Get Lost Mountaineering

Ladhar Bheinn from Arnisdale by Boat

Start/Finish

Roadside/verge parking by the obvious long jetty in Arnisdale. From Shiel Bridge, take the Glenelg/Arnisdale road for about 19 miles over the Ratagan Pass.Shiel Bridge is on the A87 from Invergarry to the Kyle of Lochalsh.

Distance/Time

21 km (from boathouse near Fraoch Eilean).     About 8 - 9 hours walking

Peaks

Ladhar Bheinn, 1020 m, NG 823 039.

Stob a' Choire Odhair, c960 m, NG 830 043.   OS sheet 33.

Introduction

This is a tough walk over one of the finest mountains in Scotland whose reputation is enhanced by its remoteness as it sits in Knoydart – the only part of the UK mainland with island status as there is no road in.. The East ridge of Ladhar Bheinn is very rocky with much up and down which adds considerably to the amount of ascent. In dry summer conditions, the rocky sections are quite easy scrambles with very little exposure. They are all grooves apart from one series of very wide ledges. Only the experienced should tackle this route in anything but dry summer conditions. Many underestimate the time to ascend this mountain so allow extra time if meeting a boat for a return trip. There is a bothy in Barrisdale which will provide shelter if you need to sit around for a while. It has a flush toilet and running water. It sleeps about 12 people. There is also a “camp site” by the bothy but the midges can be bad in the summer. Groups could consider going booking Barrisdale Stable or The White House (look up Barrisdale on the internet) which offer pretty good accommodation including showers but all supplies may need to be carried in unless a boat is organised. The walking route to Barrisdale usually starts at Kinloch Hourn and is about 11 km along the south side of Loch Hourn with 3 significant headlands to be ascended and descended. Getting a boat in from Arnisdale is a good idea and the easiest approach but it isn't cheap especially for a solo walker. Boat contact details are in the notes.

Route

(1) Walk S along the very obvious track to Barrisdale Bothy. Continue along the track and cross the bridge and follow the track, ignoring the left fork to the White House and then the left fork to Gleann Unndalainn. Stay on the path which, overall, heads SSW towards Mam Barrisdale (pass). Apart from one slightly steep section, the path is fairly gentle and one soon reaches the cairn marking the top of the pass. A faint path leads from the cairn heading roughly N. The path soon becomes too faint to follow in places. It is probably best to follow the ill-defined ridge over Ston ba Muicraidh where the ridge turns W then, later, NW heading for the pointed peak of Stob a' Chearcail. This will look too steep and rocky for most but the path has now reappeared and leads to a short rocky groove, straightforward in dry summer conditions, then traverses around to the left, S, to bypass the peak. As soon as it is passed, gain the crest and follow it up, SW, to the small cairn. A path leads NW along the rocky crest and there is much up and down, some of it quite significant and some may find this frustrating. The route, though, is fairly obvious all the way and eventually the last gap is crossed and one is finally ascending to the E Top where the descent ridge to Stob a' Choire Odhar goes NE but forst the summit has to be reached which is a little further along what is now a very easy ridge in summer conditions. The medium cairn on the central top marks the summit of Ladhar Bheinn, 1020 m. It is worth spending a few minutes continuing to the trig point on the W Top which is 10 m lower than the summit.

(2) Retrace to the E Top and descend carefully NE, on a path to a dip before ascending up to the highest point on the ridge ahead. There is no cairn but the highest point is the summit of Stob a' Choire Odhair, c960 m.

(3) Continue down the ridge on a good path until the path takes one off the ridge to the right heading down into lower Coire Dhearcail. The path soon becomes too faint to follow on grassy ground but, in clear weather, the path out of the corrie should be clearly visible. Pick up this path after crossing the main stream which can be awkward in spate. Follow the path out of the corrie and cross the ridge on the right. The path then heads SE before zig-zagging down a steepish grassy slope full of ferns in the summer. Keep an eye on the track on the flat ground below which leads to Barrisdale and make sure you locate it as the descent path does become faint in places and the open flat ground can be quite boggy. Follow the track back to Barrisdale Bothy

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 5^th June, 2016, and twice before.

(b) To enquire about a boat from Arnisdale, contact Peter Fletcher on 01599 235007. Where he actually drops you off will depend upon the tide but it will be no further away than the boathouse by Fraoch Eilean.