Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
Munro 2007 - Day 23: 8th May
Loch Creran
Summit, Beinn Sgulaird
Perched boulder
Beinn Sgulaird
Bluebells, Druimavuic
Tuesday 8th May
Beinn Sgulaird 937m (Munro 38) (Naked Munro 23)
Distance: 15.5 km
Ascent: 1123 m
Time: 6:50 hour
Mountain name: Beinn Sgulaird Pronounced: Bine Skoolarge Translated: Mountain
of the Old Hat
Weather: It was showery in the morning but dry with the cloud base at about 1100m by
the time I set off at 11am. There were occasional glimpses of the sun and a strong breeze
at altitude. It brightened up in the evening.
Nature notes: There was a flock of about 20 Golden Plover near the summit of Peak 488.
There were sheep with young lambs on the summit of Meall Garbh so the farmers now
appear to be letting their lambs loose on the mountain. The only other birds I saw on the
mountain were a pair of Ravens and a few Wheatears.
Biting midges, in small quantities, started appearing around the van in the evening.
Geological note: The rock was granite from peak 863 to Beinn Sgulaird. There was a lot
of evidence of glaciation with Roche Moutonne and lots of perched boulders.
Local Notes: Druimavuic was open to the public during April, My and June under
Scotland’s Garden Scheme with proceeds going to charity. Visible from the track onto
the hills were some magnificent Rhododendron (or similar) bushes and a woodland floor
covered in Bluebells.
The Route: I followed the estate track form Druimavuic, at the head of Loch Creran,
before heading up a small path, marked by a cairn, onto the slopes of Peak 488. I then
traversed a series of broad rocky peaks to reach Beinn Sgulaird. I returned down the
south ridge of Beinn Sgulaird before contouring round Meall Garbh and Peak 863. I
dropped down the south ridge of Peak 863 and then down an estate track down Coire
Buidhe and back to the van.
Personal notes: I slept late in the morning so didn’t start until 11am.I was wearing all
the damp clothing from yesterday as well as waterproofs as the best way of drying them
out. In fact I needed the waterproof top all day because of the brisk wind.
Ben Nevis was in cloud but I could see new snow on the slopes above about 1100m which
must have fallen when I was out in blizzard conditions yesterday. Once I reached Peak
863 I was on a rocky bouldery terrain with a couple of drops and progress was slow. There
was a big cairn on Ben Sgulaird which gave me enough shelter to take a naked summit
photo. On the descent I met the first walker I had met on the mountain for three days.
There wasn’t a path marked on the map down Coire Buidhe, but an estate road had
been bulldozed over the col and down the other side and I used this in the descent.
Overnight: I spent the night again in the parking area for Glasdrum National Nature
Reserve.
Beinn Sgulaird 937m (Munro 38) (Naked Munro 23)
Distance: 15.5 km
Ascent: 1123 m
Time: 6:50 hour
Mountain name: Beinn Sgulaird Pronounced: Bine Skoolarge Translated: Mountain
of the Old Hat
Weather: It was showery in the morning but dry with the cloud base at about 1100m by
the time I set off at 11am. There were occasional glimpses of the sun and a strong breeze
at altitude. It brightened up in the evening.
Nature notes: There was a flock of about 20 Golden Plover near the summit of Peak 488.
There were sheep with young lambs on the summit of Meall Garbh so the farmers now
appear to be letting their lambs loose on the mountain. The only other birds I saw on the
mountain were a pair of Ravens and a few Wheatears.
Biting midges, in small quantities, started appearing around the van in the evening.
Geological note: The rock was granite from peak 863 to Beinn Sgulaird. There was a lot
of evidence of glaciation with Roche Moutonne and lots of perched boulders.
Local Notes: Druimavuic was open to the public during April, My and June under
Scotland’s Garden Scheme with proceeds going to charity. Visible from the track onto
the hills were some magnificent Rhododendron (or similar) bushes and a woodland floor
covered in Bluebells.
The Route: I followed the estate track form Druimavuic, at the head of Loch Creran,
before heading up a small path, marked by a cairn, onto the slopes of Peak 488. I then
traversed a series of broad rocky peaks to reach Beinn Sgulaird. I returned down the
south ridge of Beinn Sgulaird before contouring round Meall Garbh and Peak 863. I
dropped down the south ridge of Peak 863 and then down an estate track down Coire
Buidhe and back to the van.
Personal notes: I slept late in the morning so didn’t start until 11am.I was wearing all
the damp clothing from yesterday as well as waterproofs as the best way of drying them
out. In fact I needed the waterproof top all day because of the brisk wind.
Ben Nevis was in cloud but I could see new snow on the slopes above about 1100m which
must have fallen when I was out in blizzard conditions yesterday. Once I reached Peak
863 I was on a rocky bouldery terrain with a couple of drops and progress was slow. There
was a big cairn on Ben Sgulaird which gave me enough shelter to take a naked summit
photo. On the descent I met the first walker I had met on the mountain for three days.
There wasn’t a path marked on the map down Coire Buidhe, but an estate road had
been bulldozed over the col and down the other side and I used this in the descent.
Overnight: I spent the night again in the parking area for Glasdrum National Nature
Reserve.
Summit, Beinn Sgulaird
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