Stob Ban (Grey Corries)

[Les Stuart]

Weather forecast for last Wednesday was looking reasonable and hopefully I would get a dry day which has not been the case in my last two outings.
Arrived at the Corriechoille Lodge then drove carefully down the rutted track, through the gate then onto the space beside the old railway track to park the car. Got myself kitted out and set off about 9.40am and immediately it began to rain. It was only a light shower and lasted about 10 minutes. Carried on up the track past the Minister Statue which I forgot to take a picture. I had thought about bringing my bike though was glad that I did not as the track was steep in places and would probably have abandon it and picked it up later on the way out.

Track going in

The cloud and mist was still down and another shower came on though this time a bit heavier and put my waterproof trousers on, which did the trick as about 5 minutes later the rain went off, and the rest of the day was dry.

Heading south

A good distance down the track I came across a group of young people heading north though they were a bit grumpy and I could see by there back packs they had been camping overnight somewhere, then later on two vechiles passed me, one with a trailler of a tracked vechile on board. They were a shooting party and as I discovered later heading for the Bothy.
Eventually I reached the Bothy and the shooting party were setting off in two seperate groups, one in the track vechile heading south down the track and the second group on foot heading into Coire Claurigh.
I crossed the bridge and headed up the north east ridge on a boggy path and a bit of blue sky appeared in the distance

Followed the path, reaching a flatter area before ascending a steeper path into the mist which would take me to the summit.

Into the Mist

The Summit

Had lunch and was accompanied by a big black bird which was swooping around for food and I gave it a bit of my sandwich. My original plan was to drop down to the loch then down into Corrie Claurigh though with the shooting party out that way, I descended the route that I came up. Set off down and passed a walker heading up to the summit and had wee chat. Took a few more photos as the sky cleared in certain directions.

South

Sgurr Innse

I reached the Bothy and the shooting party were still out as vechiles still parked up.

Bothy

The weather was looking good to the North.

North East

North

Carried on down the track and I could see the group that I passed in the morning coming down onto the track from Cruach Innse. Eventually I caught up with them and the leader asked me where I had been and told him, and I asked him about his group as they were all dressed in the same clothing. Turns out they were a group of about 14 year olds out on an outwards bound course from Glasgow. They travelled up by bus on the Tuesday then walked into the bothy area and camped out overnight then climbed Cruach Innse on the way out and the bus was picking them up about 3pm. Good to see youngsters out in the hills.
It was a good day with reasonable weather.

[Johnny Corbett]

Fine report Les, Sgurr Innse looks a beauty. I agree it's great seeing youngsters out on the hills though you got to feel sorry for them when they all look knackered and are carrying rucksacks that are almost bigger and heavier than themselves

[Les Stuart]

Yes there backpacks looked decidedly big for them though they were in good spirits at the end of there outing while waiting on the mini bus to collect them. As you say Sgurr Inse looked a wee beauty.

Fine report Les, Sgurr Innse looks a beauty. I agree it's great seeing youngsters out on the hills though you got to feel sorry for them when they all look knackered and are carrying rucksacks that are almost bigger and heavier than themselves