Over The Hill

Beinn Ime is usually climbed in conjunction with Ben Arthur (The Cobbler) and/or Beinn Narnain with a start point at the NT car park at Succoth. However, today our start point was from half way up Glen Croe on the Rest and Be Thankful in the small parking area at the bottom of Coire Croe. Driving along the A83, we could see the snow line sitting at around the 600m altitude, so a good deal of today's walking was going to be on snow covered ground, an interesting day ahead.

Departing the parking area, we crossed the rickety bridge over the stream, and headed up the west bank of the stream on the narrow path, which even at this level was frozen over and quite slippery in places. Height is gained quite quickly, and the views opened up behind us to the hills on the southern side of the Rest and Be Thankful looking stunning in the crystal clear sky.

Half way up Coire Croe we crossed the small tributary flowing into the stream from the north, and then continued up the tussock covered ridges that run down the hillside creating a number of smaller gullies, some of which have steep peat sides that prevent you from crossing easily from one ridge to another, so dictating which path you take up to the bealach.

We headed directly for the Bealach a'Mhaim, aiming to pick up the path which heads across the bealach and is the junction for those descending from Beinn Narnain and The Cobbler en route to Beinn Ime. Just below the bealach, we reached the snow line, and by the bealach it was a snow covered and sometimes icy ground that we were walking over. Our party split at this point, as a few of the group though it more prudent to return to the cars rather than continue in what we could see were going to be quite icy conditions.

That's one point I like about walking with the friends I have made in the Helensburgh and West Dunbartonshire Ramblers, walkers know their abilities, and others encourage and support any decisions a walker will make, no pressure is put on anyone in the hills, safety first being the controlling ethos.

Shortly after we started the ascent from the bealach we started to encounter large areas of ice covered snow, and it soon became necessary to don our crampons, the benefits being immediately noticeable, and proven as we passed a couple of walkers slipping and struggling to continue without crampons.

The views as we ascended were fantastic, with a cloudy, but bright sky and snow capped mountains, with the lochs a deep blue in the distance. The final section of the ascent was steep, and very icy underfoot, but the crampons were doing their job, and it was easy going.

It was a busy summit when we arrived, with still more arriving as we took in the views, it was certainly a good day for the hills.

We departed the summit, following our ascent route until around the 900m altitude, where we cut the corner of our outbound route by taking a direct line down the shoulder heading for the small dam in Coire Croe before descending the hillside back to the bridge and parking area on the A83.

All that was left, was the customary liquid refreshments, this time in the Village Inn at Arrochar.

Thanks Mairi - a great day.