Jubilee Saturday - Easains / Stob Ban / Grey Corries
Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2012 6:47 pmMunros: Stob Coire Easain, Stob a'Choire Mheadhoin, Stob Ban, Stob Coire Claurigh, Stob Coire an Laoigh, Sgurr Choinnich Mor
Distance: 34.7km
Ascent: 2,774m
Time: 13hrs
Attendees: me
With the extended holiday weekend, the plan was to spend Saturday/Sunday up in Fort William/Spean Bridge and head back down on the Sunday night ready for relations arriving for a BBQ on the Monday. Weather forecast looked pretty good albeit a strong likelihood of colder, stronger northerly winds – dry though.
Departed from Glasgow late on the Friday night – got to the end of the rough road south of Corriechoille after sunset with only two other vehicles parked up.
Early start on Saturday morning – walked up the track past the sculpture of the minister
Good progress up the track passing Cruach Innse and Sgurr Innse – both seemed close enough but I had a long enough day planned as it was so will have to revisit some time
Just before the bothy headed east up the hillside towards Stob Coire Easain.
Mostly heather which was deep in places but not hard going. View north to the two corbetts.
The last part before the summit was fairly steep scree and boulders but not as bad as I thought it would be looking at the map. Views from the top suffered from some low cloud but could see over to Stob a'Choire Mheadhoin.
Short break and headed off to Stob a'Choire Mheadhoin – didn’t take long to get to the summit.
Then it was back up to SCE as there didn’t look as though there was any reasonable way to avoid it. The sun was starting to appear though.
From here I headed more or less due west towards Stob Ban losing a lot of height down to Lairig Leacach.
Easy enough to cross the Allt as the water level was quite low and plenty rocks for stepping stones.
View northwards as I crossed the track to start ascending Stob Ban
I kept going westwards until I picked up the track up Stob Ban – views starting to open up
Reached the summit, the sun was out, weather looking good and I could see what was coming up next.
I dropped down the scree and rocks to the lochan and sheltered out of the wind to have some food before starting up towards Stob Coire Claurigh.
Head northwards up to the summit
I then headed along the ridge towards Stob Coire an Laoigh stopping frequently for photos. It’s a great walk and very enjoyable in the sun. Selection of photos below:
The reason they’re called “grey”
Back to Stob Ban
West and east on the ridge
After getting to Stob Coire an Laoigh, I met up with a couple of guys who had passed me earlier – one of them turned out to be davgil and we discussed options for the final section which involved ascending and descending Stob Coire Easain to get to Sgurr Choinnich Mor. They were looking at whether they could return but avoid the reascent of SCM – I’d already decided I’d return via SCM.
They headed off in front of me and I met them again on the final stage up Sgurr Choinnich Mor.
Stopped for a while at the top and spoke first with one walker who was going on to the Aonachs then another who was going back. Could’ve sat there all day in the sun but had to get back.
Headed back up Stob Coire Easain and northwards to Beinn na Socaich
Then followed the long walk back to the car via the track through the forest to the north of the old tramway.
Arrived back at the car where there were a few more cars than in the morning.
Distance: 34.7km
Ascent: 2,774m
Time: 13hrs
Attendees: me
With the extended holiday weekend, the plan was to spend Saturday/Sunday up in Fort William/Spean Bridge and head back down on the Sunday night ready for relations arriving for a BBQ on the Monday. Weather forecast looked pretty good albeit a strong likelihood of colder, stronger northerly winds – dry though.
Departed from Glasgow late on the Friday night – got to the end of the rough road south of Corriechoille after sunset with only two other vehicles parked up.
Early start on Saturday morning – walked up the track past the sculpture of the minister
Good progress up the track passing Cruach Innse and Sgurr Innse – both seemed close enough but I had a long enough day planned as it was so will have to revisit some time
Just before the bothy headed east up the hillside towards Stob Coire Easain.
Mostly heather which was deep in places but not hard going. View north to the two corbetts.
The last part before the summit was fairly steep scree and boulders but not as bad as I thought it would be looking at the map. Views from the top suffered from some low cloud but could see over to Stob a'Choire Mheadhoin.
Short break and headed off to Stob a'Choire Mheadhoin – didn’t take long to get to the summit.
Then it was back up to SCE as there didn’t look as though there was any reasonable way to avoid it. The sun was starting to appear though.
From here I headed more or less due west towards Stob Ban losing a lot of height down to Lairig Leacach.
Easy enough to cross the Allt as the water level was quite low and plenty rocks for stepping stones.
View northwards as I crossed the track to start ascending Stob Ban
I kept going westwards until I picked up the track up Stob Ban – views starting to open up
Reached the summit, the sun was out, weather looking good and I could see what was coming up next.
I dropped down the scree and rocks to the lochan and sheltered out of the wind to have some food before starting up towards Stob Coire Claurigh.
Head northwards up to the summit
I then headed along the ridge towards Stob Coire an Laoigh stopping frequently for photos. It’s a great walk and very enjoyable in the sun. Selection of photos below:
The reason they’re called “grey”
Back to Stob Ban
West and east on the ridge
After getting to Stob Coire an Laoigh, I met up with a couple of guys who had passed me earlier – one of them turned out to be davgil and we discussed options for the final section which involved ascending and descending Stob Coire Easain to get to Sgurr Choinnich Mor. They were looking at whether they could return but avoid the reascent of SCM – I’d already decided I’d return via SCM.
They headed off in front of me and I met them again on the final stage up Sgurr Choinnich Mor.
Stopped for a while at the top and spoke first with one walker who was going on to the Aonachs then another who was going back. Could’ve sat there all day in the sun but had to get back.
Headed back up Stob Coire Easain and northwards to Beinn na Socaich
Then followed the long walk back to the car via the track through the forest to the north of the old tramway.
Arrived back at the car where there were a few more cars than in the morning.
