The West Highland Way

Beinn a Chaisteil & Beinn nam Fuaran

Beinn a Chaisteil above the West Highland Way in Auch Gleann

Beinn a Chaisteil ( 2907ft, 886m )

above the West Highland Way across Auch Gleann

West Highland Way across Auch Gleann

"Horseshoe Curve" Railway Viaduct in Auch Glean beneath Beinn a Chaisteil

Built to carry the West Highland Railway

(a subsidiary of the North British Railway) across the Allt Kinglas;

It opened on 11 August 1894

Canmore - Horseshoe Curve Viaduct

Canmore - Horseshoe Curve Viaduct

Beinn nam Fuaran above Auch Glean

Beinn an Dothaidh from Beinn nam Fuaran

Loch Lyon from Beinn nam Fuaran

Beinn nam Fuaran from Beinn a Chaisteil

Ben Dorain from Beinn a Chaisteil

Ben Dorain and Beinn a Chaisteil

Beinn a Chaisteil from Beinn Odhar

Ben Challum from Beinn a Chaisteil

Meall Glas from Beinn a Chaisteil

West Highland Way across Auch Gleann

beneath Beinn Bhreac-liath

from Beinn a Chaisteil

West Highland Way across Auch Gleann

beneath Beinn Odhar and Beinn a Chaisteil

from Beinn Bhreac-liath

Beinn a Chaisteil across Auch Glean

Beinn Dorain, Beinn a'Chaisteal and Beinn Odhar

Beinn Dorain, Beinn a'Chaisteil and Beinn Odhar

The Black Mount above Bridge of Orchy

from the West Highland Way across Auch Gleann

Peaks above Allt Kinglas from Beinn Achaladair

Beinn a'Chuirn Beinn nam Fuaran Beinn a'Chaisteil

Map for Benn a Chaisteil and Beinn nam Fuaran

Map for Beinn a Chaisteil and Beinn nam Fuaran

Map for Beinn Mhanach

BEINN MHANACH - ROUTE DESCRIPTION:

Beinn Mhanach is often climbed from the west along with its higher neighbours Beinn Achaladair and Beinn a‘ Chreachain.
It's a great route, but makes for a long day requiring signiﬁcant stamina and doesn't give Beinn Mhanach the attention it deserves. reducing it to an extension, tacked on at the end of an otherwise logical ridge traverse.
For those wishing to enjoy the comparative isolation offered by Bheinn Mhanach as a separate expedition. then the farm road at Auch on the A32 south of Bridge of Orchy offers the only viable approach. There is a small car park a short way down the access road to Auch and limited parking on the verge of the A82, trafﬁc on this road moves fast at this point, so great care is needed.
It should be noted that the track up the glen crosses assorted fords which are generally not a problem, but might leave feet wet or require a deviation from the described route if water levels are high.
Follow the access road past Auch farm, cross over the West Highland Way and follow the track up the glen towards the Auch railway viaduct.
Keep left where the track forks and continue up the glen, keeping to the right-hand, newer track at another fork, to arrive at sheep pens and the stone walled cottage of Ais an t-Sidhean.
In this magniﬁcent location the Gaelic poet Duncan Ban MacIntyre lived as a gamekeeper in the l1760s and wrote, in his head as he could neither read nor write, "Praise of Ben Dorain" in which he describes the yearly cycle of deer and the gamekeeper on the mountains surrounding his home.
Continue on the track to a point just before it crosses the Allt a’ Chuirn, the burn descending from the col between Beinn a‘ Chuirn and Beinn Mhanach. Leave the track here and ascend the left side of the burn towards the col, then veer right over broad. stony slopes to the rounded summit and ﬁne views north and west to the rocky summits of Ben Dorain and Beinn an Dothaidh and the ridge linking Beinn Achaladair and Beinn a‘ Chreachain. The top of Beinn a‘ Chuirn lies opposite and is easily included in the ascent. The south face of this hill is steep and rocky and best avoided. so make a gradual contouring descent back towards the col and follow the Allt a‘ Chuirn down to the track used in the ascent.