OF modest height at 953m/3127ft, Beinn Mhanach, hill of the monk, is a rounded, grassy hill, at least when climbed on its southern flank; a route described below which presents little navigational difficulty, even on a very misty day.
When halfway between Tyndrum and Bridge of Orchy, the passing motorist gets a view of the curving loop of the West Highland Railway and the viaduct, graceful Meccano-like girders on top of masonry piers, and possibly, too, of walkers tackling the Wes
t Highland Way (WHW). There are also impressive views of the steep slopes of Beinn Dorain and Beinn a' Chaisteil on either side of the entrance to Auch Gleann, with Beinn Mhanach tucked away at the top end of the glen. The popular and convenient approach from the busy A82 is to use Auch Gleann, with the private-to-cars road to Auch Farm as the start point. After the railway was built, there were plans to improve the rough track in the glen so Glen Lyon could have access to the railway at Bridge of Orchy. Thankfully, these plans did not come to fruition.
You will need Ordnance Survey map 50, Glen Orchy & Loch Etive. There is little in the way of parking by the side of the A82 and avoid parking at the start of the private road at map ref 316355. There has been a long tradition of parking on the grassy verge just to the south, but the busy road may be a cause for concern. Better parking is available much further south adjacent to the WHW though this means a slightly longer walk on the WHW to reach Auch Gleann.
Beyond the farm, a rough track leads all the way to the base of the hill. However, before going under the railway viaduct the first water hazard is reached, a ford over the Allt Coralan, though luckily, concrete slabs often give a dry crossing. The glen closes in after the viaduct and the track crosses the Allt Kinglass no fewer than six times, then three crossings of the smaller Allt a' Chuirn higher up the glen. Some of the fords can be avoided by staying on the east side – but not for too long, as it is rougher going. It is sensible not to tackle Beinn Mhanach when the river is in spate! On arriving at Ais-an t-Sidhean, a ruined cottage once the home of Duncan Ban MacIntyre, the Gaelic poet, we met up with a young farmer who had earlier passed us on his tractor and large trailer. He immediately enquired if we had come across a wheel on our walk in. Somewhat puzzled, we said we had not. With some embarrassment, he admitted that his double-axled trailer, now looking very sad, had shed a wheel somewhere. We promised to keep a lookout on return.
The track then heads east beside the Allt a' Chuirn to the waters head. By now at 380m, stop awhile to admire the works undertaken to divert the upper Allt a' Chuirn eastwards to Loch Lyon. Before this diversion, the walk up Auch Gleann would have presented even more problems. It is a steep northerly climb on the grassy convex slope on the east side of a line of fence-posts (useful markers on a misty day) that lead to a col between the summit and the subsidiary top, Beinn a' Chuirn. Before reaching the col, veer eastwards for the summit. The cairn is an excellent viewpoint and although we had reasonable visibility, a cold, blustery wind meant that we did not linger. It is an easy approach to Beinn a' Chuirn. John and I did just that.
However, our direct descent, steep and stony in places, SSE to the track, was more demanding than Rhona's return by the ascent route.
Anyhow, we all reached the track at much the same time and had a leisurely walk back down Auch Gleann, albeit into the brisk, south-west wind. We passed the forlorn trailer but there was no sign of that missing wheel, tractor or farmer. On the walk into the glen, John had been teased for not helping Rhona across some of the fords … help, incidentally, that she did not need, want or expect. Nevertheless, on returning to the Allt Coralan and even though the water level in no way justified such a deed, John (hereafter to be known as Gentleman John) gave the protesting Rhona a piggy back across the ford as I carried three rucksacks.FactfileMap Ordnance Survey map 50, Glen Orchy & Loch Etive
Distance 12 miles
Height 750m
Terrain Rough track with river crossings, then steep grassy hillside
Start point The A82 at private road to Auch Farm, map ref 316355
Time 6 to 7 hours
Nearest village Tyndrum
Nearest refreshment spots Bridge of Orchy Hotel and the Green Welly Place, Tyndrum
