Beinn Bheula, 31st January 2026

 I had managed to get out the weekend before this as well, on the hills on the southern side of Glen Luss. I'd headed for Beinn Chaorach along the long ridge from Auchengavin and then back down into Glen Luss. I'd only bagged the Fiona, but I was keen to get out on some proper hills. The weekend rolled around again, and I desperately needed to be out there.

I need a solid forecast to get to the Munros I need, given the 4+ hour drivetime each way, so I picked the last of the Lochgoilhead Corbetts which I'd been saving for the winter anyway.

Beinn Bheula sits to the south west of the village, and it didn't look like that much of a distance on the map, and there was even some hint of a decent track much of the way...

I parked up at 1045 at Lettermay and checked with a man with a chainsaw that I was ok to park. I was tired from the week, but the forestry track at this point was decent. There's been some felling going on and so the road was a muddy quagmire at points, which slowed me down a bit. I also had a larger rucksack on given the colder conditions. These are my excuses anyway!

By 1130 I'd left the forestry road and was on what used to be a track through forestry that had been cut away, leaving branches, mud and some fallen trees.

Broken forestry and low cloud

I was still beneath the clouds at this point and mostly out of the wind, but it was cold. This vague semblance of a path was testing both my pace and my patience. I was in my fell shoes as well, which on reflection was probably a mistake.

I made it to a little waterfall where I would break off and head uphill through the forest. This was also full of collapsed trees, so it difficult to forge a way through, but eventually I made it to the fenceline where I was to cross and head for Lochan nan Cnàimh.

The wind picked up so I put on my hat, gloves and new waterproof trousers, ate something and headed up to the flat part below the summit.

From there I was in clag, with less than 10m visibility. I followed my map and headed for the first top, Creag Sgoilte. There was quite a bit of snow around.

Snow

It wasn't too slippy, and my fell shoes were fine for this, except my feet were soaked so every time I stopped I could feel them getting very cold very quickly. I made the first top at 1245, then the main summit of Beinn Bheula, Caisteal Dubh at 1255.

Beinn Bheula

From the summit, I followed both my map and my previous watch route up, but the terrain was a bit mad and the visibility meant I just had to look out for big drops. Eventually I made it back to the flat ground, and the visibility returned. I warmed up a bit too, and then followed an easier track next to the burn which skipped most of the felled forest.

Eventually I made it back to the forestry road and it was pretty easy going back down to the van. I was back at 1415, then headed to the Boat Shed to wait for a table for a bowl of soup amongst the Balenciaga and moustache set.

Run Distance: 15.49km

Hike Time: 3h 26m

Ascent: 865m

Corbetts Completed: 14