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Ben More and Stob Binnein

Ben More and Stob Binnein


Postby Frogwell » Wed Aug 10, 2011 12:06 pm

Route description: Ben More and Stob Binnein

Munros included on this walk: Ben More, Stob Binnein

Date walked: 08/08/2011

Time taken: 5 hours

Distance: 12 km

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Due to an optimistic weather forecast on Monday I thought I might find a hill to amble up, so I looked at the maps for things that were localish and picked a handful out. Since Monday started off quite windy and promised to stay that way I figured it was a day to do something quite steep as the wind helps keep the temperature manageable and stops the sweat dripping off my nose. Ben More and Stob Binnein ticked all the right boxes. I got to the bottom of the hill much later than I'd planned, although much to my surprise there were no other cars parked there - I'd expected at least half a dozen. A hill all to myself in the middle of the summer holidays? Excellent. Well, not quite, just as I was booting up a family walked along the road past me and went up the path. At exactly midday I locked the car and hit the trail, overtaking the family 10 minutes later, letting them overtake me 10 minutes after that as I took the obligatory wrong path at the start. A quick back track and within 5 minutes I'd overtaken them again and was heading up the boggy and steep path of Ben More.

After an awful lot of uphillness I hit the summit at 14:00, did the whole lunch thing and ambled about a bit before pointing myself towards Stob Binnein. Although not quite as easy as it looks from Ben More, the ascent of Stob Binnein is straightforward enough and I was on it's summit by 15:00. I spent half an hour doodling around and walked along the path of the Munro top, Stob Coire an Lochain. After a rather grey Ben More ascent, the weather had started to clear up and there was far more sunshine around, with enough cloud to create interesting shadows on the surrounding mountains. I could still see pockets of rain milling about in the distance, mugging various hills - Ben Lawers took quite a beating at one point I noticed.

The descent from the Bealach is particularly boggy for the first part but soon cleared up and I made good progress to the newly extended access track at the West of Ben More's base. Much to my surprise I found myself back at the car 5 hours 15 minutes after I'd started. I say surprise as the walkhighlands guide put the walk at 7-8 hours, which would normally mean I'd get back to the car after 7.5 hours. I had to double check the track logger on my GPS just to make sure I'd actually done the right hills and not inadvertently walked round my garden or something. Yup, they were the right hills, I'd done the right route, complete with the little back track at the start plus the little extended bit along Stob Coire an Lochain. So it was with much smugness I headed East and was back home in time for dinner.

A few piccies:

It was a little grey on the way up, although the passing nimbostratus clouds de-saturated the immediate area making it quite atmospheric in a slightly miserable sort of way.

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Re: Ben More and Stob Binnein

Postby pollyh33 » Wed Aug 10, 2011 2:35 pm

Lovely lovely photos Frogwell. I like the ones with the cloud patterns on them. Impressive timings on your walking, did you have a massive Comrie scone as fuel???? :D
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Re: Ben More and Stob Binnein

Postby Alastair S » Wed Aug 10, 2011 4:03 pm

Yes, lovely set of photos there Mr Frogwell.

5 hours is pretty good going given the amount of time you spent wondering around the tops. Took me 6 hours to do a shorter walk through route - although it was mid-winter as these two piccies attest

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BenMore Panorama (Left)

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BenMore Panorama (Right)
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Re: Ben More and Stob Binnein

Postby Frogwell » Wed Aug 10, 2011 11:16 pm

pollyh33 wrote:Lovely lovely photos Frogwell. I like the ones with the cloud patterns on them. Impressive timings on your walking, did you have a massive Comrie scone as fuel???? :D

Still haven't sampled the scones yet. I'm afraid such a display of wanton excess may not be in-keeping with the whole spirit of the recession. I made do with kendal mint cake.


Alastair S wrote:Yes, lovely set of photos there Mr Frogwell.

5 hours is pretty good going given the amount of time you spent wondering around the tops. Took me 6 hours to do a shorter walk through route - although it was mid-winter as these two piccies attest


I saw your report on Sunday Alistair and I'd considered doing it that way and then getting my brother to give me a run back along the road. Since I thought it was going to take a lot longer than it did I decided against that though. Excellent pics!
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Re: Ben More and Stob Binnein

Postby pollyh33 » Wed Aug 10, 2011 11:35 pm

Frogwell wrote:
pollyh33 wrote:Lovely lovely photos Frogwell. I like the ones with the cloud patterns on them. Impressive timings on your walking, did you have a massive Comrie scone as fuel???? :D

Still haven't sampled the scones yet. I'm afraid such a display of wanton excess may not be in-keeping with the whole spirit of the recession. I made do with kendal mint cake.


Yeeks Kendal Mint Cake- disgusting!!!! Help the Scottish economy and buy a scone or some tablet :lol:
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Re: Ben More and Stob Binnein

Postby Ruairidh Ross » Sun Aug 14, 2011 3:13 pm

Nice report.
I was up on Tuesday 9 August 2011. Stepped over the stile at 07:30 and was back at it by 12:00. It was pretty cold on the ascent at that time of day and the cloud covered both summits until I got back to the Bealach. Of course by the time I got back to the car it was a lovely sunny day - I wasn't complaining about missing the rays as I had forgot sun cream and had been lambasted by the wife for getting burned on my previous two outings.
Felt quite smug about my fast time and meeting people on the way up as I was coming down but when I got back to the car and felt utterly drained the smug feeling quickly evaporated. I guess on a cold start on your own it's just head down and off you go. If it had been warmer or I'd had a partner I'd probably have gone at a more natural pace.
A good outing on nice hills. Just a shame my view was robbed at times and it was so cold.
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Re: Ben More and Stob Binnein

Postby mountain-ju-drop » Sun Aug 14, 2011 3:29 pm

Love the photos they are amazing.
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Re: Ben More and Stob Binnein

Postby tomyboy73 » Sun Aug 14, 2011 9:49 pm

good report, thanks for the pics, went up both today and saw.......white !
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Re: Ben More and Stob Binnein

Postby Frogwell » Sun Aug 14, 2011 10:26 pm

pollyh33 wrote:Yeeks Kendal Mint Cake- disgusting!!!! Help the Scottish economy and buy a scone or some tablet :lol:
I must confess I am not averse to a a piece of tablet on occasion. However, if we look at the facts here, Ben More and Stob Binnein took me kendal mint cake 5 hours 15 minutes to complete. Compare that to your 7 hours. The figures I think you will agree, speak for them-self. Kendal mint cake is the clear winner. Plus it's yummy.


