Bidean nam Bian, 1150m
Another superb mountain which would probably find a place in my "top 10". However, I climbed it twice within a couple of years early on in my climbing "career", and haven't been up it since (24 years ago at the time of writing this!). Actually, I will need to return if I try to climb all the Munro tops, as I have not been on Stob Coire nam Beith yet. Anyway, here is some information about the two ascents ...
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Date: 10/7/1978 |
Tops and Munros |
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Companions: group of 15 teenagers from SU camp at Glen Etive |
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Distance: 10km | |
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Climbing: 1100m | |
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Time: 3 hours to SCS, another hour to Bidean - 9 hours in all | |
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Weather: | |
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Munro Tally: M11,12, T14 - 18 | |
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This was one opf my early climbs. I was a leader at a Scripture Union camp based at the last cottage before the end of the Glen Etive road. Each day, different groups set out to climb a nearby mountain. This day I was in a large group. We started at the top end of Glen Coe, above the waterfall. headed across the moor towards the NE end of Ben Fhada (the first of the Three Sisters of Glen Coe). A steep but easy ascent led out on to easier ground on the ridge, with suerb views across to the Aonach Eagach. Very enjoyable ridge walk along Beinn Fhada, over its 2 tops, to the foot of Stob Coire Sgreamhach. A step across a narrow bealach, then a steep scramble up a stony gully, and suddenly you are at the top. This used to be a top, but was upgraded to a Munro - well-deserved, as it is a dramatic peak in its own right (actually Scotland's 65th highest mountain!). The route then dropped down following a clearly defined path, then up the ridge in a series of steps, with steep drops into the Lost valley to the right, towards the rocky top of Argyll's highest peak, Bidean nam Bian. From the summit, we dropped down the steep and rocky NE ridge to the bealach above Coire nam Beith, and made the short detour up the rough ridge to Stob Coire nan Lochan. Then retraced our steps to the bealach, and descended steeply on scree into Coire nam Beith. Once into the coire, there is still a long way to go, on a steep and rough, but definite, path dwn to Loch Achtriochtan in Glen Coe. We were glad to see our minibus waiting to pick us up. It would be a longish trek back up the Glen at the end of the day! | |
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The second ascent was 2 years later, with a Youth Fellowship group of young adults from Edinburgh. Date was 17th May 1980. We followed the same route, except that we omitted Stob Coire nan Lochan. The ascent up the gully to Sgreamhach was a bit too exciting for some of the less experienced in the party. It was a blazing hot day, but there was still lost of now and cornices along the ridge between the tops. The descent into Coire nam Beith was a bit tricky. Two of us took turns to descend slowly backwards kicking steps in the steep snow slope for the others to follow. It was a bit foolhardy looking back on it - but we all got down safely .... and found an abandoned ice axe at the bottom of the snow field! |
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<< Sketch map of the route To see a road map of the area around this mountain, click here
If you want to see a 1:50000 OS map of the mountain, wait until the road map is displayed by streetmap.co.uk, then click the third "house" from the left on the zoom symbol, which will be displayed below the road map:
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Bidean nam Bian On the ridge of Beinn Fhada. the "lost valley" below on the right, with Bidean at its head. The peak on the right is Stob Coire nan Lochan, with Stob Coire Sgreamhach just off to the left. This was taken on the 1980 ascent - beautiful blue skies, and dazzling white snow on the ridges and in the gullies. | ||||
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Bidean nam Bian Approaching the summit on the east ridge from Stob Coire Sgreamhach. |
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Comments or questions? david@dbethune.com |
