Beunn a'Chaorainn

The walk begins where a forestry track leaves the A86 just east of the bridge over the Allt a'Chaorainn; there is space for a few cars to park carefully, and a layby a short distance east along the road. To start, follow the track up into the plantation, (there is also an overgrown and soggy but waymarked trod upstream beside the river but this is not recommended). The track soon bends left and later to the right (where there is another option to follow a path off to join the route by the river). Beyond this the track reaches a junction. Turn left here and continue to eventually reach the forest edge, where the riverside 'path' rejoins.Continue through the first soggy field to a gate and stile, and then bear right through another gate to reach the open slopes. Begin the long, wet pull up these pathless slopes to reach Meall Clachaig. This is an area of rocky knolls, rather than a well-defined top. Beyond it the ascent continues, now on drier ground. looking particularly fine.Continue up the fairly featureless mountainside until the southern top of Beinn a'Chaorainn is finally reached, marked by a cairn.. The walk continues easily in summer across a slight dip to reach the central, Munro summit at 1052 metres. There have been several accidents to walkers in winter taking a bearing between these two summits and falling through the cornice into the corrie, so in such conditions be careful to keep safely away from the edge, both on this stretch and that to the north top.Continue this fine traverse, curving round another perfect arc to reach the northern summit at 1043 metres, and a final look back across the corries.From here, begin the descent northwards at first before slanting down increasingly wet ground towards Tom Mor, at the bealach between Beinn a'Chaorainn and Beinn Teallach. The height lost is very considerable, but there is some encouragement in that Beinn Teallach is a much lower hill.Round the steep lower slope of Beinn Teallach to the right before beginning a direct climb up the north-northeast ridge. There is a faint path for most of the way; the upper section of the ridge has many rocky knolls and outcrops. There are two cairns on the summit; the first is reckoned to be highest but the second is finer.Beinn Teallach is now known to be 915 metres but was for many years regarded as below 3000 feet, until in 1984 it changed from being one of the highest Corbetts; it is now the lowest of the Munros. Descend the easy southern slopes before curving round to the left to reach the Allt a'Chaorainn lower down.The stream can be quite tricky to cross, so may be best to try to reach the east bank as high up as possible; in wet conditions you may need to detour north up the glen to find an easy crossing. Once on the far side, a faint and soggy path leads down the glen to eventually return to the forest track and then retrace your steps back to the start of the walk.