A saturday stroll in Glen Etive

[jonny616]

Had this walk planned for a while & wanted Jack (11 year old son) to come, but was not sure how he would do over 18k. His Munro’s so far have all been relatively short walks & he is a lover of rocky peaks which he thinks are more exciting.

Decided to go for it after lots of careful explaining about the route with motivational chats of ‘now when we get to the second Munro, it’s three hours back to the car!’

Good drive up from Glasgow. Glen Etive looking as lovely as ever a wee cloud on Starav, but all the other tops clear. Got suited & booted with Jack putting on his new pair of bridgedale shocks for maximum comfort.

Followed the route from this site, so over the bridge, along the track & then diagonally across the field of boggy shite to emerge in more boggy shite next to the river that flows from the two bealach’s either side of Glas Bheinn Mhor. Followed the boggy path until we came to a point were we could see the bealach between GBM & SCA. 1 Hour in, time for a wee rest & enjoy the sun shine. Then disaster. Colin realised that his lovely only worn twice Paramo had fallen off his rucksack. So of he went while we lay in the sun & waited. Good news he got it bad news we lost 50 mins. It was right back were the path hits the river.

Glas Bheinn Mhor & Srarav

Looking out to Etive

Through the bog fest

Glas Bheinn Mhor

Onwards & upwards a wee rest before the ascent to the bealach & another at the bealach before heading up the steep slope to Stob Coir An Albannaich. Once up on the summit ridge the views opened up & Meall Nan Eun could be seen across an alarmingly big drop, fortunately not the way down.. Lunch at the summit, the wind got up & for a few mins very light rain.

Looking down the Allt Mhevran Glen

GBM from the slopes of Stob Coir An Albannaich

Summit Stob Coir An Albannaich

Meall Nan Eun from SCA

Lunch

Looking up Etive to Glen Coe

Then off to find what is described as the second rake leading to the next bealach way marked by a small cairn.

Up over Meall Tarsuinn & then up the gentle slops of Meall Nan Eun. A superb panorama awaits anyone venturing up this hill on a clear day.

SCA from Meall Tarsuinn

Summit rest Meall Nan Eun

B Etive Mhor

Bidean & The AE

Jack still smilling!

Ben More & Stob Binian

We choose a line straight from the summit into Glen Coiletir which was grassy craggy & in parts very steep. Not only did we have to contend with this, but had to watch our step because of the amount of frogs on this side of the hill.

Steep descent into Glen Coiletir

Once down we started the long walk out with a few more stops as we were all getting tired. After 3 hours of decent we hit the river Etive & then the track to the bridge over it & up the track to reach the car.
A hard, but great walk & a fantastic achievement for Jack!..

Looking back up Glen Coiletir

nearly at the car

Back at the car Jack realised that in his excitement of the early morning he had only put one sock on & had done the whole walk with a dodgy old thin school sock on one foot.

We drove out of Etive with his feet out the window. Chips in Tyndrum. So including the wait while looking for the lost jacket we had been out for ten & a half hours. Done just shy of 19k & got home at 22:45!

[rockhopper]

Nice one jonny and very well done Jack; that was a hard day It's difficult going with the bogs and must've been even worse with only one decent sock

[Stretch]

Good one Jonny, and well done to your son for doing a longer route!

[Rossco]

Ace! Glen Etive looks fab. Really wish I listened to my dad when I was that age and got into hillwalking too.

[jonny616]

Nice one jonny and very well done Jack; that was a hard day It's difficult going with the bogs and must've been even worse with only one decent sock

Cheers Rockhopper

A hard day indeed, but not as hard as your recent Munro fest. Congrats on the 100th.

How did you cope with the midges when you were camped in Etive

Regards

Jonny

[jonny616]

Good one Jonny, and well done to your son for doing a longer route!

Thanks Stretch

The boy did well!

He thought Etive was a beautiful place, so he must have good taste as well aas good legs!

Regards

Jonny

[jonny616]

Ace! Glen Etive looks fab. Really wish I listened to my dad when I was that age and got into hillwalking too.

Cheers Rossco

Etive is one of my favourite places in Scotland.

I used to walk with my dad as well. For Jack its as much about being with 'dad' all day as walking hills.

Regards

Jonny