Beinn Ghlas
Encyclopedia
Beinn Ghlas is a mountain
in the Southern Highlands
of Scotland
. It lies on the north shore of Loch Tay
and is part of the Ben Lawers
Range. It lies on the popular path to Ben Lawers from the National Trust for Scotland
visitor centre, with the result that many walkers traverse the summit of Beinn Ghlas without realising it. The popularity of the path means that it suffers from severe erosion
.
The Gaelic
name is translated as 'grey-green mountain', which refers to the colour of the mica-schist
that makes up the bulk of the mountain and that falls as a scree
on its south-western side. The path up the mountain leads past outcrops of this rock that also reveal large garnet
s.
As mentioned above, the usual route to the summit leaves from the NTS car park, following a boardwalk over the bog
, and ascends the south-western ridge of the mountain. The deep corrie
of Coire Odhar (the dun-coloured corrie) lies to the north. Walkers who continue on to Ben Lawers can avoid the 100 metre re-ascent of Beinn Ghlas on their return by taking the path that runs north of the summit, down into Coire Odhar.
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
in the Southern Highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It lies on the north shore of Loch Tay
Loch Tay
Loch Tay is a freshwater loch in the central highlands of Scotland, in the district of Perthshire.It is a long narrow loch of around 14 miles long, and typically around 1 to 1½ miles wide, following the line of the valley from the south west to north east...
and is part of the Ben Lawers
Ben Lawers
Ben Lawers is one of the highest mountains in the southern part of the Scottish Highlands. It lies to the north side of Loch Tay, and is the highest point of a long ridge that includes seven Munros. Ben Lawers was long thought to be over 4,000 ft in height; accurate measurement in the 1870s...
Range. It lies on the popular path to Ben Lawers from the National Trust for Scotland
National Trust for Scotland
The National Trust for Scotland for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, commonly known as the National Trust for Scotland describes itself as the conservation charity that protects and promotes Scotland's natural and cultural heritage for present and future generations to...
visitor centre, with the result that many walkers traverse the summit of Beinn Ghlas without realising it. The popularity of the path means that it suffers from severe erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
.
The Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Primitive Irish....
name is translated as 'grey-green mountain', which refers to the colour of the mica-schist
Schist
The schists constitute a group of medium-grade metamorphic rocks, chiefly notable for the preponderance of lamellar minerals such as micas, chlorite, talc, hornblende, graphite, and others. Quartz often occurs in drawn-out grains to such an extent that a particular form called quartz schist is...
that makes up the bulk of the mountain and that falls as a scree
Scree
Scree, also called talus, is a term given to an accumulation of broken rock fragments at the base of crags, mountain cliffs, or valley shoulders. Landforms associated with these materials are sometimes called scree slopes or talus piles...
on its south-western side. The path up the mountain leads past outcrops of this rock that also reveal large garnet
Garnet
The garnet group includes a group of minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. The name "garnet" may come from either the Middle English word gernet meaning 'dark red', or the Latin granatus , possibly a reference to the Punica granatum , a plant with red seeds...
s.
As mentioned above, the usual route to the summit leaves from the NTS car park, following a boardwalk over the bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
, and ascends the south-western ridge of the mountain. The deep corrie
Cirque
Cirque may refer to:* Cirque, a geological formation* Makhtesh, an erosional landform found in the Negev desert of Israel and Sinai of Egypt*Cirque , an album by Biosphere* Cirque Corporation, a company that makes touchpads...
of Coire Odhar (the dun-coloured corrie) lies to the north. Walkers who continue on to Ben Lawers can avoid the 100 metre re-ascent of Beinn Ghlas on their return by taking the path that runs north of the summit, down into Coire Odhar.