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MWIS forecast, 12-14* at 900m, 90% chance of clear summits, rain showers and lowering cloud PM.
Nearly right again, cloud free and 14.5* at 07.35 as we left the cars, by the time we had cleared the river path and started up the ridge it was in the full glare of a rapidly heating sunny day.
A steady walk with lots of short breaks as the heat built, we watched some cloud forming on the tops and were grateful when it blanked out the sun. Made the top at 11.00.
- Glas Bheinn Mhor with cloud starting to develop
- Glen Etive
- Ben Starav with cloud forming
- Back of the Bookles
The cloud at the summit made navigation a little difficult, how hard can it be on a narrow ridge to follow the wrong path unless you really are aiming for Meall Cruidh. Anyhow after a little faffing about we went back to the cairn and found the correct path dropping steeply off behind it.
- Ben Starav from Stob Coire Dheirg
All the way along the ridge to Stob Coire Dheirg and the buttresses was blind until we started to loose height properly. Arrived at the Lochain Ghaineamhaich bealach at 12.20 and a lunch stop
- Bienn nan Aighenan
- Alt nam Meirleach path to Bealach Lochain Ghaineamhaich
Take the lower path from the bealach if heading to Beinn nan Aighenan as the top one leads into a boulder field , the start of the lower path is a little indistinct and you can make out where people have started high then dropped down.
- Bheinn nam Aighenan from spot 615m col
- Ben Starav from spot 615m col
- Glas Bheinn mhor
We played shadow chasing all the way to and from Bheinn Aighenan, as a cloud cast a cooling shadow on the ground we were out of sync with it and stayed in the glare of the sun. Topped out at 14.00 and had a chat with two walkers from Cumbernauld.
- Ian & Jake at Aighenan summit
- Glas Bheinn Mhor from Aighenan
- Starav fro Aighenan
- Loch Etive
- Glen Kinglass, lochs Dochard & Tulla
- Ben Lui to Ben More
It was a slow hot walk back to the bealach and across Meall nam Tri Tighearnan to Glass Bheinn Mhor
Arrived at 16.35 and definately feeling worse for wear phoned home to say we were behind schedule - no sympathy there.
- Starav & Stob Coire Dheirg from Glas Bheinn Mhor
- Bidean nam Bian
- Sgurr na h-Ulaidh
- Off GBM to bealach at head of Coire Odhar
It was a relief to get down into Coire Odhar, soak the hat in the cold water and make like Henry Cooper and splash it all over.
- Glass Bheinn Mhor and Meall nam Tri Tighearnan
- Ben Starav & Stob Coire Dheirg
Back to the car at 19.20, eleven and three quarter hours, no prizes for speed but we were round and in one piece. Thanks to Ian's organisational skills a cold bottle of Bud was waiting (and ten million midges).