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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!
- Heading up
- 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.
- 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.
- Route up to Stob Na Doire
- 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!
- Glen etive looking stunning
- Looking over to schiehallion
- Looking down to the devils staircase
- 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,
) 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)
- 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
- 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.
- Down glen etive
- The mighty Ben Starav
- Looking over to Sgreamhach and Bidean
Back along the ridge, I discovered a second wind! The pull up Stob Coire Raineach seemed easy.
- Final munro Stob Coire Raineach
The views from the top where breath taking.
- Looking down glen coe into loch leven
It was just turning 6 when I started looking for the way down into Lairig Gartain.
- No path
- Start of the path
- 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.
- My route