Conival - Ben More Assynt route, 7 June 93 (1 of 4)
Conival seen from Gleann Dubh. This photo was actually taken at the end of the day, as the hill was shrouded in mist during the climb!
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Hillwalking journal entry for the day:
Monday 7/6//93
Conival - Ben More Assynt
18 km, 1250 m: 7.7 hours
Conditions: Cloud base below the hill tops initially, eventually lifting to give continuous sunshine in the late afternoon
Base: Ardmair Bay, Ullapool
Map and starting point: OS Sheet 15, GR 252217
<<<>>>
I left the car at the side of the road just to the south of the bridge over the River Traligill at about noon: the late start was deliberate as the forecast indicated that the cloud cover should lift in the early afternoon. I felt extremely fit despite the exertions of the previous day, and I set off with great enthusiasm along the track to Glean Dubh, in shorts and T shirt. Surprisingly Inchnadamph was apparently in a state of dereliction, but the associated cottages were still inhabited.
I kept to the path on the north side of the river for about half a kilometre past the plantation where I reluctantly left the track to start a “ rising traverse” towards the col, as recommended in the Munros book. I soon felt unhappy about this choice of route due to the increasingly steep gradient and so decided to take a more direct route towards the top of Beinn an Fhurain after gaining easier ground below the crags at GR 287210 (?). I ended up scrambling up the crags and then clambering up the steep heathery ground above towards the summit plateau - still shrouded in mist.
Despite careful attention to the map and compass I still managed to get completely lost in the attempt to find the foot of Conival’s north ridge. I discovered later that I had ascended the 860 m peak at GR 303215 believing it to be the knoll at the foot of the ridge - after having convinced myself (half-heartedly) that the small lochan must have dried up! On reflection it is difficult to see how this mistake was made, as the steep crags to the north and east of the peak were in view; however, I just could not believe that I could possibly have been so far off the route! After 30 minutes of fruitless endeavour I decided to put on some warm clothing and wait for the mist to clear - as forecast. When the mist did eventually begin to lift the first recognisable feature to come into view was the prominent missing lochan a few 100 m to the SW!
Once I had found my bearings I made a quick and rather furious ascent of Conival, with the summit still in the clouds. After a short break for lunch I started off along the ridge to Ben More Assynt, after making absolutely certain that I was following the correct route.
The mist started to clear about mid-way along the ridge where I passed my first 2 fellow hill walkers of the day. The ridge itself proved to be something of a let down - just a simple walk with no scrambling potential worthy of note. Easily to the summit of Ben More Assynt and then back along the ridge, with the 860 m “mystery peak” now in full view to the north and looking rather impressive!
The second traverse of the Conival summit was much more enjoyable in the late afternoon sunshine - shorts and T shirt weather again!
During the descent to the col I decided to make my way down to Gleann Dubh by following the stream from about GR 298209, despite the fact that this route is not recommended in the SMC guide and is not even mentioned in the Munros book. However after a short easy scramble to the south of the waterfall there were no problems at all, and in fact I was more than a little peeved to find a serviceable path all the way down to the head of the glen which continued on the north side of the river back to the track: all of the problems of the day would have been avoided had this route been taken on the way in! So much for guide books!
Eventually back to the car after a good, but unnecessarily long, day.
Conival - Ben More Assynt route, 7 June 93 (1 of 4)
Conival seen from Gleann Dubh. This photo was actually taken at the end of the day, as the hill was shrouded in mist during the climb!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hillwalking journal entry for the day:
Monday 7/6//93
Conival - Ben More Assynt
18 km, 1250 m: 7.7 hours
Conditions: Cloud base below the hill tops initially, eventually lifting to give continuous sunshine in the late afternoon
Base: Ardmair Bay, Ullapool
Map and starting point: OS Sheet 15, GR 252217
<<<>>>
I left the car at the side of the road just to the south of the bridge over the River Traligill at about noon: the late start was deliberate as the forecast indicated that the cloud cover should lift in the early afternoon. I felt extremely fit despite the exertions of the previous day, and I set off with great enthusiasm along the track to Glean Dubh, in shorts and T shirt. Surprisingly Inchnadamph was apparently in a state of dereliction, but the associated cottages were still inhabited.
I kept to the path on the north side of the river for about half a kilometre past the plantation where I reluctantly left the track to start a “ rising traverse” towards the col, as recommended in the Munros book. I soon felt unhappy about this choice of route due to the increasingly steep gradient and so decided to take a more direct route towards the top of Beinn an Fhurain after gaining easier ground below the crags at GR 287210 (?). I ended up scrambling up the crags and then clambering up the steep heathery ground above towards the summit plateau - still shrouded in mist.
Despite careful attention to the map and compass I still managed to get completely lost in the attempt to find the foot of Conival’s north ridge. I discovered later that I had ascended the 860 m peak at GR 303215 believing it to be the knoll at the foot of the ridge - after having convinced myself (half-heartedly) that the small lochan must have dried up! On reflection it is difficult to see how this mistake was made, as the steep crags to the north and east of the peak were in view; however, I just could not believe that I could possibly have been so far off the route! After 30 minutes of fruitless endeavour I decided to put on some warm clothing and wait for the mist to clear - as forecast. When the mist did eventually begin to lift the first recognisable feature to come into view was the prominent missing lochan a few 100 m to the SW!
Once I had found my bearings I made a quick and rather furious ascent of Conival, with the summit still in the clouds. After a short break for lunch I started off along the ridge to Ben More Assynt, after making absolutely certain that I was following the correct route.
The mist started to clear about mid-way along the ridge where I passed my first 2 fellow hill walkers of the day. The ridge itself proved to be something of a let down - just a simple walk with no scrambling potential worthy of note. Easily to the summit of Ben More Assynt and then back along the ridge, with the 860 m “mystery peak” now in full view to the north and looking rather impressive!
The second traverse of the Conival summit was much more enjoyable in the late afternoon sunshine - shorts and T shirt weather again!
During the descent to the col I decided to make my way down to Gleann Dubh by following the stream from about GR 298209, despite the fact that this route is not recommended in the SMC guide and is not even mentioned in the Munros book. However after a short easy scramble to the south of the waterfall there were no problems at all, and in fact I was more than a little peeved to find a serviceable path all the way down to the head of the glen which continued on the north side of the river back to the track: all of the problems of the day would have been avoided had this route been taken on the way in! So much for guide books!
Eventually back to the car after a good, but unnecessarily long, day.