Loch Eilt Corbetts

Loch Eilt Corbetts

Hillwalking route up Beinn Odhar Bheag and Beinn Mhic Cedidh

The Corbett hills of Beinn Odhar Bheag and Beinn Mhic Cedidh stand to the west of Loch Shiel, their undulating grass-covered crests, pitted with rocks and crags being typical of Moidart and Ardgour peninsula landscape.



Route outline


Corbetts

Beinn Odhar Bheag, 

Beinn Mhic Cedidh

Ascent 1360m (4460ft)
Distance 12km (8m)
Time 5:15hr
Start/finish A830 4km west of Glenfinnan
Grid Ref : NM857813
Terrain
easy hard
Nav
easy hard
Effort
easy hard
Scenery
ok fab


West of Loch Shiel the rugged hills of Beinn Odhar Mor, Beinn Odhar Bheag and Beinn Mhic Cedidh are typical of the Moidart peninsula. Grass and rush covered lower slopes lead to delightfully undulating terrain with occasional rocky outcrops.

These hills are in an unfrequented area where there are no paths, old walls or rusty fence-posts to follow and aid navigation. Once up Beinn Odhar Bheag and Beinn Mhic Cedidh, there is a feeling of remoteness and adventure, even though you're never far away from a main road or railway connecting Mallaig with Fort William.

It's worth noting that with the lack of footpaths on Beinn Odhar Bheag and Beinn Mhic Cedidh and with the grass cover on the slopes being dense in summer months, progress on these hills can be tougher than expected. Hiking these hills in winter is surprisingly significantly easier !



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Route description


1. Getting to Loch Eilt

Gate by railway below Beinn Odhar Mor

Gate by railway below Beinn Odhar Mor

From Fort William, head westwards along the A830 through Caol and Corpach to Kinlocheil by the head of Loch Eil, then onwards to Glenfinnan.

Around 4km west of Glenfinnan, the A830 reaches its highest point, immediately beyond which the road takes a sharp bend as it gets close to the railway line. There is a locked gate by the side of the railway - the hill-route starts from here.

On gravel, there is enough space either side of the gate to park a few vehicles. More parking can be found in a lay-by around 300m back up the road. There is some information regarding the estate and land access by the side of the gate.


2. Beinn Odhar Mhor

Looking up Beinn Odhar Mor's northern shoulder

Looking up Beinn Odhar Mor's northern shoulder

From the roadside, head over the gate and cross the railway line. Around a fence and out of woodland, a faint path can be picked up travelling through grass, bracken and over soggy ground. Keeping to this path, follow it as it turns south-west and begins to climb uphill.

After around 500m, the path arrives under some small crags - leave the path at this point, turn left (east) under the crags, then onto the crest of the hillside ahead. Keeping the trough of the Allt Coire a' Choin Duinn on your left, follow the ridge-line ahead that narrows as it rises.

The crest widens and turns southwards as it climbs. Further up, the crags above Coire Odhar come into view - terrain will be easier keeping these well to the left (east).

Beinn Odhar Mor's shattered trig point

Beinn Odhar Mor's shattered trig point

Higher up, after a little jostling around some rocks, Beinn Odhar Mhor's summit is reached. A cairn of boulders sits aside the broken remains of a trig-point, from where views over Loch Eil to Ben Nevis are rather splendid.

Beinn Odhar Mor's shattered trig point

Beinn Odhar Mor's shattered trig point


3. Beinn Odhar Beag

One of several little lochans on route to Beinn Odhar Bheag

One of several little lochans on route to Beinn Odhar Bheag

With Beinn Odhar Mhor's presence and having a significant cairn along with the remains of trig point, you'd be forgiven thinking it stood as a Corbett. Alas no, a bit more effort has to be put in !

From Beinn Odhar Mhor's summit aim southwards. A sudden drop is reached requiring a bit of trial and error to find a route down - there is a gap just to the right (west) of the main difficulties.

Once below the drop, follow Beinn Odhar Mhor's wide southern crest as it undulates while losing height to drop to the bealach above the crags of dark Coire nan Clach .

A faint path appears briefly as the head of the coire is passed, then disappears as the foot of Beinn Odhar Bheag is approached. Ahead a grassy bank is followed as it rises at a slant aiming for the hill's summit.

Northern face of Beinn Odhar Bheag

Northern face of Beinn Odhar Bheag

The highest point of Beinn Odhar Bheag is marked by a small cairn and sits on the eastern fringe of a broad flat summit overlooking a steep drop to Loch Shiel directly below.

Northern face of Beinn Odhar Bheag

Northern face of Beinn Odhar Bheag


4. Beinn Mhic Cedidh

Beinn Mhic Cedidh with Druim Fiaclach and Isle of Rum beyond

Beinn Mhic Cedidh with Druim Fiaclach and Isle of Rum beyond

From Beinn Odhar Bheag's cairn, head north-west on a grass-covered shoulder dotted with occasional rock to begin losing height. Aiming for Bealach a' Choire Bhuidhe, the route down is quite straightforward, though beware sporadic hidden boulders in the grass !

Reaching Bealach a' Choire Bhuidhe , a decent, but undemanding slog uphill leads up Beinn Mhic Cedidh's eastern shoulder.

Rough Bounds of Knoydart from Beinn Mhic Cedidh

Rough Bounds of Knoydart from Beinn Mhic Cedidh

The slog easies as Beinn Mhic Cedidh's broad summit crest is neared. Sitting at the north-western side of this is a small pile of stones marking the hill's highest point .

Rough Bounds of Knoydart from Beinn Mhic Cedidh

Rough Bounds of Knoydart from Beinn Mhic Cedidh


5. Return

Descending Beinn Mhic Cedidh's eastern shoulder, Beinn Odhar Bheag ahead

Descending Beinn Mhic Cedidh's eastern shoulder, Beinn Odhar Bheag ahead

One option to begin a return from Beinn Mhic Cedidh's summit follows Beinn Mhic Cedidh's northern spur. However this leads to steep ground, a possible difficult crossing of the Allt a' Choire Bhuidhe lower down and additional ascent !

My preferred route begins by a return towards Bealach a' Choire Bhuidhe , then turns down grass-covered ground into Coire Buidhe to cross the Allt a' Choire Bhuidhe higher up. Above this burn's eastern bank, a vague ATV track is picked up and followed for around 1km as it progressively becomes more distinct.

The tracks turns north-east and crosses a spur to descend to a bridge over a burn . Leave the track before it turns north-west and strike uphill on pathless ground while hiking north-east following another burn with some lovely little waterfalls.

Looking back to Beinn Mhic Cedidh

Looking back to Beinn Mhic Cedidh

A weird gap in the hillside (a glacial meltwater channel ?) is travelled through, after which a faint path begins to form. This path is followed back to the point left earlier , leaving a short distance of retracing footprints back to the railway and roadside.

Looking back to Beinn Mhic Cedidh

Looking back to Beinn Mhic Cedidh





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