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Buachaille Etive Mor

Buachaille Etive Mor


Postby xpfloyd » Sat Jul 21, 2012 3:43 pm

Route description: Buachaille Etive Mòr

Munros included on this walk: Stob Dearg (Buachaille Etive Mòr), Stob na Bròige (Buachaille Etive Mòr)

Date walked: 21/07/2012

Time taken: 5 hours

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I had originally planned on walking Stob Ghabhar & Stob a'Choire Odhair from Victoria Bridge today but changed the plan yesterday when the forecast changed for that Area. I checked all the usual weather forecast sites and decided upon Buachaille Etive Mor as the Kingshouse area was looking clear until the afternoon.

My plan was to get there early so that I was a good bit up the hill for sunrise and catch the first light breaking over Rannoch Moor from my high vantage point. As I was going solo today the earlier than normal start wasnt an issue as it was only me it was affecting.

Sunrise was 5am so I reckoned if I was parked up and walking by 4 it would be light enough to see where im walking in the twilight but it would give me an hour to gain some height. This unfortunately meant leaving the house at 2am!! I had hardly been to bed by that point.

I set off just after 2am towards Kingshouse pondering to myself if I had finally lost the plot or not. The journey there was looking promising as the skys were relatively cloud free, however just as Buachaille Etive Mor came into view I noticed an almighty cloud covering both tops. My plan wasnt looking too good at this point. I parked up at the carpark/lay by at aroung 3:30 and realised that it was also going to be far too dark to walk before sunrise. I had a head torch with me but soon realised that my idea of cleverly walking before sunrise to catch nice pics was more on the side of stupidly walking in the dark alone in Glen Coe. Common sense prevailed and I decided to wait until 5 before starting.

In the mean time I headed back along the A82 a bit to Loch Ba and waited for sunrise. In the end it was a bit disappointing and wasnt the colourful spectacle I was hoping for. There was also alot of grey cloud quickly coming in to cover the whole area.

Loch-Ba---Sunrise.jpg
Loch Ba


Just after 5am I was back at the car park area and on my way. No major issues on the first section although it was a little tough on the legs, this may just be due to the fact I hadnt been out on the hills in a month or so. Theres a good path through this first section although its covered in lots of loose rocks. By the time I was at the top I was in the clouds and couldnt see much at all. A short time later I was at the peak of Stob Dearg. No views unfortunately.

_MG_7515.jpg
Stob Dearg


_MG_7518.jpg
Looking back the way I had came


I then set off towards Stob na broige retracing my steps. By this time there were some breaks in the cloud and I was able to see my surroundings.

Pano 1.jpg
Initial Hill


On route to Stob na broige you have to climb up one side of Stob na doire and down the other. At over 1000m I found this a bit demorilising and it was sapping the energy out my legs. Eventually after what seemed like ages I reached Stob na broige.

_MG_7551.jpg
Stob na broige


From here I retraced my steps again and then cut down just before Stob na doire towards Lairig Gartain. This section was the hardest bit of the day for me. My legs were in agony and there was some fairly steep sections where big rocks were encountered. I wouldnt like to try this one in the snow! Once I reached Lairig Gartain I put to bed the idea of also doing Buachaille Etive Beag and headed towards the car. I was about an hour back from here along another good path with stepping stones over all the burns encountered. I got back to the car 5 hours after I had eventually set off.

Sods law, the weather started to clear up on the walk back.

_MG_7556.jpg
Looking back
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xpfloyd
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Re: Buachaille Etive Mor

Postby morag1 » Sat Jul 21, 2012 6:22 pm

Love that first photo - next months competition entry I wonder :think:
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Re: Buachaille Etive Mor

Postby xpfloyd » Sat Jul 21, 2012 6:27 pm

Thanks morag and yeah I think it will need to be, not had a very good month so far photo wise :)
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Re: Buachaille Etive Mor

Postby morag1 » Sat Jul 21, 2012 6:33 pm

xpfloyd wrote:pondering to myself if I had finally lost the plot or not

Sometimes think that about myself, some of the things Ive done over the summer :crazy:
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Re: Buachaille Etive Mor

Postby skuk007 » Sat Jul 21, 2012 10:02 pm

Blimey, a 2am start, that is dedication to the bagging cause :)
Great first picture. Not surprised your legs were aching after that early start. :)
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Re: Buachaille Etive Mor

Postby gammy leg walker » Sun Jul 22, 2012 8:54 am

Nice TR.

2.30am..........I like early starts,but.

Hope to head this way next weekend.
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Re: Buachaille Etive Mor

Postby Fudgie » Sun Jul 22, 2012 10:46 am

You're off your head starting at that time :D Still, it's a good walk and the ascent isn't as steep as it looks from the car park.
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Re: Buachaille Etive Mor

Postby RicKamila » Sun Jul 22, 2012 5:04 pm

morag1 wrote:Love that first photo - next months competition entry I wonder :think:

xpfloyd wrote:Thanks morag and yeah I think it will need to be, not had a very good month so far photo wise :)


The stats show that you are the 2nd most consistent entrant in the competition, so if this is your only choice due to lack of photos, then I wish I was you!!

Great report, great photos.

(incase anyone is interested, mountainstar has 128 votes over the 6 competitions so far, xpfloyd has 113. I will do a full table at the end of the year perhaps)
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Re: Buachaille Etive Mor

Postby xpfloyd » Tue Jul 24, 2012 8:28 am

Fudgie wrote:You're off your head starting at that time :D Still, it's a good walk and the ascent isn't as steep as it looks from the car park.

skuk007 wrote:Blimey, a 2am start, that is dedication to the bagging cause :)
Great first picture. Not surprised your legs were aching after that early start. :)


gammy leg walker wrote:Nice TR.

2.30am..........I like early starts,but.

Hope to head this way next weekend.


Cheers guys, and yeah 2am start was a bit stupid. I think ill be waiting to the winter months if I want to catch a sunrise so that its around the 7am mark :)

Fudgie - It def looks alot steeper from the carpark. Once your on it its not too bad although I was knackered when I reached the top!
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Re: Buachaille Etive Mor

Postby xpfloyd » Tue Jul 24, 2012 8:36 am

RicKamila wrote:The stats show that you are the 2nd most consistent entrant in the competition, so if this is your only choice due to lack of photos, then I wish I was you!!

Great report, great photos.

(incase anyone is interested, mountainstar has 128 votes over the 6 competitions so far, xpfloyd has 113. I will do a full table at the end of the year perhaps)


Thanks!! Photography, like hill walking, is just a hobby for me but I havent had any luck recently with the weather when trying to combine the two. Hopefully August brings a bit of sunshine!
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