Bynack More

Bynack More
Banffshire, Inverness-shire
Bynack More from Beinn a' Chaorainn across the Dubh Lochan
Range:	Cairngorms
Summit:	3,576 feet NJ042063 57°8’16"N, 3°34’59"W

Bynack More (Gaelic: A' Bheithneag Mhòr or Beinn Bheithneag) is a mountain in the Cairngorms, 10 miles east-south-east of the town of Aviemore. Its summit is on the border of Inverness-shire with Banffshire.

Bynack More is one of the 18 Munros in the Cairngorms, which is to say mountains over 3,000 feet and itself reaches a height of 3,576 feet. Bynack More stands slightly detached from the other peaks of the range, in the north-eastern corner. Because of this it tends to be climbed in a single-mountain trip. It is typical of many of the Cairngorm mountains in that it is crowned by a large plateau; however, it does look conical when viewed from some angles. The plateau has huge granite tors dotted across it, known as the Barns of Bynack.

Name of the mountain

The mountain's name is from the Gaelic language but its meaning is unclear: "More" is the Gaelic Mòr ("Big") but as to the rest, some books give it as a “kerchief or a cap” from the Gaelic beannag and others give it as “little" from beinneag, thus "Big Little Mountain". Other sources suggest "chimney pot" from binneag, referring to the tors on the summit. In the past Bynack More has been known as Ben Bynack and Caiplich, named after the Water of Caiplich which rises on the mountains eastern slopes and flows into the Avon and then the Spey.

Geography

Bynack More is an elongated hill which is orientated north to south, the eastern slopes are steep and rocky as they drop 1,000 feet vertically to the headwaters of the Water of Caiplich. The hill has two subsidiary tops:

• Bynack Beag (3,163 feet) lies a little over half a mile to the north-west and can easily be climbed when approaching the mountain from the north; Bynack More and Bynack Beag are twins and look impressive from the north above Strath Nethy.
• A’Choinneach (Boggy Hill) which, at 3,337 feet, used to be listed as a Munro but was demoted in the 1981 tables reorganisation. This top lies a mile south-west and is an easy climb with an ascent of less than 300 feet.

Ascent

Bynack More can be climbed along with the nearby Cairn Gorm. The two are joined by a high col to the south-west called The Saddle (2,648 feet). However, it the impressive granite tors known as the Barns of Bynack that are the highlight of the plateau; they lie 500 yards south of the summit and the highest ones are roughly 20 feet.

The most popular ascent of Bynack More starts from Loch Morlich at grid reference NH972098 and follows a good path passing through the attractive Ryvoan Pass with the charming Lochan Uaine ("Green lochan"). The path swings east crossing the River Nethy and then the northern ridge of Bynack More is ascended to the summit.

It is also possible to start from the car park at the Cairn Gorm ski centre (grid reference NH989061) and ascend Cairn Gorm first before carrying onto Bynack More by way of The Saddle, though this is quite a rough walk. The summit cairn is made up of granite boulders and provides a unique view of Cairn Gorm across the craggy flanks of Strath Nethy; the Ben Avon plateau is also clearly seen.

References

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Bynack More)

• Bennett, Donald: The Munros:: Scottish Mountaineering Trust: ISBN 0-907521-13-4
• Storer, Ralph: 100 Best Route on Scottish Mountains, Warner Books: ISBN 0-7515-0300-2