Childhood Adventure on the Grey Corries

[Mrandmrsod]

Growing up in Lochaber, a daily view for me as a primary school kid was the one from the Commando Memorial. A panoramic view with some of the biggest hills Scotland has to offer. I recall looking out the old Kilmonivaig primary school windows and they were almost always covered in cloud and appeared intimidating or inaccessible. The character of the mountains change as you draw your eye from looking out to the west coast, Aonach Mor at the front with the Ben hidden with a section of the north face showing. The grey Corrie's have a distinctive colour and shape that looks so different in character to the neighbouring peaks. I always wanted to leave them for a good day ideally under a covering of snow, to give it's ridgewalk the biggest justice.

View from Commando Memorial (Feb 2021)

The view from work onto the Pentlands (7th January 2025)

Chelsea was planning on going to Glencoe on Wednesday with Charlie so I was extremely grateful when Mum and Dad agreed to babysit possibly sensing a degree of desperation in my tone. I was very confident the weather was looking good for Friday (landing on my day off work) and with several days worth of yellow snow warnings and almost every day that week from work I could see the sparkling white pentland hills backed by bright blue skies. The only concern was the Corriehollie track, I'd driven it before when bagging Stob Ban with Chelsea. The cars MOT was due soon and is feeling its age so I came up with the idea of cycling to Corriehollie/Wee Minister from my childhood home, around 6 miles.

Charlie leading the way at Kingshouse

Enjoying the Winter sun

I wanted to be back for the bairn to get down the road with him back to Edinburgh. Winds were actually showing as being there lowest overnight, forecasts had it varying anywhere between 5-20mph. Charlie asleep and settled and alarm clock was set for midnight. I woke up actually having felt like I slept for a couple hours, sometimes it feels like you've not even slept despite lying down for multiple hours. Any nightshift workers will know the feeling.

Bike locked up, you'd have to be a fairly determined thief to make it this far

It felt unique cycling on the snow, occasionally the back wheel skitting out and having to balance the slide. It felt exciting and adventurous. The winter rucksack felt very heavy, lower back pumping with blood and questioning why I brought a heavy bike lock. Bike securely locked up to fencepost (around 130am) and not too many tracks in the snow.

Wee minister chilling out

I always chuckle to myself when Helen and Paul (Walkhighlands) describe a route as 'unremitting' or use a superlative when you just know it's going to be tough going. Head down, one foot Infront of the other sort of hike. I was tempted by a set of footprints, I followed it then contorted up a frozen burn. If something feels sketchy you could well be off route. A check on the always remarkably accurate Walkhighlands GPS shown I was a good bit off there suggested route up the pathless lower section of Stob Choire Claurigh. I've learnt its almost always worth the effort to get back on the GPS, regardless of the extra (possibly unnecessary) effort it might feel like at the time.

Trying to capture my moonlit shadow

The skies were clear and the three quarter moon illuminated the snow, my shadow reflected in it, the sparkling effect the snow has is mesmerising, not as dazzling and harsh as the sun sparkled snow. I turned my head torch off for a few minutes just to soak in the atmosphere. The coldest January day in ten years I knew this was rare conditions, and becoming rarer. I had many layers on, I felt toasty but comfortable considering the -8 (ground level) and was unaware how much I was actually sweating. Time seemed to go quickly, there was no doubt in my mind it was going to be a beautiful sunrise. As the moon set the veil of cloud in the northwest coloured the moon a fiery red as it set. The stars gradually shining brighter and brighter with the setting moon.

A terrible photo, (night mode on the camera takes alot of battery juice) but the moons colour was spectacular

I reached the first Munro stob Choire Claurigh around 0500am. It felt abit of a shame to be in darkness at this summit, but I knew I'd make an effort to be back here at some point during daylight hours. The winds definitely strongest on the tops I was keen to keep moving and press on along the ridge.

The moon revealing some light looking North, with the lights of Spean Bridge and Roy bridge below

The ascents not too difficult and gradually in the darkness the appearance of the ridges tops start to become revealed. Its a great ridge too, it remains engaging and exposed in quite alot of it. Perhaps this was heightened by the snow, a layer of verglas under a deep covering of powder. I make it to Stob Coire an Laoigh around 0700am, with still around 2 hours till sunrise theres not too much to see but a fine wind shelter gave good reason to stop for some peppermint tea, Christmas cake and homemade banana bread. A surprisingly delicious combination, I was thirsty and the hot liquid was unsurprisingly extremely moreish in the feels like minus double digits.

Tea and cake time

2 hours until sunrise and the there and back ridge to Sgurr Chonnich Mor looked like good fun too, some careful footwork and attention still definitely required. The light was begining to grow now illuminating the mountains nearby and it provides a euphoric sense of scale to what id just been walking in complete darkness.

Light growing

Sgurr Chonnich Mor has an airy summit and the reveal of the Mamores and Glencoe is tremendous. I managed to video call my mum, and then later my Grandparents and they were all delighted. I kept moving around and had some more tea and cake. There was still around 9km of route left so I knew it was still going to be a few hours hiking left. I knew I was going to be knackered by the end of it so me and my dad came up with an idea for him to cycle his ebike to where my bike was and we switch allowing me to ebike the 6 miles back to the house. If you've ever ridden an ebike you'll know on turbo mode, you can give very minimal physical effort and still keep going. The windchill freewheeling on the bike was bone chillingly cold. They feel like cheating but I didn't care I was so cold and dehydrated by this point and couldn't stop thinking about a tasty beverage of any liquid kind. Shower, soup, sausage roll and tasty beverages later, Charlie is organised and back down to Edinburgh we head. These kinds of days out always give me a big high for several days after despite the physical aches and pains. The incessant weather checking taking a temporary break before I inevitably see a promising forecast and another bagging idea.

En route to Sgurr Chonnich Mhor

Blue hour light creating a metallic sheen looking southwards towards Glencoe

Aonach beag and Aonach Mhor prominent

Vast open space looking East

The highest peaks catching the light first

A beautiful sunrise

Fantastic ridge

Breaking trail in gorgeous snow

Seemingly endless hills looking Northwest

Looking back to Sgurr Chonnich mor

Neighbouring peaks

Heading down the view is beautiful and conditions sublime

Winter wonderland in Leanachan Forest

A brilliant adventure