Man flu & the wrong way on the wee bookil

[kev_russ]

I've only just recovered from the worst man flu in a while. For those men who understand what this viral illness can do. It can sap the soul from a man, impair cognitive memory & thinking and just make you feel crap. With this in mind Saturday was looking a braw day for a walk. The plan originally was to head east but with the cloud filling in later our best option was to go west. I suggested to my pal Steve the wee bookil so we headed for Glencoe. He asked if I knew where to park & I was like aye I have an idea. I have a map & GPS so will find the layby on the A82 nae bother! How wrong was I

As fellow walkers will understand usually in my experience the hardest part of the walk is the start, knowing the right direction to set off. It usually helps to pick the right start I felt okay apart from a sore throat and the sniffles as we were suited & booted.

A beautiful morning in Glencoe:
Buachaille Etive Beag 003 by kev_russ, on Flickr

Our route ahead:
Buachaille Etive Beag 002 by kev_russ, on Flickr

Heading for the bealach
Buachaille Etive Beag 004 by kev_russ, on Flickr

The bealach:
Buachaille Etive Beag 006 by kev_russ, on Flickr

As soon as I saw Glen Etive in the distance It dawned on me that we came up the Lairig Gairtain. Parked at one layby too early. Decided to turn it into a circular walk. Even though various guides say park by the large cairn & follow the sign for Lairig Eilde, I still managed to convice myself we were heading in the right direction by following the sign for Glen Etive. Yup man flu does mince yur heed!

We headed on in a North Westerly direction up the grassy slopes of Stob Dubh & then a pretty steep pull up over the scree to the summit ridge.

Grassy slopes:
Buachaille Etive Beag 008 by kev_russ, on Flickr

Glen Etive:
Buachaille Etive Beag 10 by kev_russ, on Flickr

Stob Dubh & Ben Starav:
Buachaille Etive Beag 12A by kev_russ, on Flickr

Scree:
Buachaille Etive Beag 017 by kev_russ, on Flickr

Views opening up:
Buachaille Etive Beag 018 by kev_russ, on Flickr

Bidean nam Bian:
Buachaille Etive Beag 021 by kev_russ, on Flickr

Over to the Ben:
Buachaille Etive Beag 24A by kev_russ, on Flickr

Glen Etive again:
Buachaille Etive Beag 025 by kev_russ, on Flickr

The ridge:
Buachaille Etive Beag 028 by kev_russ, on Flickr

Over to Beinn a' Chrulaiste & Blackwater Reservoir:
Buachaille Etive Beag 29B by kev_russ, on Flickr

Met a guy who came up from the Glen Etive side who took oor pic. Cheers if your on this site.
Buachaille Etive Beag 033 by kev_russ, on Flickr

The Big Bookil:
Buachaille Etive Beag 034 by kev_russ, on Flickr

Aonach Eagach:
Buachaille Etive Beag 035 by kev_russ, on Flickr

Bidean again:
Buachaille Etive Beag 036 by kev_russ, on Flickr

The Lairig Eilde:
Buachaille Etive Beag 037 by kev_russ, on Flickr

A look back:
. by kev_russ, on Flickr

The ridge:
Buachaille Etive Beag 040 by kev_russ, on Flickr

Decided to leave Stob Coire Raineach for another day as the man flu was affecting us both.

A last look back:
Buachaille Etive Beag 048 by kev_russ, on Flickr

[rockhopper]

Braw day for it, kev - very clear views Must've been some bout of "man flu" to keep you from the short hop up to Stob Coire Raineach Can remember also approaching via Lairig Gartain - didn't go as far west as you but went up the hillside to the bealach between the two munros instead - cheers

[scottishkennyg]

Great photos there Kev, hopefully the walk will have shifted the last of the virus out the system..Cheers K

[kev_russ]

Cheers guys aye my mates knee was playing up abit so another reason to leave Stob Coire Raineach. I'll get it done when I do the big bookil. Maybe throw in a wild camp like your braw report a few years ago Rockhopper

[dbogosian]

Loved the photos, and a nice report. I was there recently, went up the Lairig Gartain but then down to Glencoe and back around via Glen Etive for my loop. Then the next day I did the Wee Bookil on its own, approaching from its western flank on the standard route. So it's great for me to see half of both my walks combined in yours.

So when you ascended towards Stob Dubh from the bealach, there was no path or anything? You were just traversing the mountainside on your own recognizance? How difficult was it going up the scree?