Date: Sunday 7th June 2009
Distance: 23.7km
Ascent: 2000m
We walked the Rois-Bheinn group last May. Liked the look of Croit Bheinn on that walk and planned to come back.
Up early – visitor to the cottage in the morning:
The Grahams Beinn Gaire and Croit Bheinn are usually climbed from Glen Moidart. I’d wondered whether we could link these two to the Rois-Bheinn group. The 2 Grahams are a bit of a short day, the views restricted by higher neighbours and the walk back through Glen Moidart’s upper reaches is supposed to be seriously boggy.
Although there’s a low bealach between Croit Bheinn and An t-Slat Bheinn the better walking on the ridge and the fact that the views are spectacular made it seem like an interesting combination.
Parked up at the parking area at the end of the Kinloch Moidart road – NM 740 722. The walking track is on the south side of the river – this road has been widened for hydro work on the loch in Glen Forslan.
View up Glen Moidart to Sgurr na Ba Glaise:
We followed the road up to the loch, crossed at the dam at the west end and headed up Sron Dubh an Eilich.
Easy enough progress over mainly grassy terrain to the summit of Beinn Gaire – Rum and Eigg popped up over the Rois-Bheinn ridge.
A few bites to eat at the summit then on towards Croit Bheinn.
Passed a wee pool teeming with tadpoles. A dragonfly nymph had caught one of them.
The ridge is a bit bobbly but is grassy and easy walking so progress was easy. The route then drops to the bealach at 437m and then a short climb up Croit Bheinn.
Views from here to Beinn Mhic Cedidh and the Loch Shiel Corbetts and north to the jumble of Sections 10b and 11.
Back along Glen Moidart:
Descent from here is first SW to avoid the cliff line then NW to reach the bealach between Croit Bheinn and An t-Slat Bheinn at NM 802 776. The ascent up to the Rois-Bheinn ridge is very steep for the first 50m on grass but after that pretty easy.
Views back to Croit Bheinn.
Up the ridge.
On reaching the An t-Slat Bheinn ridge the views opened up – great view out to sea. Rum, Eigg and Skye clearly seen behind An Stac.
Sat and enjoyed this view for a bit then carried on over minor undulations to Sgurr na Ba Glaise. Views shift out to sea. Wanted to push on for a seat on Rois-Bheinn W top.
The bealach between here and Rois-Bheinn is 701m – last big climb of the day, passed over the Rois-Bheinn summit to get to the W top.
This is one of these great open view points – massive open sea views to the W, hill jumbles to the N and E, and Mull to the S.
The air clarity was impressive – Arran S, Ben Lawers E, Horns of Alligin N and Barra/Uist to the W.
Garbh Bheinn:
Ardnamurchan:
Castle Tiorum:
Panorama of Rum,Eigg and Skye:
Enjoyed a bite to eat with a view but light levels and wind dropped to bring up a cloud of midge to get us going.
In the days before indoor urban lifestyle every single Scot would have had their own cloud of personal trainers encouraging them to never stop! Perhaps the obesity epidemic could be solved by the development of indoor and urban midge species.
Dropped off the W top south towards Sgurr Dhomhuill Mor and then dropped into Coire Ladhair Mor to descend to Assary.
Rose Root:
The descent was reasonable but my legs were feeling the effects of the day.
I think this is a Cephenemyia auribarbis (Deer Nostril Fly):
Back along the track in Glen Moidart – mostly planked over boggy bits.
There’s a sign to divert you over the bridge at NM 754 732 to the S side of the river and then it’s back to the car.
Enjoyed this combination – the Grahams are fun but the knowledge that the great sea views are just over the next ridge would have irked me.
Climbing to the Rois-Bheinn ridge made for a longer, better day.
Busy Doing Nothing 