UKC

I did this peak for the first time a few weeks ago, and sadly my back tyre ripped, so I was slower in getting there, and was probably the last on top. I crawled all over the rock until I found the very top; and I hadn't realised until I got there, that it is quite an exposed scramble to get there. This does not seem to get much mention, and I wonder how many people don't actually stand on the very summit?

Places like the Inaccessible Pinnacle are well known about, but this does not have much reputation. I suspect that a good number of people that I passed on the way up, and on the way down did not do the very top. I suffered in a different way, as I ran some parts on the way down, and tripped over some loose rock, and have only just healed one of my knees (it was a lovely shorts and tee-shirt day).

I am thinking that I must go back with some others so that we can have a vehicle at either end, and do the traverse of the whole hill. Unless the bike is left on the day before at the other end, and then I walk in again from Invercauld. Or is bivvying the thing? Then there is the whole matter of the classic climbs on the other side...

I'm sure that you of more local experience will answer some of the thoughts going around in my head.

If your aim is an almost traverse of the hill without car shuttle visiting as many Tors as possible, cycle from the Old Military Road to Lochbuilg Lodge. Dump bike and walk down to Linn of Avon to start the traverse. At LADB turn back taking in more Tors aiming to descend to Carn Dorchaid and then heather back to your bike. It is of course possible to add on Beinn A Bhuird and then rough descents and back along the Gairn but that misses out many Tors, is far longer suitable for a two day outing.

LADB is well known as a tricky top, but has got easier with wear in the gully on the side allowing the awkward step to be bypassed. It is however not the most difficult Tor to ascend on Ben Avon.

In the original Munro book, it says, "Climb E up slopes of gravel and turf to the plateau, and then 1 1/2km NE to the summit tor. (16km; 850m; 5h)." So no mention of the top being a bit of a scramble.

Are any of the other tors an actual climb, or just harder scrambles?

Your suggested idea of leaving the bike at the eastern end in the lodge ruin has a logic. I might look at that, but I would be Munro top bagging as well as doing the tors. Maybe camping or bivvying somewhere would be sensible. I did wonder if the bothy, Faindouran Lodge could be used, but it seems out of the way. So possibly just sleep in Garbh Choire, and take a heavy load, including rope and climbing gear, and stay 2-3 days, doing a classic rock route or two.

Coach Choutsaich is a much harder scramble than the summit tor. 

I reckon the middle one of the three Clach Bun Rudhtair tors is the hardest of the Ben Avon tors, easiest route is Diff. There are probably a few minor spikes here and there that are harder still, but CBR is a pretty major feature.