Bushwalking Treasure Box: Beinn Alligin, Torridon

Walk report for: Beinn Alligin
Munros included on this walk: Sgurr Mor (Beinn Alligin), Tom na Gruagaich (Beinn Alligin)
Date walked: 28/08/2009
Time taken: 6 hours
Distance: 10 km

Beinn Alligin
Observation #1 - Weather Forecasts are not always what they seem...

28/8/2009

Aw cripes, we thought, as we looked at the weather forecast. Front coming in, -9C at 900m, gusty winds, possible thunder.

We had only one day to have a crack at Beinn Alligin. Let's curl up and whimper now.

However, because we'd be sheltered from the prevailing wind by the Coire on our ascent, we decided we'd at least try and sneak up to the first peak, Tom na Gruagaich. From there we could easily sneak back down or, weather permitting, push on. So kitted up ready for snow, we started up the west track, stopping at the stile to remove several layers of poly. It was indeed dark, and blowy, and rainy at times, but we pushed on doggedly, stopping only to look quizzically at the sky and sniff the air. Hmm. Dark, blowy and rainy.

By the time we'd reach 600m height, we were in cloud, but still not too bad. We arrived at Tom na Gruagaich some 2 hours - all uphill - after our start, having followed the very reliable track. If you know the general direction of the track, it is always there for you, except perhaps from the cairn to TnG's trig point, but that's just a matter of walking uphill. Visibility was down to about 50 yards some of the time, less when looking upwards.

Now more confident about the weather, we pushed on, down the barely visible spur. As we descended to the col, suddenly the view northwest opened out amongst the cloud and we got glimpses of An Ruadh - Mheallan and other lower hills. Sleet and high wind kicked in then, but had started to blow over by the time we got to Sgurr Mhor just over an hour after Tom Na Gruagaich. Wasting little time, we dropped down towards the Horns. As soon as we'd gotten out of the line of fire, there was very little wind, the sleet had stopped, and it became eerily quiet. And very pleasant.

The weather proceeded to open out for the rest of the trip, opening up views north and west, whilst we toddled our way up and down the three Horns, which were really good fun to scramble over. All very straight forward, so long as our eyes were open, as the track was pretty obvious all the way, and leads over a relatively new bridge at 882597 (where the track crosses the creek on the map), removing the need to do a creek crossing of Allt a Bhealaich.

The waterfalls of this creek and Abhainn Coire Mhic Nobull were really pleasant features of the remainder of the walk, which took us a relaxed 6 1/2 hours.