A lazy Sunday ramble.....Beinn a' Chuallaich

Hill: Beinn a’ Chuallaich (Hill of the herding)

Type: Corbett

Height: 892m

I was in glorious highland Perthshire just as Autumn arrived and the trees were beginning their colour transformation but probably another 2 weeks before the full spectacular effect kicks in. The beginning of autumn also means the start of the red deer rut. This ramble was chosen with that in mind.

This Corbett has been on my list for quite a few years as its huge cairn was a prominent landscape viewpoint when I was fishing for the brownies at nearby Loch Rannoch.

The delay in completing it was that it had a poor reputation for parking and access along with its lower slopes being covered in dense bracken. But a couple of years back I read a report on Walkhighlands by Strathlassie which gave a good alternative starting point.

I parked up at the roadside clearing at Drumglas, rough ground, room for 3 cars at a push and hope nothing wide comes down the road as the side of the car pokes out a bit.

I had a wander to the start but re tracked and followed the advice of ‘Walking with Kids’ to cross the field to avoid going through the house garden, which is probably an invasion of their privacy.

The tups are waiting

The question was what livestock could be in the field on the hidden side. It turned out to be about a dozen tups. Some had evil looking horns but the ones without had evil faces, if looks could kill this lot were right up there. But thankfully they have serviced their sheep and testosterone has lowered so I safely crossed the field.

A wide dirt track, sometimes stony, winds its way up the hill with a few gates to get through. EU grant funded to plant native trees. The track goes through the crags and bracken of Creag Bhudie without difficulty, just me huffing and puffing.

There were great views over Loch Rannoch before I turned and headed upwards once more. There are options for the more adventurous to go rough country and ascend over the heather clad peat hagged slopes of Tom na Moine and then going directly to the top.

But not for me today I simply followed the ATV track, boggy in places but by and large a good gradient with no issues.

I spotted some heads on a ridge watching me, red deer hinds, not too fazed as they gradually appeared in full on the ridge, some still feeding. When they decided to scarper I counted 18 hinds. But a couple of minutes later a smaller group emerged from the heather camouflage onto the ridge where a magnificent stag was profiled, well chuffed. No need to roar he had his harem.

Nearing the bealach I was aware of loud calls of Raven but was surprised to see over a dozen in the air. A gathering of ravens has the rather odd name as ‘an unkindness’. But this lot were not unkind to me. The ariel displays were a delight to watch. For about 15 minutes the display was mesmerising. I suspect these were birds bonding but I could be wrong and maybe it was just for the fun of it.

I knew I had to leave this track and go across the moor but I could see no obvious point. As always I took a direct line and wound my way through the peat hags and then up the short stony slope.

It flattened out and then the trig and big cairn came into view. Despite its size surprisingly this was my first sighting of it on the walk today.

The wind was bitterly cold so it was a shorter stay on the top than I would have liked. It was worth being cold for a while as the views did not disappoint.

Schiehallion showed its top very briefly

Loch Tummel & Vrackie

Loch Rannoch

Across Dunalastair Water lay the huge bulk of Schiehallion whose top remained in cloud. Beyond Loch Rannoch the jagged peaks of Glencoe. Along from them the Corrour Munros. Behind me Beinn a Ghlo and Ben Vrackie. And below me peat hagged terrain.

Descent

I headed back the same way. About half way down I could hear two stags roaring, one of which was more of a loud cough than a roar, no hinds for you I suspect. They were far away, possibly over on the Schiehallion side with the sound blown by the wind across the water. 

A bit further on I could hear one much closer but did not get a sighting.

Thistles on the turn still make an attractive snap

As it turned out my access fears were not realised. It was a good ramble and made all the better for the sounds of the rut.

Ascent: 708m

Distance: 10.8km

Time: 4.08

Wildlife: Raven, Red deer Stag +30 hinds, Buzzard, Coal Tit,