be quite taxing over complex terrain. Eventually, reach the NE top (803 m) where there is a small cairn. Continue SW over gently undulating but complex terrain. There is a faint path which is not easy to locate at first but is quite distinct in places. After about 1 km, the large shelter cairn and trig point of Creach Bheinn, 810 m, is reached.

(2) Return the same way.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 23^rd October, 2001, 3^rd March, 2011 and 16^th May, 2012.

(b) An alternative ascent from the same starting place uses the track past Druimvaric but leaves it quite low down. Once out of the forest, continue on the track, past a right turn to an old gate, then up more steeply and past the small cairn, on the left, marking the start of the path up Beinn Sgulaird but do not take this path. The track will soon converge with a low fence on the right. Cross the fence here and head towards the Allt Buidhe (on the right), aiming for just upstream of a small waterfall where it is normally easy to cross. Unless the cloud is very low, a ridge, shown on the map as ascending roughly S towards Meall nan Caorach should have been spotted across the stream. Once across this stream, ascend steep grass, with some heather, to gain the ridge and ascend it to Meall nan Caorach. You need to be climbing well before the obvious burn coming down to the Allt Buidhe which starts between Meall Garbh and Meall nan Caorach. A small crag, en route, is easily avoided. From Meall nan Caorach, a grassy ridge (becoming rockier with height) heads roughly E to Meall Garbh before turning SE to reach the summit of Creach Bheinn's NE top, 803 m, where there is a small cairn on a rock visible from some distance. Continue SW over gently undulating but complex terrain. There is a faint path which is not easy to locate at first but is quite distinct in places. After about 1 km, the large shelter cairn and trig point of Creach Bheinn, 810 m, is reached. Alternatively, from Meall nan Caorach, cross the shallow grassy valley to the S and ascend the ridge on the other side. Heading roughly SE will take one to the main summit. This is easy in good visibility but may require high level navigation skills in thick weather.

(c) Another alternative avoids visiting the NE top twice. Ascend to Meall nan Caorach as above. Directly beyond here, S, is a shallow grassy “glen” with a narrow burn flowing down to the W. Traverse around and cross it without losing height. On the other side is a narrow, ascending, rocky gorge which feeds the burn. Walk up the side of this on easy grassy slopes. At the top, continue in roughly the same direction and you should emerge on the crest between the summit and the NE top, probably just to the N of the summit. This alternative will be more difficult to navigate in thick weather than (b).