[Trip Index] [Munro Index] [Home] 16th August 2003   Beinn Chabhair Map Another hot day with cumulus clouds. I parked by the side of the road just north of the Beinglas Farm campsite, which itself is just a few hundred yards north of the Stagger Inn/Drovers Arms, and walked round a field to politely avoid going through the campsite - I wasn't quite so particular on the way back. Behind the campsite a path follows a stream very steeply up a hillside of grass and small trees but eventually you come out onto a plateau where you have a very pleasant, easy amble for half an hour or so, gently ascending whilst following the stream. The path brings you to a small lochan, the Lochan Beinn Chabhair. There I followed the path along the northern edge of the lochan and beyond and then it just petered out. What you should do is turn left (Northwest) as soon as you reach the lochan and find a path which takes you up to the bealach and then along the ridge to the summit - a lot easier than what I did, which was to tackle the mountain directly. It's higher than it looks and is steep from this approach. It became a real heart-thumping, sweat-oozing slog. Beinn Chabhair Eventually I reached the real path and followed it past a lesser top with a small cairn to the true summit with a cairn - terrific views all round from there with many peaks visible, including Ben Lui. Bad photo of me at the top The view from Beinn Chabhair As I was leaving the top another chap arrived but he only said hello, as did another one further down. I descended via the proper route, back to the lochan where I saw a couple making their way along the northern edge of the pool just as I had done. I called out hello to them and told them where the proper path was but the bloke was obviously reluctant to backtrack and they seemed to end up making a dubious compromise vector as I left them to it. I expect I'd have been reluctant to backtrack too, on such a hot day, but it was good advice. A very nice walk back over the plateau though I rushed it a bit more than I'd have liked because I still had to drive back to Ware the same day, and call in at Moffat to collect my wedding ring which I'd left at the B&B. Got back to Ware at 11.40 pm.