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These two were on my shrinking list of closer hills, though looked like a longish day, over some tricky ground, so was wary of whether to leave till next summer, or try them now. Anyway, forecast looked decent enough, so off I went to Victoria Bridge. It was actually a very fine morning and lovely drive to Bridge of Orchy, past the Inveroran Hotel and the many campers, just folding their tents away, before doing the next stretch of the WHW. There's a fair sense of excitement and anticipation grabs you, as you get out the car, gets the boots on, on a fine looking day, isn't there.
The walk along the banks of the Abhainn Shira was very atmospheric, with the early mist and due, settling over the trees, fields and cobwebs, which looked like wisps of candy floss - sort of!
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- Fields of candy floss by the Abhainn Shira?
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- NW to Aonach Eagach, Coire na Muic, with Creag an Steallaire just about visible above trees.
It was difficult trying to imagine the wee green hut, as a school, or those who must have had to endure difficult travels to get some form of education, in what would have been a cold and damp shed. Character building stuff, eh.
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- Coire Toaig. Way in - or out.
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- Track out - or in.
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- Hazy Beinn Dorain, Ben More and Stob Binnein.
From here it's right turn, on a north bearing, along a decent track up towards Coire Toaig, passing the crags of Creag an Steallaire, before finally reaching the hard work. That said, there is an occasional zig-zag, if one doesn't wish to be too direct, so it isn't the most demanding of slopes. Unfortunately, it was quite hazy out to the east and south, from the summit cairn, which I reached in approx an hour and three quarters, so the view of Rannoch and Orchy hills wasn't too clever.
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- SG and lochan.
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- Aonach Eagach and Stob Gabhair.
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- Panorama west.
Looking west however, presented the mouthwatering view of Stob Ghabhar, with Coirein Lochain, snuggled under the summit. Then I remembered some of the walk reports and wondered if I was up to it? Well, at least vis was good and no snow to contend with, so wouldn't do much harm to go for a closer look. On the way down to the bealach, I passed a couple, who reassured the climb shouldn't present much problem today. The path was clear enough till heading south, up to the Aonach Eagach, then became more testing on loose rocks and scree, here and there. Still, it wasn't too bad. Nor was the narrower bits on the ridge, though I dare say it would be a more daunting place to be in bad conditions. Aren't they all!
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- Ridge eastwards.
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- Down to Coirein Lochain.
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- Posing on Stob Ghabhar.
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- Over AE, to Stob a'Choire Odhair and Orchy Hills beyond.
Took 4 hours to the summit and was worth every minute, picking out the vista of summits through the still hazy, air and looking steeply, down on the lochan below.
After a few pics and refreshment, I was soon making my way down, following the fence round to the drop off Stob Maol.
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- Creag an Steallaire - very dry. Me and the burn!
Amazing the weight in some of these fence posts! It was somewhat tedious going, but the clamber down Creag an Steallaire soon focussed the concentration again. Some steep bits here, before crossing the Allt Toaig and back on to the path out.
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- Black Mount Lodge
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- Ardvrecknish, Black Mount.
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- Loch Tulla to Beinn Achaladair.
Back to the motor in five hours fifty, which wasn't bad. Along to the Inveroran for a cider which was even better!
