Majestic BEN LUI (Bike and Hike adventure)
Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2013 9:17 pm
by Bod
Glencoe plans for this weekend were all up in the air, Curved Ridge on Saturday got postponed and a revisit to the Aonach Eagach Ridge with friends postponed also on Sunday due to a worrying forecast. But something had to happen, and with Valerie assuring me of good weather for the first part of Saturday my long awaited Ben Lui plan was established once again
Job done and we'll be back
- Always lovely to be welcomed into the glens by the locals. And what a beautiful morning
Ben Lui peaking round the corner there.....taken whilst riding my bike after carefully passing the bull! :)
- Wow! I never imagined we would get such a clear view of Lui today....One of the most stunning munros taken from across the River Cononish now 3km or so up the track.
- A most memorable part of our day approaching via the long glen now past Cononish Farm. Valerie now in complete agreement with my route. We would be climbing Ben Lui, Beinn a'Chleibh and Ben Oss descending again to the base of Ben Lui from Ben Oss to collect the bikes again.
- My oh my! Our walking circuit was to start and finish from the very base of Ben Lui picking up our three remaining munros in the area. At this moment in time though I was more than happy just to witness Ben Lui on such a glorious morning
- Bikes now parked up in a grassy hollow we're off, sticks will be out soon, and maybe a nibble or two....munch, munch. Coire Gaothach now behind me and such a welcome sight, not a hint of a let-down...Argyll at it's best! Stob Garbh on the right would be our approach to the summit, though I teased Valerie that perhaps we could take in a sramble or two on Stob an Tighe Aird on the left. Perhaps one for another day when the other two munros are not part of the plan, and we could play on Lui all day :) :) :)
- The footpath follows the north side of the moutain stream stream. Valerie and I spend just over two hours thoroughly enjoying the climb to the summit of Ben Lui. Much discussion (at least when I could catch up .. lol) and personal thoughts too appreciating the good things in life. Up out of the corrie and onto the ridge. This is the place to be (hats, gloves and jackets on now...). Ben Lui looms and lears down on us....but what a glorious sight :)
- The lower rise of Stob Garbh with our approach road far below...with the roof of Cononish Farm by the forest.
- My kind of path! I love these steep zones :)
- Not a bad place to be on a Saturday morning, great for mind, body and soul :)
- Ben Lui appears through the mists again :)
- Misty, chilly but not too windy and here we are on summit area of Ben Lui. Been looking at this one for may a year, great to now be on top. Look at that edge, MAGIC with the summit just appearing in the mist beyond :)
- Ben Lui denies us a clear summit, but still simply wonderful. Interesting too, picking out the path for Beinn a'Chleibh as we observed several people heading accidentally for the Ben Oss path ....
- Beinn a'Cheibh viewed from the path descending Ben Lui, heading southwest, a much lower neighbouring munro. Valerie there making fast progress :)
- Love ma high lochans :)
- Beinn a'Chleibh a lovely summit area of 4 cairns (visited them all) offering great views towards Loch Awe and Ben Cruachan :)
- Traversing around the southwest flanks of Ben Lui heading for the Ben Oss bealach on the southeast of Ben Lui....picked a fine line :)
- Ben Oss rises around the shoulder of Ben Lui....we now require to go down and round climbing up and over the mountain. At this point looked fairly mighty - Valerie begins to fear cycling back down the glen in the dark. Ben Oss eta still 4.00pm ish.
- Final stages reaching Ben Oss, still evaluating descent options to the bikes located at the track end below Ben Lui? I was favouring a careful direct drop after passing over the summit of Ben Oss.
A fine view here looking down towards Loch Lomond and Ben Lomond :)
- Here she is, caught up with my wee wife again on top of Ben Oss :)
- Beinn Dubhchraig and Loch Oss to the East with Ben More behind that rising above Crainlarich. Nice to see Beinn Dubhchraig, once had a very thick claggy experience on there :)
- Now to find the safest route down to the bikes, not a regular route, but one carefully planned and selected today. Watching every step very carefully, not a spot for any slips and falls ...
- The bikes are located down there at the end of the track on the opposite side of the valley... we had looked carefully at this slope from Ben Lui and given close attention to the contours on the map. Time on our side too, so a satisfying route choice :)
- The only tree in these upper glens and a beautiful one at that! Ben Chuirn (Corbett) in the background :)
- Coire Laoigh at the top of the glen, Alt Coire Laoigh inbetween Benn Oss and Ben Lui, our plan B route off the mountians...
- Myself and Ben Lui again from below her magnificent Coire, bikes just 5 mins away. Last steps before the sticks go away again and get replaced by nobbly tyres to guide us home from these tough hills before darkness falls :) :) :)
Job done and we'll be back