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As October half-term loomed I had a feeling - correctly as it turned out - that it might be the last chance for Francis and me to add to our Munro tally for 2022. I decided that I ought to try to give him something to whet his appetite for things to come in 2023. So I thought it might be a good time to head a bit further afield and introduce him to Glen Coe. Perusing the options I settled on Creise and Meall a Bhuiridh hoping they'd act as a kind of gateway for him to get a taste of all the scrambly fun to be had further along the glen - without scaring him off!
I also decided we'd treat ourselves and book a BnB and drive over the day before rather than set off pre dawn. The weather forecast didn't look great but indicated that Tuesday was our best chance of a usable day - so we booked beds for Monday night and hoped the forecasters had got it right. Monday arrived quite clear in Edinburgh so we set off earlier than planned with the thought that if skies in the glen were similar we might manage a hike up to the Lost Valley as a bonus. This was ... (cough)... somewhat optimistic!
- Monday afternoon view from Three Sisters car park.
The further west we got, the worse the weather got. Crossing Rannoch Moor in a downpour it was clear we weren't going up any hills that day. The sodden outlook from the Three Sisters car park reinforced the point. So we took a spin round the bright lights of Ballachulish and Fort William before heading for our accomodation. I went to bed that night praying that the weather gods would be kind to us next day. Incredibly, they listened and Tues dawned as bright and clear as we could have hoped for.
- Tuesday morning view from Three Sisters car park.
An early breakfast was wolfed down and we headed back through the glen to the ski centre. A brief stop to enjoy the view we'd missed the day before whetted our appetite and when we reached the ski centre car park we booted up quickly. A swift toilet stop and we headed for the chair lift - keen to maximise our time on the tops.
- Francis loves a chair lift.
Karma for our lack of puritanical zeal arrived almost immediately however as half way up the ride we realised we'd left our poles leaning on the wall outside the toilets! There followed an embarrassing return trip to collect them much to the amusement of the lift staff - who were kind enough not to charge us for our second red-faced ascent.
- Heading across to the shoulder to avoid the ski areas.
Finally coming off the lift and onto the mountain, we followed the WH route and turned right, following various paths and mountain bike trails across to the west to move beyond the ski areas.
- The muddy track was hard going in places.
There's little ascent in this section but some of the ground was pretty boggy so it was a relief to reach the shoulder of the ridge and turn Southwards to properly begin the climb toward the summit of Meall a' Bhuiridh - the first of the two Munros we were targetting.
- Finally heading uphill.
The climb itself is pretty unremarkable but what makes it memorable is the way the spectacular views begin to open up as you ascend. First, Creise - the second Munro - comes into view across the Mam Coire Easain - its escarpment looking exciting - if a little daunting. Then looking back to the North we could see across to Ben Nevis and the Mamores and out to the East the expanse of Rannoch Moor stretched out for miles.
- Creise ridge comes into view on the right.
- The views over toward Ben Nevis and the Mamores.
- The view across Rannoch Moor.
- Rocky approach to the summit.
Most of this ascent is on tracks over grassy moorland but the final approach becomes rocky. This meant that we approached the summit head down, carefully selecting foot placement, finally lifting our eyes as we reached the modest cairn and experiencing the most dramatic reveal of the view to the South.
- Stunning views looking south over Loch Tulla.
I confess I my exclamation may have been slightly stronger than 'flipping heck!' and when Francis arrived I heard his 'wow!' behind me. What an outlook. And what a day to see it!
- Happy boy. Grumpy monkey. Meall a' Bhuiridh.
When we'd picked our jaws up off the floor we took our summit snaps and then moved a little bit eastwards along the ridge to grab a bite to eat and make way for a group who were coming up behind us. (May be just me, but I don't like summit-hogging. Feels rude.)
- Group on the summit. The route to Creise beyond.
Finding a quiet spot we took our time over sandwiches and soup, in no rush to move off - though the route to Creise looked exciting.
- What a spot for a sandwich.
I honestly think we could've sat there for hours. It was glorious. But we had another mountain to tackle - and a deadline if we wanted to catch the chair lift down to the ski centre on the way back too.*
- Wisps of cloud on Buachaille Etive Mor.
So off we set down the rocky SW ridge of Meall a'Bhuiridh towards the scrambly ramp which would hopefully take us onto the ridge between Clach Leathad and Creise.
- The dramatic-looking route to the second Munro.
The group behind us were heading back down to the ski centre so what had already been a remarkably quiet day in the hills became even more so as we picked our way down to the beallach. The silence seemed an appropriate response to the magnificent landscape around us.
- At the beallach. Looking SE over Loch an Easain.
I'd been slightly worried about the scrambling section ahead so it was a relief to note that it seemed less daunting viewed from the beallach than it had from the previous summit. Francis, of course, had no misgivings at all. He eyed it up eagerly.
- Eyeing up the scramble to the ridge.
We stashed our poles away to free our hands and headed up to the ridge. The rocks and boulders often offered several different paths forward and while I weighed up each alternative, Francis simply chose the most direct route and steamed ahead.
- Poles away. Francis can't wait to get hands on.
- And he's off...! Leaving dad trailing.
He was in his element and soon left me behind as I wound my way up more cautiously. In truth it was easier than I expected. No real technical difficulty. Just a final metre or two which required a bit of grunt on the ascent and a bit of care on the descent.
- The smug look that says 'what kept you?'
My own sense of achievement in making the ridge was somewhat undermined by finding Francis waiting there, looking at his watch and shaking his head ruefully. Cheeky little...
- The route along the corrie rim to Creise summit.
After that effort, the final route along the ridge to the summit was straightforward - if a little rocky. In no time we found ourselves at the cairn of our second Munro of the day. Number fourteen for the year.
- Creise summit cairn.
We treated ourselves to some more soup and also drank in the whole new set of incredible views which stretched out to the West and South West. Having glimpsed it from the car park that morning, Francis was particularly excited to see Bidean Nam Bian from this new angle. Definitely one for future plans.
- The shape of things to come! Francis eyes Bidean nam Bian.
Retracing our steps, the views actually became a hazard as it was hard to take your eyes off them and concentrate on safely picking your way over the boulder field!
- SW over Beinn Mhic Chasgaig toward (I think) Stob Coir an Albannaich on the horizon.
- Even more distant horizon. Could that really be Cruachan?
Thankfully we found the top of the ramp without breaking any ankles and we prepared to descend to the beallach and reclimb Meall a Bhuiridh. Francis had been dubious about this element of the planned route - wondering if there wasn't an easier alternative. (There isn't!)
I checked in with him before we scrambled down and began the return journey - had it been worth it? He grinned. 'Best day in the mountains ever.'
Then he corrected himself. 'So far...'
- And now... back the way we came.
* We made it. Just.
