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Date: 12/1/13
Hills: Sgorr a’Choise & Meall Mor
Present: Just me
Weather: Cold and mainly dull but the odd bit of sun breaking through.
Distance: 9.81
Ascent 3599ft approx.
Time taken: Walking 4.36hrs Loafing 3.54hrs I set off for Glen Coe with no firm plans in mind, just a few options depending on the look of the weather when I got there. If it was looking promising I was going to head up Buachaile Etive Beag as it has been a long time since I was last up and have always fancied a winter trip on it. However, on arrival around 8am it was very grey looking and it just did not look particularly inviting to me, so I set off down to the bottom of the glen for a look at Meall Mor. It was not looking that inviting either and the cold wind that hit me when I got out the car made me wish I was still in bed
. It took me a while to get myself motivated and get geared up to set off, but once walking I was eager to get on up the hill as the weather was looking a bit brighter with some blue sky above
.
Promising looking sky above Stob Coire nam Beith.
And above Meall Lighiche.
No problem crossing the Allt na Muidhe this morning.
Looking back down Gleann Leac na Muidhe.
A convient gate at NN101543. Meall a’Bhuige ahead.
The plan from here was to head up Sgorr a’Choise first as I remember admiring it when I done Fraochaidh back in summer 2010. Fairly easy walking up to Meall a’Bhuige first.
Spotted a few hinds on the lower slopes of Meall Mor scatter when they spotted me.
First sight of Sgorr a’Choise.
It’s a lot steeper than it looks from here.
A nice gap in the deer fence at NN089548. Handy if you have a big dug with you.
Sunlight breaks through onto Meall Mor.
The Pap of Glencoe.
Stob Coire nam Beith and Bidean nam Bian clear of clag.
It’s a steep pull up to the summit of Sgorr a’Choise , it really makes you work hard for it. As you get to the final few meters it turns craggy but a bit of a path appears and there are no problems. As expected, it is a fine viewpoint on to the surrounding hills which makes these smaller hills well worth getting onto
. There was a right cold wind on top so another layer was required to keep the chill at bay while I refuelled and got some photos. Just as I was getting settled in below the cairn, another walker appeared from the opposite direction and was just as surprised at seeing me as I was seeing him
.
Walker approaching the summit.
Sgorr Dhonuill.
Sgorr Dhonuill, Sgorr Dearg and Sgorr Bhan.
Zoom over to Fraochaidh.
Ballachulish.
Panorama of Fraochaidh and Beinn a’Bheithir.
Summit pose
.
Panorama over Meall Mor to the Glen Coe hills.
Long enough loafing about here I suppose, so I set off back down towards Meall a’Bhuige.
Despite all the blue sky above me, most of the higher summits were clinging onto the clag with only the occasional break. Cloud cover out to the west also meant there were only short bursts of sunshine to brighten things up.
A dull Meall Mor.
And a dull Meall Lighiche with Sgurr na h-Ulaidh behind.
Heading up Meall Mor.
Sgorr a’Choise is a very shapely hill seen from Meall Mor.
The slopes of Meall Mor are fairly gentle from the south but I felt like I was never going to get to the top for some reason today
. Seemed to be taking me ages for some reason. I came across an old ewe which I guess by its reactions when she heard me, was blind. She was looking in all directions in obvious panic and began running in circles and falling over her own legs.
Don’t think she will see the winter out.
The summit in sight at last.
Looking back west.
Across Gleann Leac na Muidhe to Sgurr na h-Ulaidh.
Spotted some walkers on An t’Sron on Stob Coire nan Beith.
Zoomed in.
Zoom over to Sgorr Dearg and Sgorr Bhan.
Got to the summit and it was even colder than it had been on Sgorr a’Choise earlier on. It was pretty dull as well so I settled down for a refuel and waited to see if I was going to get a lucky break in the cloud cover out west to light up the views for me. I gave up after a while and thought I better get a move on
.
Summit pose
.
I have had a photograph in my mind for a long while from here looking up Glen Coe in late autumn with blue skies, warm sunshine with maybe a dusting of snow on the summits. Thought I would take a quick wander over to the n/e edge of the summit to get a look at the view while I was here anyway, just to visualize it in my mind for the future. I had only went a few meters when, as if by magic the sun started to rake across the landscape before me. I honestly let out a few whoops of delight as I might just get a great photograph of the view after all
.
Looking good.
Looking even better.
The view I was after
.
Just a bit more sunlight would have been great, but as I was lucky enough to get what I did, I was very happy to have been there as it really is a great spot. NN109561
Back to a dull summit with The Mamores in the background.
You walk away and the sun breaks out again
.
All the summits on the Bidean massif almost clear.
Out west over Meall an Aodainn.
Another look at Bidean.
A nice easy descent to the gate.
The Aonach Eagach clears as the light fades.
It had been a while since I done any long exposure shots when out, so I spent a while doing some just in the last of the light before I got to the car.
Short video from the day
I really enjoyed my choice of smaller hills today even though there was no snow on them to enjoy. The views are rather special and I will be back a few more times in the coming years for sure.
