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Grey Corries and the Aonachs

PostPosted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 12:08 am
by Wanderlust
For a little while now, I've been thinking about doing a bit different that what I'm used to doing in the Highlands, going somewhere that I can combine a classic ridge-walk with a high-level camp, and this route that I chose seemed to fit the bill perfectly.

So after taking the train up to Tulloch Station and staying a few nights at the Staion Lodge (and doing some of nearby hills), on Tuesday 25 May, I took the morning train down to Spean Bridge and from there set off towards Corriechoille and the Lairig Leachach. I arrived at the Bothy just after 1 o'clock (took me just over 3 hours from Spean Bridge) had some lunch outside the Bothy, then headed on up towards Stob Ban. Got a great view of the Grey Corries ridge, and beyond that Aonach Beag. Behind me was Stob Coire Easain (where I'd been the day before) and over to my left, The Mamores.

Descended the scree to the bealach, then walked steadily up to Stob Choire Claurigh. I got to the top at around 5.20, the views from here were amazing, could see all the way along the Grey Corries ridge, and beyond to the Aonachs and Ben Nevis. It felt so good to be up on the ridge, after doing all of the hard work in getting up there I felt that I was doing the finest part of the day's walk at the best part of the day.

The walk along the ridge itself is a belter, rocky but not scrambly, narrow in parts but not too exposed, and not losing much in height anywhere along the way. Anyway, while I was enjoying myself making progress along the ridge, I had to decide on a place where I could set up camp for the night, and I found a spot just down from the ridge at Bealach Coire Easain. Pitched my tent on a flat grassy area, close to where I could get some water, only drawback was that I was now out of the sunlight and it felt quite chilly with the stiff northerly breeze. Quickly ate some hot food then settled in for the night.

Awoke at around 7:30, crawled outside to discover frost on the tent and ice on the small pools that were my water supply. Made myself a coffee and some porridge, packed the tent away then headed on up to Sgurr Choinneach Mor, within half an hour I was on the summit. Stopped for a while to enjoy the views, then continued to the minor summit, Sgurr Choinneach Beag. It looked like quite a drop in height down to the bealach, more so when I looked at the height I would have to gain to ascend Aonach Beag.

After having some elevenses at the bealach, I contoured around Coire Bealaich then climbed up a steep, grassy gully just below Sgurr a' Bhuic, then followed a path that skirted the cliffs of Aonach Beag all the way up to the snow-covered summit. Could feel that there would soon be a change in the weather, and there was a brief snow shower on the way up. Didn't stick around too long at the summit, then pressed on to Aonach Mor and sat down for a bit of lunch. My exertions were beginning to take their toll on me and by now I was feeling very tired, it seemed like a long walk down from Aonach Mor, alongside the ski area and past the gondola and down the mountain bike tracks to the Nevis range car park. Walked to the main road, then got a lift to Fort William and found a place to stay for the night.

Overall, I feel extremely satisfied with what I'd accomplished over the 2 days, maybe I will find more places in Scotland do something similar.

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View of Grey Corries on the way from Spean Bridge

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Lairig Leachach Bothy and Stob Ban

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Grey Corries ridge from Stob Ban

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Coire Cath na Sine, Grey Corries ridge from Stob Ban

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Stob Choire Claurigh, Stob Coire Ceannain from Stob Ban

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Stob Coire Easain and Stob Coire Mheadoin from Stob Ban

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looking west along Grey Corries ridge from Stob Choire Claurigh

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Stob Coire Ceannain from Stob Coire Claurigh

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Stob Ban and view south from Stob Choire Claurigh

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Mamores, from Stob Choire Claurigh

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Stob a' Choire Leith and Stob Choire Claurigh from Stob Coire Cath na Sine

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Sgurr Choinneach Mor, Stob Coire an Laoigh, Caisteal, from Stob Coire Cath na Sine

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looking east along Grey Corries ridge from Stob Coire Cath na Sine

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ascending Caisteal on Grey Corries ridge

