Glen Loin Loop
Sunday 22nd February 2015
18kms
5hrs 20mins
Our intentions for this weekend were to climb the two Corbetts on the eastern side of Auch Glen, Beinn a'Chaisteil and Beinn nam Fauran. However, as the week progressed it became more and more unlikely as the weather forecast became progressively worse, with Sunday's forecast showing winds in excess of 70kph and heavy snow blanketing the area for the entire day. And so, by Saturday afternoon we had decided to change our plans and opted for a low level walk, and almost by default, we chose the Glen Loin Loop.
It was full waterproofs right from the start in Arrochar, and as we made our way along the path through Glen Loin the sleet gradually turned to snow, and by the time we had made the short climb up and over the 200m high point at the head of the glen and descended towards Coiregrogain it was snowing steadily with a good carpet of snow beginning to cover the ground.
Beyond Coiregrogain we took the snow covered forest track that leads towards Gleann Leacann Sheileach, a narrow glen, surrounded on all sides by the steep slopes of Ben Vane, Beinn Ime, Beinn Narnain and A'Chrois, a view which must be quite spectacular on a clear day, but denied to us today by a thick grey cloud and the increasing snow fall that limited our views to nothing more than the surrounding forests and nearby hillsides.
I have to admit, I am not a keen enthusiast of forest walks. However, the return route, through the forest on the lower slopes of A'Chrois was quite special; the snow covered track, the tree branches laden with snow, and the falling snow all combined to create a quite magical atmosphere; a delightfully pleasant part of the day; which ended with us continuing along the hillside track to the Cobbler "zigzags" before descending to the shoreline and back around the head of Loch Long to our start point.
A greats days walking - Thanks everyone.
Glen Loin Loop - Photo Gallery
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