Stay at home

[U059361]

Participants: Joe and Isabel
Weather: Cloudy with long preiods of sun, a snow shower and breezy.
Route: Worn footpath, forest track, open hill
Wildlife: Red Deer, we could hear the rut in progress once we left the trees all the way to the top and back. A forestry worker was loading shot deer onto a trailer with quad bike. Must have been 5 bodies. No heads, the trophies were all taken.

Car Park just after Rob Roy's House, on corner. Plenty of room for several cars. We were the only ones there today. Everyone else went from Port Nellan. Worn footpath took us over to a gate and onto a forest track newly tarmac covered. After going round a bend, there is a sign saying Open Hill Access and a fainter track to follow up the hill to the Allt Coire Chaorach. A nice waterfall can be seen higher up in a cleared area of the forest. Cross over the forest track higher up where another sign says Open Hill Access. Warning signs about walkers damaging a deer fence where not using style. We aim to be good.
the path climbs steeply then levels out and eventually reaches the Allt Coire Chlach and open hill. More signs saying use the styles. We went straight up the hillside. The track goes round the hill but crosses some extremely wet areas you souldn't walk through anyway on the way to a gate with the style beside it.
Once we could see the style, we did our best to walk straight to it but its really wet up here and we had to dodge some bogs and water.
Once over the style, can see Ben More and the fence going up the hillside. That route does not look walkable without waders. So we followed the track till we got a clear look at Stob Binnein and then headed up a slight ridge aiming just east of the top. Still very wet but the worst can be avoided. Stopped for lunch at the first rock fall. Out of the wind and sunny. Loch Tay in full view with Lawers.
Continued up the ridge and then through the rocks to the top, crossing some snow. Bit wet, but we had a small shower of the stuff climbing up the rocks. So it was very cold at the top and a bit windy. Great views though. Quite a few folk up there and several on Stob Binnein.
After a look round it was simply back the way we came avoiding the worst of the wet bits again. It is easier going down as you can see them coming.
Still had wet feet back at the car. Will need to get some snow seal for the boots.

[Paula Hubens]

Ooo, a nice unusual route up Ben More! I love the picture with the trig point and Stob Binnein!

[mrssanta]

I think that's the way we went up x number of years ago. We went round the horseshoe and ended up back where we started. it was a great day.