When it used to snow....
Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 10:01 pm
Sitting here in soggy Worcestershire pining for the hills, I have taken the liberty of re-loading all the pictures from this report onto Flickr, so they are now much clearer and are expandable. I hope you like the result.
Four years ago I had the good fortune to be in the Mamores on a memorable March day when it still used to snow. The route was not long and it was quite straight-forward, but what views!
We started from the car park in Kinlochleven, making our way through the woods to the open ground, picking up the stalkers path on the slopes of Meall an Doire Dharaich, steadily climbing above Loch Eilde Mor into the snow. We broke left, and climbed more steeply up to Sgor Eilde Beag on good snow.
The Grey Corries by cliveg004, on Flickr
The Grey Coires were looking good to the east, and the views across to Bidean Nam Bian and the Buchailles were quite something.
Bidean by cliveg004, on Flickr
Buchaille by cliveg004, on Flickr
When we reached the ridge line between Na Gruagaichean and Binnean Mor, Ben Nevis was revealed in all its glory almost completely cloud free – would have been a good day on the North Face thats for sure.
Ben Nevis looking good by cliveg004, on Flickr
It was clear that the wind had been blowing hard from the north west, stripping the snow from the slopes on that side, and dumping it on the south east faces. One side of Binnean Mor was white, the other quite green.
Binnean Mor by cliveg004, on Flickr
Back to Binnean Mor by cliveg004, on Flickr
This part of the Mamores Ridge is really quite beautiful, particularly in these conditions. The snow was hard and took a crampon well, making for easy going. Binnean Mor is a fine peak, sharp and narrow. When I was last here, I dropped straight down a scrambly north east ridge to reach the much smaller Binnean Beag – but not today.
Na Gruagaichean by cliveg004, on Flickr
Back along the main ridge to Na Gruagaichean I was snapping away like a Japanese Tourist and with good reason, the air was clear and still, and the views in all directions were just breathtaking.
Na Gruagaichean by cliveg004, on Flickr
The final climb by cliveg004, on Flickr
Nr Na Gruagaichean by cliveg004, on Flickr
We descended by the Leachd na h-Aire shoulder, with fine views along Loch Leven, and then dropped south west straight down to Kinlochleven.
Loch Leven by cliveg004, on Flickr
An absolutely marvellous day!