walkhighlands

Share your personal walking route experiences in Scotland, and comment on other peoples' reports.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

Glencoe

Glencoe


Postby RUGBYPLAYER » Sun May 13, 2012 11:43 am

Munros included on this walk: Bidean nam Bian, Stob Coire Sgreamhach

Date walked: 13/05/2012

Time taken: 7 hours

Distance: 14 km

Ascent: 1500m

Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

After having a failed attempt at these two munro's in January due to heavy snow and high winds I was looking forward to bagging them with my son Andrew on clear and sunny saturday morning in May. We headed up the Coire nan Lochan and got caught in a downpour half way up :( . The path up is clear but has eroded in places, at the top of the glen a scree/boulder path leads up to another flat area at the foot of Stob Coire nan Lochan.
DSC02934_edited-1.jpg
A view lookig back down to Glencoe.


We took the North ridge up over the summit of StobCoire nan Lochan where we had some great views looking down at Loch Leven and over to the Aonach Eagach ridge
DSC02937_edited-1.jpg
DSC02938.JPG
Aonach Eagach ridge


From the summit of StobCoire nan Lochan we followed the ridge that leads to Bidean nan Biam, I was surprised to see so much snow still here as in places it is still 300mm deep. The ascent from the ridge looked quite a challenge and I was a bit wary as we did'nt have any winter gear with us but once underway the climb was pretty staight forward
DSC02940.JPG
Bidean nan Bian from StobCoire nan Lochan


From Bidean we followed the ridge South East over several summits which all still have a deep covering of snow till we reached the foot of Stob Coire Sgreamhach
DSC02942.JPG
Stob Coire Sgreamhach


We stopped for a bit of lunch here before climbing Stob Coire Sgreamhach , the ascent is very straight forward and once at the top we retraced our steps back down to pick up the path that leads down to Allt Coire Gabhail. The route description on walkhighlands states that this section is very steep with loose scree, this is true but with the recent heavy snow fall and the snowice we could'nt pick a safe route back down. If we had crampons or an ice axe we may have attempted it but after 20mins spent scrambling about we decided to return via the way we came. Our luck turned for the worse again here as the weather turned on us with the wind picking up and it started to snow. ( my mind was turning back to a certain day in January). Luckily it did'nt last long and the sun came out again on the long walk back to the car.
RUGBYPLAYER
 
Posts: 22
Munros:141   Corbetts:3
Fionas:1   
Joined: Mar 12, 2011

Re: Glencoe

Postby FourLeggedPal » Sun May 13, 2012 11:45 am

Cracking photos and great report. I just love Glencoe!
FourLeggedPal
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 60
Joined: Nov 6, 2011
Location: Irvine

Re: Glencoe

Postby skuk007 » Sun May 13, 2012 6:02 pm

Nice long walk you had there with retracing your steps!

I had the same dilemma after having done Stob Coire Sgreamhach.
I didn't fancy that climb back down from Bidean, though it looks like you had more snow than when I did it.
Good to have got them done I bet. :)
User avatar
skuk007
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 1419
Munros:44   
Hewitts:8
Wainwrights:16   
Joined: Aug 24, 2009
Location: Bristol

Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).




Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: brianwr, BVMS11, Carole McDonagh, Chris Mac, Coulags, tron79, tubey and 95 guests