Bidean nam Bian & Stob Coire Sgreamhach
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 10:17 pm
The weather for Friday 22nd was forecast to be good (is that why it was called Good Friday) and it certainly lived up to the name. I arrived at parking area (NN170568) just before 8.00am as a hazy sun was just rising behind Stob nan Caber and Stob Coire Raineach and was hopeful of some decent photo opportunities as the day progressed.
From the summit of Stob Coire nan Lochan the route to Bidean nam Bian looks daunting and my first thought was how the hang am I going to get up that...was there some other way that I couldn't see.....Eh! NO... the assent was a lot less daunting than photo would have you believe...that said it was a tough old haul to the summit.
After reaching and wandering about Bidean summit I noticed a cairn off to the West (approx NN141542) so headed off on said direction to tick the box and then back up to summit and headed for Sgreamhach and in doing so forgot to take the Bidean cairn shot.
The ridge between Bidean and Sgreamhach gives superb views down into the lost valley as does the assent of Sgreamhach... Whilst at the summit I joined debates on the practicality of the Red Scree gully due to being snow filled and that first 100 feet or so was pretty steep (refer again to 0483 & 0505 JPG's) ......some headed off along Beinn Fhada in search of a route down into the Lost Valley, but I and others chose to try the gully. The first quarter of the descent was very steep and every step was firmly planted, but once past the rocky section at quarter way down, it bum down feet up and off down the gully in no time. after that the walk out seemed to take forever.... when almost on valley floor attention was drawn to an RAF rescue hellicopter which had entered the valley and initially gave impression of looking for someone, but after a few circuits and stops it looked to more like a training exercise ...after it despersed it was on with the walk out back to the car.... ...... a good day with variations and another double at the end of it.
Regards................B
Setting off just about bang on 8.00am.....within 30 minutes took my first ...Ahem!....photo break at approx (NN161561) At the top of Coire nan Lochan (approx NN155553) the suggested route skirts NW onto plateau North of Lochans but I chose the relatively straight forward scramble ahead onto plateau South of Lochans then a walk NW to join track for Stob Coire nan Lochan. The route to the summit was a real ankle breaker and I lost the track on a few occasions as it weaved through / over the boulder field and after what seamed an eternity the summit cairn was reached where someone had laid a meaningful message / memory of I would assume a loved one (I straightened up and turned it a bit for you) then took some shots from summit...From the summit of Stob Coire nan Lochan the route to Bidean nam Bian looks daunting and my first thought was how the hang am I going to get up that...was there some other way that I couldn't see.....Eh! NO... the assent was a lot less daunting than photo would have you believe...that said it was a tough old haul to the summit.
After reaching and wandering about Bidean summit I noticed a cairn off to the West (approx NN141542) so headed off on said direction to tick the box and then back up to summit and headed for Sgreamhach and in doing so forgot to take the Bidean cairn shot.
The ridge between Bidean and Sgreamhach gives superb views down into the lost valley as does the assent of Sgreamhach... Whilst at the summit I joined debates on the practicality of the Red Scree gully due to being snow filled and that first 100 feet or so was pretty steep (refer again to 0483 & 0505 JPG's) ......some headed off along Beinn Fhada in search of a route down into the Lost Valley, but I and others chose to try the gully. The first quarter of the descent was very steep and every step was firmly planted, but once past the rocky section at quarter way down, it bum down feet up and off down the gully in no time. after that the walk out seemed to take forever.... when almost on valley floor attention was drawn to an RAF rescue hellicopter which had entered the valley and initially gave impression of looking for someone, but after a few circuits and stops it looked to more like a training exercise ...after it despersed it was on with the walk out back to the car.... ...... a good day with variations and another double at the end of it.
Regards................B