FInishing off the Black Mount witha scramble

[nathan79]

August bank holiday weekend (for those south of the border anyway) gave me the opportunity to meet up with Morecambe Monkey for what would be only my 4th and 5th new Munros of the year.
Had my eye on Stob Ghabhar and Stob a'Choire Odhair for many moons, intrigued by the other aonach eagach. A check in my copy of Scrambles in Lochaber revealed a grade 2 scramble to be had as an alternative to the regular route.

Pre-7am set-off had me parked up at Victoria Bridge next to the monkey mobile a little after 9. Midges lurking so it was bags on and yomp away.

Beautiful wander along the fine track up to the turn off at the wee mountain hut.

Gaiters on by the hut in anticipation of a boggy stretch to the base of Stob Ghabhar. Target 1 shadowed by cloud at this stage, but the forecast suggested this would change.

A little boggy and wet but all-in-all a decent path up to the point we had to cross over the allt-Taoig to make our way past the smashing looking waterfall on the way up.

Very bonny spot where you hop over the burn, would be a lovely spot for a dip at the end of a hot day out.

Pat hops the water

The route would take us up the right side of the waterfall then north to the base of the scramble. Not too steep, pleasant enough going. Bog level not even too bad, but after a spell of rain I expect it'd be no fun at all.

Top section of the waterfall

Lovely bed of mossy stuff and no shortage of sun dews. Delighted to come across these, even if I'd left my better camera at home.

round-leaved sundew

At the base of the scramble 2 hours after leaving the car park. SIt down for a snack and book check then it was onward to the rock.

NIce and grippy to start with, but typically the first of the day's showers came minutes into the fun stuff, Some tricky route finding, but the option to bypass was always there if necessary.

jackets off

Jackets on

Jackets off again

Showers would be a feature for the next few hours, but it was dry when we topped out the scramble. Good views of the undulation ahead, no sight of the wee exposed bit yet.

A quick chat with a guy waiting for his gal on the way up the loose path up from the bealach and it was onward, over the exposed bit. No photos of this section for some reason, think I was just focussed on getting to the summit for lunch!

Touching the cairn of Stob Ghabhar in no time. SOme lovely views to be had, especially down into Coirein Lochan.

Stob Ghabhar summit

Break long enough to have lunch and cool down enough to have to don some more stuff, TIme to get a shift on and head down to the bealach below Stob a'Choire Odhair.
Easy enough to find the path down thanks to a couple of marker cairns.

A quartet of people on their way up. Deep sympathy for the girl who was there having taken up her brother on his offer of some bank holiday weekend Munros. Little did she know she'd be crawling up scree! Saw her group at the summit in the distance so she made it okay.

Pleasant stroll across the bealach. An abundance of frogs hopping to and fro, some of which were tiny. Had to bother one for a pic.

Feeling pretty beat on the ascent to the day's second summit. The cloud had gone and the sun was beaming, that didn't make things any better.

False summit, false summit, false summit, false summit, SUMMIT! At last.

Savoured the wave of summit elation as I took in the views.

Over to Rannoch Moor

Stob a'Choire Odhair summit

Having elected to do this pair in a clockwise direction, we were left with the descent down genlte slope and good path.
Good view over to the morning's ridge ascent and the scramble.

Hopping more sundews, more wee frogs and wee were soon back on the track by the mountain hut. All was looking splendid in the evening light and it was almost a dissappointment to get back to the car.
Time to de-boot and head home. Pat northward bound ahead of aSunday in the hills, me homeward to Fife.

23.8.2014 Stob Ghabhar and Stob a'Choire Odhair.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

Thank you Stob Ghabhar and thank you Stob a'Choire Odhair.

[old danensian]

With all that alpine exercise that must have been a doddle, although nothing can prepare you for the midges at Victoria Bridge.

I was once with someone who nearly refused to get out of the car having driven up to do Stob Choire Odhair from Warwickshire via Glasgow. They were that bad we saw a couple trying to fold their tent while walking along the road to get away from the little blighters.

And I see you've been picking up some continental eating habits with the photo of the frog.

OD

[Morecambe Monkey]

Monkey mobile,i like it. You could well have found a name for the van at last!
Was a cracker of a day out & the scramble was a real bonus.

[Silverhill]

That looks like a fun alternative route for these two! Another thing added to my ever growing to-do list

[londonwalker]

Nice report Nathan, I think I shall do these hills as you just described. thanks for the info. I trust you and the wee monkey are keeping well

[londonwalker]

Nice report Nathan, I think I shall do these hills as you just described. thanks for the info. I trust you and the wee monkey are keeping well