Sunshine on Stob Ban! (Mamores)
Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 5:19 pmEarly start from Dunfermline for this one, not sure how I had managed to miss this one out of previous visits to Glen Nevis but it made for a good choice for a hill walk and overnight in Fort William with friends.
With little traffic got to Fort William for just after 8.00am and caught a Bacon Roll/Coffee before heading up Glen Nevis to get started. The weather was looking very promising and on arrival at the car park at Polldubh the sun was shining and the temperature was already starting to rise quickly.
Feeling optimistic, ditched most of the cold/wet weather gear and even got shorts on for the walk, once everyone was sorted we headed for the hill path. Quite a few people in the car park also getting ready and a group or two ahead of us as well. Over the style and onto the path heading up valley along the course of the Allt Coire a Mhusgain.
The early part of the walk is through regenerating forestry, fairly good underfoot and mostly dry. Once we had gained a little height some very nice views developed.
Following the path, you leave the fenced area and the valley narrows, we missed the sharp turn uphill and continued following the burn, if we had followed the path then we would have missed the little waterfall.
The ground flattened out for a bit before rising quickly into the high reaches of the Coire Mhusgain.
A bit further up Stob Ban starts to show quite well now, towering above us with a bit of snow lying in some of its gullies.
Approaching the head of the Coire Mhusgain the path snakes up quite steeply and up onto the bealach giving some great views over the other side down to Loch Leven and the Glen Coe hills.
From the bealach the route further up the hill is grassy to begin with, the final pull up to the summit of Stob Ban is mostly scree and broken rock, this last section is quite steep.
After a short break on the Bealach enjoying the views, having a snack and a drink it was onward and upwards.
Some excellent view now of the hills and tops round about us, the cloud had cleared from the top of Ben Nevis and using binoculars it looked like it was very busy on the top with lots of walkers out enjoying their day.
We all felt the pain on the last section of the climb but once on top the view and panorama all around us was well worth it!
Time for photos and a good look around before heading back down again.
On arrival back down at the road, worth giving the falls a look!
With little traffic got to Fort William for just after 8.00am and caught a Bacon Roll/Coffee before heading up Glen Nevis to get started. The weather was looking very promising and on arrival at the car park at Polldubh the sun was shining and the temperature was already starting to rise quickly.
Feeling optimistic, ditched most of the cold/wet weather gear and even got shorts on for the walk, once everyone was sorted we headed for the hill path. Quite a few people in the car park also getting ready and a group or two ahead of us as well. Over the style and onto the path heading up valley along the course of the Allt Coire a Mhusgain.
- View looking up Glen Nevis, sun shining!
The early part of the walk is through regenerating forestry, fairly good underfoot and mostly dry. Once we had gained a little height some very nice views developed.
- View looking down Glen Nevis, starting point down below in the trees!
- Looking across to Ben Nevis, still with a little cloud on top!
- Looking up Coire a Mhusgain, a bit of tree regeneration being encouraged!
Following the path, you leave the fenced area and the valley narrows, we missed the sharp turn uphill and continued following the burn, if we had followed the path then we would have missed the little waterfall.
- Waterfall dropping into a clear pool looked appealing with the Sun beating down!
The ground flattened out for a bit before rising quickly into the high reaches of the Coire Mhusgain.
- Stob Ban starting to appear now, looking impressive!
A bit further up Stob Ban starts to show quite well now, towering above us with a bit of snow lying in some of its gullies.
- Good view of the North East Crags of Stob Ban with a little snow still lying in the gullies!
Approaching the head of the Coire Mhusgain the path snakes up quite steeply and up onto the bealach giving some great views over the other side down to Loch Leven and the Glen Coe hills.
- From the Bealach looking up, grassy still here!
From the bealach the route further up the hill is grassy to begin with, the final pull up to the summit of Stob Ban is mostly scree and broken rock, this last section is quite steep.
- Looking back down towards Glen Nevis, the path is visible as it snakes its way up to the Bealach!
- Upper slopes looking towards the summit!
After a short break on the Bealach enjoying the views, having a snack and a drink it was onward and upwards.
- View across to Sgurr a Mhaim!
Some excellent view now of the hills and tops round about us, the cloud had cleared from the top of Ben Nevis and using binoculars it looked like it was very busy on the top with lots of walkers out enjoying their day.
- Sgurr a Mhaim with Ben Nevis in the background!
We all felt the pain on the last section of the climb but once on top the view and panorama all around us was well worth it!
- Final steep approach up to the summit of Stob Ban!
Time for photos and a good look around before heading back down again.
- Ben Nevis from the summit of Stob Ban!
- Summit shot with some fantastic hills all around!
On arrival back down at the road, worth giving the falls a look!
- Lower falls at Polldubh!
