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The Buachaille's

The Buachaille's


Postby jac the lassie » Sat Aug 08, 2015 12:02 pm

Munros included on this walk: Stob Coire Raineach (Buachaille Etive Beag), Stob Dearg (Buachaille Etive Mòr), Stob Dubh (Buachaille Etive Beag), Stob na Bròige (Buachaille Etive Mòr)

Date walked: 07/08/2015

Time taken: 10 hours

Distance: 20.92 km

Ascent: 2553m

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Guardian of glen coe

Fancied a bit a challenge so was looking at doing Buachaille Etive Mor, having had a good look at it from Bidean a few weeks ago.

I read a few reports but rockhoppers one doing both Mor and Beag stuck in my mind. I'd see how the day was going first though.

It started poorly. I slept in and didn't get up to glen coe till 9.30 ( I normally like a much earlier start) and it was raining and claggy. Ewww. Never mind, a challenge awaited!

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Heading up

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The path up


Passed a french girl struggling on the way up. She was just giving up about to head back down. Felt really bad for her, knackered and not even a good view for her efforts. :(
I continued as the clag was beginning to clear a bit. The rain had finally stopped, just before the final pull up to the ridge. Gets a bit scree infested towards the top. Perfectly manageable though. Finally nipped along the last bit of ridge to the top.

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Trying to clear on Stob Dearg


Lovely views over rannoch moor through the clouds. Thought about hanging about for it to clear, but decided to continue and hope for a better view on the rest of the ridge.

The ridge is very straight forward but it's quite a pull up onto Stob Na Doire then Stob Coire Altruim. Even looking at my map I underestimated the drops between them.

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Route up to Stob Na Doire


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Route up to Stob Na Broige


Before Altruim, I caught up with a lovely couple, who's names I embarrassing didn't get. We were all really enjoying the views, now that the clag was cleared. The views down etive where stunning!

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Glen etive looking stunning

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Looking over to schiehallion

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Looking down to the devils staircase

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Looking over to Bidean Nam Bian


I still hadn't decided on Beag. The weather was perfect, but looking down into Lairig Gartain, it was a hell o drop down then climb back up.

After a few summit pics (not of me though, I'm allergic, :lol: ) we started heading down. Back to Coire Altruim then down the path. I got my poles out to preserve my knees. It's a steep path made of those knee crushing boulders. Slow and steady, plenty of hands on rock towards the bottom of the path too. Scrambly fun.
Near the bottom I decided to go for Beag. It was still early and days this nice are few and far between this summer. Said goodbye to the couple (pretty sure they thought I way crazy/mental)

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Looking up to Buachaille Etive Beag


At a wee cairn I headed up. There's a sort of path that's there, then not. Boggy either way. 45 mins later I was on the ridge and heading towards Stob Dudh

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Route up to Stob Dubh


I was going a bit slow at this stage but that gave me plenty time to take in the amazing views.

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Down glen etive


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The mighty Ben Starav


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Looking over to Sgreamhach and Bidean


Back along the ridge, I discovered a second wind! The pull up Stob Coire Raineach seemed easy.

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Final munro Stob Coire Raineach


The views from the top where breath taking.

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Looking down glen coe into loch leven


It was just turning 6 when I started looking for the way down into Lairig Gartain.

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No path


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Start of the path


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Proper path


Glad I still had the poles out as the boggy ground had me sliding everywhere. Bambi on ice till I hit the path. After this it was an easy daunder back along Lairig Gartain to the the road, the following the boggy path along the road to Altnafeadh. Back in just under 10 hours. Fantastic day. :D

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My route
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jac the lassie
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Re: The Buachaille's

Postby jamesb63 » Sat Aug 08, 2015 12:50 pm

Well done and some lovely pictures :clap: :clap: ,after the clag and rain I had only hours earlier
its nice to see what I missed :lol: :lol:
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Re: The Buachaille's

Postby AbbsFooty » Sun Aug 23, 2015 9:19 pm

This is an amazing report! I absolutely loved it, thank you for sharing
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Re: The Buachaille's

Postby jac the lassie » Sun Aug 23, 2015 9:30 pm

Thank you abbs! :)
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Re: The Buachaille's

Postby litljortindan » Sun Aug 23, 2015 9:49 pm

Rannooch Moor, Starav, Schiehalllion, Loch Etive all excellent pictures!
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Re: The Buachaille's

Postby katyhills » Sun Aug 23, 2015 9:52 pm

Lovely report and great pix - that was an epic day! The weather certainly didn't look promising so you were bold to keep going, and it really paid off. :D
I was lucky enough to have two beautiful days when I did these two walks - separately though! I felt the same with that first minor top after Stob Dearg - for me, that was the worst part of all the ascents. The little Bookil is often overshadowed by it's grander brother, but I think it's a lovely walk in it's own right.
Love the pic of Starav - I still have that one to do but I think it'll keep till next year. :)
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Re: The Buachaille's

Postby Alteknacker » Sun Aug 23, 2015 10:42 pm

Smashing report, and some excellent pics - I particularly like the one of Starav (is it zoomed???).

I did more or less the same route last June, and loved it, especially the views: Bidean; Rannoch; Glen Etive.... wonderful.

I also found the slog up from Lairig Gartain quite a drag - I recall it took an unconscionable time to get up on to the ridge, and I started further up the Glen (less ascent than you!). Weren't you temped just to drop straight down from Stob na Broige and then up to Stob Dubh???
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Re: The Buachaille's

Postby Gordie12 » Sun Aug 23, 2015 10:49 pm

Good effort to do these 4 in one go - definitely two days for me!!

Some great photos and good to see the views from BEB as I couldn't see more than a few yards when I did it.
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Re: The Buachaille's

Postby jac the lassie » Sun Aug 23, 2015 11:15 pm

Thank you everyone! :D

Yip ben starav was zoomed Alteknacker. I didn't even consider trying go straight down. Ground looked impossible to my eyes, but I'd left my glasses back at my van, so my distance vision was very impaired, :lol: :lol:
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