Back on the Aonach Eagach with a London Geezer

[Johnny Corbett]

Andy ( Londonwalker ) had text me to say he was heading back to Scotland for ten days and asked if i fancied joining him on a walk. So after a few texts he said he fancied doing the Aonach Eagach ridge on the Tuesday. Ok so i had done this walk before but was more than happy to accompany Andy on this as reason one it's a superb walk and secondly i wouldn't like to have attempted this for the first time on my own. We set off at 08.15 with the weather not looking too promising with the wind picking up and clag getting blown over from Rannoch Moor but as we were about to start the ridge it started to clear. We could now see what lay ahead and we headed along the ridge to the first obstacle, the down climb which gave us no problems with numerous foot and handholds. Once down we continued along the ridge, taking pictures as we went and enjoying the views. I got a similar day to this when i first done the ridge and it was great for Andy to enjoy such a fine day on this walk. I think he was loving it. After some more wee scrambles we got to the chimney which is straightforward enough and then some more wee scrambles before we came to the crazy pinnacles. When i did this walk the last time we took the bypass path and back then it was wet and muddy in places and i'd say it was the dodgy bit of the walk that day. Initially i had started heading the bypass path and soon realized this was the same way i went the last time so said to Andy and we headed back up. We got up and looked for a way onto the crazies, noticing a smooth large slabbed rock to the left with few holds on it but plenty of crampon marks. I didn't fancy this way and saw a route up just to the right of the slab which involved a pull up and then some climbing to get up the pinnacles. This was the dodgiest part of the walk for us but still felt great as we made our way over the pinnacles. Once we were over the pinnacles there was just minor scrambling to the second Munro. Here we met a Walkhighland member "Roughwalker" who had came from the Pap of Glen Coe and was going for a wee wander along some of the ridge. We then decided to head for the Pap as Andy was keen to get some more Grahams under his belt and also because my car was left at the car park for the Pap. I felt Andy struggled a bit with the Pap and the only advice i could give him was next time he's in Scotland is to get himself up more of these "girly" hills as he calls them. It was a great day mate on one of the best ridge walks i have done, cheers for the invite.

[Mountainlove]

Its always nice to see pictures of the AE again. I walked up the papa as well and remember that it was quite a slog after a long day. Glad the 2 of you enjoyed it!!

[simon-b]

Excellent photos, Johnny. They certainly show that ridge to be extremely narrow in places, as well as notched.

But it looks funny seeing your new Munro count of just 2 - perhaps you should change the 'activity' in your profile to Munro compleatist .

[The Rodmiester]

Hi JC, you and Andy sure got a good day for this. Great photographs, hoping to get the Pap done next week along with some other stuff, just hoping for similar weather how were the midges? I trust you were at the Red Squirrel.

[Collaciotach]

Idea is to keep these for my last pair .... not sure if I can wait much longer haha

Good pics

[rockhopper]

you picked a great day for it - sometimes the clag can be helpful so as not to be able to see the worst bits but hard to beat a day like this - cheers

[CharlesT]

you picked a great day for it - sometimes the clag can be helpful so as not to be able to see the worst bits but hard to beat a day like this - cheers

Great pics - nice to be able to see more than 10 feet either side, unlike my foray there. I'll have to do it again now!

[Johnny Corbett]

Its always nice to see pictures of the AE again. I walked up the papa as well and remember that it was quite a slog after a long day. Glad the 2 of you enjoyed it!!

Thanks, knees were getting sore towards the end.

Excellent photos, Johnny. They certainly show that ridge to be extremely narrow in places, as well as notched.

But it looks funny seeing your new Munro count of just 2 - perhaps you should change the 'activity' in your profile to Munro compleatist .

Thanks Simon, think of it as 284

Hi JC, you and Andy sure got a good day for this. Great photographs, hoping to get the Pap done next week along with some other stuff, just hoping for similar weather how were the midges? I trust you were at the Red Squirrel.

Hi Rod, cheers, i slept in back of car on air mat at Signal Rock. Not a Midge in sight Rod, though there was a wee breeze.

Idea is to keep these for my last pair .... not sure if I can wait much longer haha

Good pics

Don't give into temptation and save it for last

you picked a great day for it - sometimes the clag can be helpful so as not to be able to see the worst bits but hard to beat a day like this - cheers

Thanks, know what you mean but i prefer to see where i'm going to fall if it was to happen

you picked a great day for it - sometimes the clag can be helpful so as not to be able to see the worst bits but hard to beat a day like this - cheers

Great pics - nice to be able to see more than 10 feet either side, unlike my foray there. I'll have to do it again now!

Yip i'd go for it, i've been lucky enough to get 2 great days when i've did this walk

[londonwalker]

Hi John. A 1000 thanks for coming up an accompanying me having done now I would have been rather "uncomfortable" doing it solo. I said on FB I have been waiting 2 years for the right weather ti coincide with one of my trips. How glad am I that I had the patience

I was thinking on the drive down the glen in the morning how the pinnicles looked slightly more crazy that morning than ever before.

I take it all back about the girlie hills, even your "hard as nails" new girl Ginette (dreadlocks and tats) could get up their.

You afre a diamond geezer

Hoping to add a few more pictures from the day

JC the man of many colours

downclimb Am Bodach

[Johnny Corbett]

It was a pleasure Andy, one of the best days i've had on the hills.Some good photos added and thanks for the invite

[dogplodder]

What a superb, stunning but ever so slightly scary day!

[2manyYorkies]

Weather a million times better than when LondonWalker had to put up with me on Challum and Chabhair in March gales. Greetings to you Andy if you're picking this up!
I think your walk on AE must have been the day I was over on the Black Mount. Stunning day all round, great pictures.

[old danensian]

I should stop reading reports of Aonach Eagach - each time I do the sense mounts that I should go back and do it again - and again.

Glad you and Andy enjoyed it.

I was on the other side of the glen behind Bidean - on Sgor na h Ulaidh that afternoon and the bristling ridge in the evening sun looked marvellous - mind you, I didn't set off until nearly two so had no anxieties about the early clouds - they were long gone.

OSD

[Johnny Corbett]

What a superb, stunning but ever so slightly scary day!

Thanks, the start of the pinnacles was the dodgy bit for me. There is a bypass path wich i went first time i did the ridge and that also was the dodgiest part that day

Weather a million times better than when LondonWalker had to put up with me on Challum and Chabhair in March gales. Greetings to you Andy if you're picking this up!
I think your walk on AE must have been the day I was over on the Black Mount. Stunning day all round, great pictures.

Thanks

I should stop reading reports of Aonach Eagach - each time I do the sense mounts that I should go back and do it again - and again.

Glad you and Andy enjoyed it.

I was on the other side of the glen behind Bidean - on Sgor na h Ulaidh that afternoon and the bristling ridge in the evening sun looked marvellous - mind you, I didn't set off until nearly two so had no anxieties about the early clouds - they were long gone.

OSD

Cheers, i don't think you could get bored doing it again and again