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Even more Mamores

Even more Mamores


Postby basscadet » Wed Jun 13, 2012 2:07 pm

Munros included on this walk: Mullach nan Coirean, Sgùrr a' Mhàim, Stob Bàn (Mamores)

Date walked: 10/06/2012

Time taken: 7 hours

Distance: 15.92 km

Ascent: 1729m

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So with just 3 mamores left to bag, I left ballachuilish at about 8, after a few too many vino's watching the F1 qualifying the night before. I had decided that these 3 would be best tackled from Glen Nevis, and I had a quiet drive round there to Lower falls car park.
The midges in Glen Nevis had a reputation to uphold, and they were doing a fine job as I did the traditional kit faff before setting off. I had deeted up before I even left the house, but they found a few spots I missed, and I am still scratching the lumps on my scalp :lol:

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The clouds were low, but I felt falsely optimistic about the weather as I set off. From just outside the car park, there was a fine path straight up Sgurr a Mhaim. As I entered the clag line, a fine drizzle was on which got heavier and lighter periodically. Again I was cursing my hot waterproofs as I trudged up and up and up.. it really was turning into a bit of a slog. near the top, the going got even harder on a steep shale path. Every step I slipped back half a step - completely demoralising especially as the light rain and drizzle was turning even more persistent. I made the ridge and the going became easier, but the rain continued to get ever heavier and at the summit I huddled down into a ball, trying to keep the worst of the pelting rain off.. Rain this hard doesnt stay on for that long I thought - it was bouncing a good foot, and the drops were so big and heavy, my shoulders were sore from the pounding! Geez this hillwalking molarchy is fun! :lol:
I eventually, after a half hour, decided that the rain was just going to stay like this, so I best make a move before I freeze up in a huddled position.. Fortunately, the next part of the walk was the Devils Ridge, which managed to get my enthusiasm for the day up somewhat.

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The rain did evenually stop pelting down quite so badly, and the clag cleared so I could see about 100 yards, so the awesomeness of it all didn't escape me entirely :)
At the end of devils Ridge, I had the decision of going over Sgurr an lubhair, or taking the side path down to the wee lochan and back up to the ridge. I chose the latter - Devils Ridge had not quite restored my enthusiasm to its usual level :D
So I zig zagged my way down to the lochan.. The pelting rain was back, my hands were wrinkly, my waterproof troos which I thought were repaired, turned out not to be, and rain ran down my legs and into my boots. All this downwardness was making me cold as well.. Dreichit times...
Once at the lochan, there was very little climbing back to the ridge where the sun made a brief appearance! I sat down for a rest, steaming in the sunshine and grabbed the opportunity to eat something. The clouds were getting a bit more broken, and beatiful vista's appeared and disappeared through the mists.

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So with motivation and energy restored I turned my attentions toward Stob Ban. The brief glimpses of this quartzy monstrosity I had seen, were a bit intimidating - the path up the side looked covered in scree and incredibly steep, but I knew it wasnt that much of a climb, as the coll is well above 800m. I headed up and found the path was as expected really, but negotiable. There were a couple of bits where I was edging along ledges and using my hands quite a bit, but I made the top nae bother for a quick tap of the cairn before I headed onward down the ridge. The ridge was superb - excellent scenery, fairly flat, some bits rocky, some bits grassy, but always a fun place to be.

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The rain came and went, the mists cleared and came back but my motivational troubles were all behind me as I made the final, easiest ascent in the mamores, up to Mullach nan Coirean - My final mamore :D

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I felt all contented and happy. Time was ticking on though, so I continued down the ridge which was initially quite steep, but the camber was soon pleasant as I slowly descended back down in to Glen Nevis. I saw some brief but spectacualr views of the ridges I had walked that day and made sense of some of the mistier sections on the way down.

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The path off the shoulder was atrocious and took me a bit of time. They are building/mending a deer fence up there and the stile at the bottom was the newest, sturdiest one I had ever seen. The path led to a forrestry commision track which led to the footpath alongside the lower falls which were lovely.

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I hobbled quickly along the road - deet long washed off by the rain and was glad to get back to the car and into something a bit drier. Despite the dampness, I look back on the day fondly - its hard to be brought down by the weather walking hills this cool :lol:
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basscadet
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 2778
Munros:84   Corbetts:52
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Joined: Dec 1, 2011
Location: Edinburgh

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