free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Firstly folk, the distances (travel and ascent) are just a copy from Stretch, my legs and feet suggest it is more but it may just be walking on shattered rock that has gubbed me.
When I was trying to put together some walks for this area I couldn;t understand why Stob Ban was not done with the Grey Corries and why Sgurr Choinnich Mor (so different in character) is included. Anyhoo, it's all down to personal preference so I did Sgurr Choinnich Mor a few weeks ago with the two Aonachs, leaving the Grey Corries with Stob Ban. If I felt energentic I would repeat Sgurr Choinnich Mor at the end too,
So I looked up routes and I found very little for what I wanted. Only Stretch had blazed the trail that I fancied (
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=4826). So the plan was in place, now all I needed was the energy/desire, which is difficult at the moment as I seem to have misplaced my mojo!
So my alarm went off at 0515, my bag was packed from the night before and I get up, turn off the alarm, eat some breakfast and went back to bed. I'm not in the mood! Another time. An hour passes and I get up, cursing, I feel guilty. The kit is thrown into the car and I set off, already an hour down. Magic.
So I get to the start point (very bumpy landrover track) but stop short (about 200m) at a signpost where I can park my car. I'd suggest to anyone planning to similar walks to do the same as you cannot park cars at the WH start point.
I set off at 0945 (already late) and followed the landrover track past the famous statue
The route takes you past the start of the grey corries ridge which looks really impressive (I should add, I didn't do that top, one to return to)
After a while longer Stob Ban comes into sight
1130 sees me at the bothy, I cross the river and head up the slope to Stob Ban's lower top.
There is another route up the valley below that takes you next to some crags that looks interesting.
1230 sees me at the top of Stob Ban, it's hazy and there is a cold wind but the hills are empty. A day of solitude ahead.
I have some food and try to stretch my hamstrings which were really tight from gardening the day before, honestly, who'd have thought it'd taken so much out of me!
I then made a wee mistake, I followed a path towards the the lower top of Stob Ban rather than heading directly to Stob Choire Claurigh. This left me surfing big scree fields to for a bit. Something that I do not like. If I'd just went straight towards Stob Choire Claurigh I'd have picked an easy walk down, doh!
The route up to Stob Choire Claurigh is straight forward so I won't dwell on it.
1400hrs sees me at the top of Stob Choire Claurigh, I can't be bothered going to collect the other tops to the east.
- The un-done top!
I set off across the ridge, I only now see how small Stob Ban is compared to the others.
The route along the ridge is without difficulties, there is no scrambling and no real exposure. If you want to go and look at some big drops then you can, there are some falls that rank highly in the "that'd kill you" scale.
All too soon I'm approaching Stob Coire an Laoigh
- Stob Coire an Laoigh with Stob Coire Essain, Sgurr Choinnich Mor and some Aonachs
At 1530hrs I get to Stob Coire Essain and the weather has changed, it is lashing down, sideways in a strengthening wind. Do the last one or bail?
- A grand Scottish day! Sgurr Choinnich Mor through the clag
Yeah, you guessed....soaked I decide to call it quits!
I then folllowed Stretch's route on an obvious ridgeline (wih some spectacular drops around me) which was just as well as the cloud base followed me down (about 100m above me) pretty much all the way down!
One change that I would make to this route (if Paul/Helen wish to add it to the route) is that as you head down the grassy bank (it was heaven yesterday, soft grass made spongier by the rain....my feet thank you!) you come to a bit of woodland that has been cleared with a knoll in the middle of it. Aim for the knoll, skirt it to the left and go onto the forestry path. Follow the path (avoiding Spean bridge route) and it'll take you out where I parked my car (this runs parallel to the North to the WH track but goes along a decent track rather than the what I endured). I pushed up throught the trees (thick forrestation) to find the WH track, this was hard and a MISTAKE! The WH track is now a bog...I think the forrest track would have been a nicer and faster way to finish the day!
1745hrs saw me back at the car, soaked and muddy! lol
This is a good route, minus the bog at the end!
Try it! Maybe add the 4th hill too!