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looking east along Grey Corries ridge from Caisteal

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Stob Ban, from Caisteal

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looking east on Grey Corries ridge on ascent of Stob Coire an Laoigh

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Sgurr Choinneach Mor from Stob Coire an Laoigh

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looking east on Grey Corries ridge from Stob Coire an Laoigh

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wild-camp below Sgurr Choinneach Mor

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Binnein Mor, Binnein Beag, Sgurr Eilde Mor from Sgurr Choinneach Mor

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Sgurr Choinneach Beag & Aonach Beag from Sgurr Choinneach Mor

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Aonach Mor from Sgurr Choinneach Mor

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looking east on Grey Corries ridge from Sgurr Choinneach Mor

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Sgurr Choinneach Beag and Aonach Beag

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Sgurr Choinneach Mor

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Aonach Beag

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Sgurr a' Bhuic

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Ben Nevis east face

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Grey Corries ridge from Stob Coire Bhealaich

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Aonach Beag & Aonach Mor

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Aonach Beag

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"Ring of Steall" from Aonach Beag

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Binnein Mor, Binnein Beag and Sgurr Eilde Mor from Aonach Beag

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Grey Corries from Aonach Beag

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Ben Nevis and Carn Mor Dearg from Aonach Beag

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Aonach Mor from Aonach Beag

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Aonach Beag from Aonach Mor

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Ben Nevis and Carn Mor Dearg from Aonach Mor

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looking towards Loch Eil on descent from Aonach Mor

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Loch Eil, on descent from Aonach Mor

Re: Grey Corries and the Aonachs

PostPosted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 12:49 am
by mountain coward
My absolute fave Scottish ridge! :D Some good photos there (I note I took a lot of similar ones in my report but I suppose that happens a lot :D ) - particularly love your 'Ceannain from Claurigh' shot! Still can't see me ever making it up onto the Aonachs from the Grey Corries - never looked very easy to me!

We were lucky with the weather on our trip across the Corries - looked like you were too :D

Re: Grey Corries and the Aonachs

PostPosted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 7:39 am
by monty
Greta report Wanderlust,
Some fantastic pictures in good weather too . :D

Re: Grey Corries and the Aonachs

PostPosted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 10:42 am
by maddjock
great looking trip...
Wanderlust wrote: maybe I will find more places in Scotland do something similar.



without a doubt... there are hundreds of options... get the maps out and let your imagination go wild... 8)

Re: Grey Corries and the Aonachs

PostPosted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 8:55 pm
by Wanderlust
I also filmed a few video clips along the way, and here they are.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE9OUSkal1A[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4DHf77GHxY[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eAaJRuX-cM[/youtube]

Re: Grey Corries and the Aonachs

PostPosted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 9:43 pm
by Stretch
Really like your report Wanderlust, did Stob Ban and two of the Grey Corries last month with a friend and it was really enjoyable. How did you find the descent off the top (Easain) on your way to Sgur Choinneach Mor? I tried to add that one but I came to a gully about halfway down and tweaked my knee and gave up on the route. It looked steep, but I guess since you were not planning on reascending that top you had no problems.

Re: Grey Corries and the Aonachs

PostPosted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 11:04 pm
by Wanderlust
Stretch wrote:Really like your report Wanderlust, did Stob Ban and two of the Grey Corries last month with a friend and it was really enjoyable. How did you find the descent off the top (Easain) on your way to Sgur Choinneach Mor? I tried to add that one but I came to a gully about halfway down and tweaked my knee and gave up on the route. It looked steep, but I guess since you were not planning on reascending that top you had no problems.


On the descent from Easain, I tried to stay as close to the true line of the ridge as I could, there were some slabs that I had to climb down, but it wasn't too steep.

Re: Grey Corries and the Aonachs

PostPosted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 8:31 pm
by CurlyWurly
Great report and excellent photos and fair pay to mixing things up and doing the ridge and high level wild camp. Nothing beats multi day trips and wild camping. Nice one