UKC

There are many red hills in Scotland, but none beat the Big Red Hill and Little Red Hill above Loch na Sealga. Two of the remotest and most spectacular bits of topography in Fisherfield, land of the spectacularly remote, the Beinn Deargs are hard to reach and not altogether easy to climb, making their traverse a grand prize for connoisseurs of a challenge. Instantly recognisable as the sharp-peaked and weirdly symmetrical backdrop to the Strath na Sealga and Shenavall bothy, Beinn Dearg Mor in particular has to count as one of the great Scottish mountains. These conjoined summits gain you two hard-earned Corbett ticks; but with its long distance, infamous river crossings, surprise scrambling, and top-tier scenery, the whole expedition is about far more than that. The usual way to do Beinn Dearg Bheag is a bit of a wasted opportunity, while the more fiddly approach via the fantastic north-northwest ridge makes this apparent also-ran of the pair if anything the more interesting of the two to climb; this is the variation described here.

18.64 miles, 30 km, 1,760m ascent, 10 – 12 hours. Ullapool

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In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

Inchina approach along the Gruinard River gives a similar distance with less river crossing uncertainty and an option to cycle.

Quite like the west flank of BDB for the return. 

Certainly worth traversing BDB rather than a quick dog-leg though.

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

Thanks for posting Dan. These two summits have been on my radar for a while now.

In reply to kinley2:

I really like the approach from the coast, but for visual aesthetics I don't think it quite matches the Shenavall approach, where BDM looms up ahead of you in that classic view.

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

I agree for the visuals, however the coastal approach is more in keeping with the feeling of solitude and remoteness of the Dearg’s.  

The Shenaval approach is well trod, with Bothy baggers, CWTers, bike packers and those doing An T.  Plus is probably not ‘fresh’ for most.

Where as from the W it is very quiet, the NW ridge of BDB is suitably impressive in outline from a distance (most would fail to identify it in a photo and be left wondering what they were missing), and just feels a good fit for these hills.

But I suspect it’s more a case that BDM & B offer more than a single itinerary, so is hard to pick the stand out excursion, since it rewards multiple visits (even though both in scrambling, winter climbing it’s cleared outclassed by near neighbours); Scrambling up the Corrie arms, or the ‘back ridge’ , the central gully offers a sirens call for a winter climbing trip to any that look out from the Bothy, the BDB to BDM link up as outlined requests a summer and winter outing, all ending at the open and airy summit, with expansive views commanding a contemplative bivouac (assuming you’re not disrupting the feathered residents).

What it lacks in height, quality climbing, or quality scrambling it makes up for in situation. For me at least that situational feeling is enhanced by the lonely coastal approach.

Descending the SE Corrie is possibly the only one in Scotland where if white out and a heavy winter you might consider roping up glacier style . Falling into those rock crevasses unroped would not end well.

In reply to ScraggyGoat:

Weird feature, that crevasse. I'd like to explore it some time

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

Don't disagree in terms of the views - Shenevall probably edges it. As Scraggygoat says, the Gruinard approach is pretty quiet - which I tend to favour.

2 of our 4 trips down this way have been camping trips covering the Deargs and Chaisgeins. There's nice variation by using the Inverianvie River out or return.

Whichever way - the Deargs are up there with the best Corbetts.