Ruairidh Ross wrote:Nice report.
I was up on Tuesday 9 August 2011. Stepped over the stile at 07:30 and was back at it by 12:00. It was pretty cold on the ascent at that time of day and the cloud covered both summits until I got back to the Bealach. Of course by the time I got back to the car it was a lovely sunny day - I wasn't complaining about missing the rays as I had forgot sun cream and had been lambasted by the wife for getting burned on my previous two outings.
Felt quite smug about my fast time and meeting people on the way up as I was coming down but when I got back to the car and felt utterly drained the smug feeling quickly evaporated. I guess on a cold start on your own it's just head down and off you go. If it had been warmer or I'd had a partner I'd probably have gone at a more natural pace.
A good outing on nice hills. Just a shame my view was robbed at times and it was so cold.

Sun burn is never fun. After cooking myself in the Cairngorms a couple of months back I always wear long sleeve shirts and a hat. Sadly the hat required to stop me burning are not of the cool and trendy variety, but I just make sure I do my walking on less busy days.

mountain-ju-drop wrote:Love the photos they are amazing.

Thanks :)

tomyboy73 wrote:good report, thanks for the pics, went up both today and saw.......white !


Looked quite clear for bits when I went over to Killin this afternoon, although I could see some pretty nasty showers ambling about.
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Re: Ben More and Stob Binnein

Postby pollyh33 » Sun Aug 14, 2011 10:41 pm

While I loved to peruse your empirically prepared scientific data, I think you are forgetting that on this occasion I was playing the part of the hostess with the mostest! I had to create an ambience!!! Something that cannot be rushed!!!

That being said, I look forward to reading your 'Tablet V Kendal Mintcake' paper in full. Getting it published in The New Scientist'???
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Re: Ben More and Stob Binnein

Postby rockhopper » Sun Aug 14, 2011 10:43 pm

Frogwell wrote:pollyh33 wrote:
Yeeks Kendal Mint Cake- disgusting!!!! Help the Scottish economy and buy a scone or some tablet
I must confess I am not averse to a a piece of tablet on occasion. However, if we look at the facts here, Ben More and Stob Binnein took me kendal mint cake 5 hours 15 minutes to complete. Compare that to your 7 hours. The figures I think you will agree, speak for them-self. Kendal mint cake is the clear winner. Plus it's yummy.
The youth of today...I don't know. :wink: What is it with you youngsters that you have to do everything at break neck speed and compete with everyone at the same time - whatever happened to taking things slower and enjoying them all the more ? :lol: :lol:
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Re: Ben More and Stob Binnein

Postby pollyh33 » Mon Aug 15, 2011 12:43 pm

rockhopper wrote:
Frogwell wrote:pollyh33 wrote:
Yeeks Kendal Mint Cake- disgusting!!!! Help the Scottish economy and buy a scone or some tablet
I must confess I am not averse to a a piece of tablet on occasion. However, if we look at the facts here, Ben More and Stob Binnein took me kendal mint cake 5 hours 15 minutes to complete. Compare that to your 7 hours. The figures I think you will agree, speak for them-self. Kendal mint cake is the clear winner. Plus it's yummy.
The youth of today...I don't know. :wink: What is it with you youngsters that you have to do everything at break neck speed and compete with everyone at the same time - whatever happened to taking things slower and enjoying them all the more ? :lol: :lol:



Comments duly noted Rockhopper and backside (metaphorically) skelped!! :( :o
PS Thanks for youngsters' reference but I think I'm older than you !!!!! :lol: :lol:
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Re: Ben More and Stob Binnein

Postby MG1976 » Mon Aug 15, 2011 4:38 pm

Nice Report Frogwell.
Good details and some helpful pictures pictures, showing the lay of the land. (Always a big plus on a Walk Report)
Planning to do these two before the weather turns, so it's good to have a recent report to swat up on.
Cheers,
Martin (MG1976)
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Re: Ben More and Stob Binnein

Postby Frogwell » Mon Aug 15, 2011 9:29 pm

rockhopper wrote:The youth of today...I don't know. :wink: What is it with you youngsters that you have to do everything at break neck speed and compete with everyone at the same time - whatever happened to taking things slower and enjoying them all the more ? :lol: :lol:


That's a good line, I think I'm going to use that one when I'm old and slow too :lol: :wink:
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Re: Ben More and Stob Binnein

Postby rockhopper » Tue Aug 16, 2011 8:45 am

Frogwell wrote:
rockhopper wrote:The youth of today...I don't know. :wink: What is it with you youngsters that you have to do everything at break neck speed and compete with everyone at the same time - whatever happened to taking things slower and enjoying them all the more ? :lol: :lol:


That's a good line, I think I'm going to use that one when I'm old and slow too :lol: :wink:
:lol: Ten or so years makes all the difference :lol: But seriously, I just had a look at your frogwell.com site as your photos above are crackers - lovely site and some stunning photos 8)
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