Half a Buachaille is better than none! (Glen Nevis /Day 1)

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At the start of September, Neil, a work mate and walking buddy, and myself had a few days off work so we decided to head up to Glen Nevis to get some walking done. I left Hawick a wee bit later than I intended, so our plan to fit a hill or two in before reaching the campsite was in doubt. However, as we were on the A82 we thought we'd stop in Glencoe and have a look at Buachaille Etive Beag. We used the car park at the start of the path along the River Coupall/Larig Gartain and set off.

Stob nan Cabar from the car park.

Neil and our target for the day.

This path is in good nick, and we made good progress for the first mile and a half, then we realised we'd have to leave the path and head up the hillside, walking beside a burn to reach the bealach, but there was no path! This was a tough, quite steep walk over boggy (in parts) moss and heather, it was a bit hands on nearer the top. Thinking back, it probably wasn't THAT bad, but after the well made path this was a bit of a shock to my old legs!

Neil making sure we'd come the right way.

We've to get up there.

Once we reached the bealach, we joined the path and made our way up to the summit and enjoyed some cracking views. we sat for few minutes deciding what to do, and as the weather forecast wasn't that great, and we still had to get to the campsite and put up a tent that neither of had used before, we thought it best to head back down and return to the car.

The summit.

Aonach Eagach, some other day perhaps!

The ridge to Stob Dubh, with Loch Etive in the background.

We decided to go down by the path on the other side of the bealach, avoiding the boggy/mossy/heathery route we came up, this way was MUCH easier, when we return to tick off Stob Dubh, this is the way we'll come! Heading down this way meant that we had a mile and a half to walk along the busy A82 to reach the car, not the best way to end a walk!
We reached the campsite, managed to put the tent up, took us about an hour, not bad for a first time we thought, we then retired to the campsite bar for a few nightcaps, the (long) weekend had begun!

Yay! The tents up...eventually!

Thirsty work this camping!