After a hot day on the nearby Corbett Sgùrr Dhomhnuill, Ben and I chose a shorter outing to another Corbett, Garbh Bheinn. We started from a small parking area just off the A861 at bridge over Abhainn Coire an Iubhair, near Inversanda. The mountain was on my way back home and towards the Corran ferry across Loch Linnhe.
To start with we were also very happy to feel a breeze. After the hot, still conditions the day before, we craved something cooler. The route is fairly short – about 8km – and with just less than 1000m of ascent.
We started the route on a path on the west side of the old bridge. It is boggy at first, although the dry weather meant we were able to keep our footwear much drier than you might normally expect.
We could see the way ahead, which basically climbed uphill.
Ben and I enjoyed the ascent at a decent pace but with plenty of stops to take in the view behind us over beautiful Loch Linnhe.
There are a few short bits of minor scrambling but mostlywe followed a path. or worn trod. Any crags coluld be bypassed.
The views grow, the higher you ascend and we could see Ben Nevis and Loch Sunart.
There is a minor summit at 823m, from where we could see the actual Garbh Bheinn summit. The path descended to a bealach – and there was a steep section down a gully but nothing too daunting before another ascent.
The path ahead looked steep but it turned out to be very manageable and eventually the path headed right and then left to go up a final grassy rake between rocks to reach the summit of Garbh Bheinn at 885m elevation. (It has a prominence of 687m.)
The views were superb taking in the many peak of Ardgour and towards the islands of Skye, Mull, Eigg and Rum.
We descended in almost exactly the same route although we did weave about a bit in the middle. As we retreated from the Corbett, the heat increased and the breeze dropped. We were both grateful that we had chosen a shorter walk on such a hot day.
Route details: Garbh Bheinn on the Ardgour Peninsula
Distance: 9km
Total ascent: 1020m
Corbetts bagged: 175