Sunday with the Wee Minister, 4 in the Grey Corries

[jamesb63]

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With the days now getting shorter it meant an early start to the day so at 5am
I set off up the A80 and the destination was a day in the Grey Corries
Arriving at 6.30 it was still very dark so I had a coffee and a bit of a snooze
A taxi then went past me and continued up the rough road to the top parking area
then as I was walking up he came back down,
So by 7.45 it was now perfect so I set off up the road from Corriechoille for the
long walk and being as it was a Sunday I stopped to visit the Wee Minister

Cruach Innse up ahead

Heading round the road I noticed 2 walkers heading up the side of the forestry
onto Creag Doillich
My route took me right out along the road till I eventually came to the Bothy
I crossed the ford just past it then started my ascent of Stob Ban

Bothy at foot of Stob Ban

Stob Ban from the road leading to the Bothy

The start of the ascent has a few little boggy parts but nothing major
we were soon past these and onto the path for the final ascent to the summit
and as I had not stopped since setting out it was a a relief to get to the top

Stob Ban Summit

Looking across to Stob Coire Easain

After a couple of pics it was off on the decent north towards Stob Coire Claurigh
the descent path can be a bit awkward in bit with a lot of loose quartzite
But we were soon on the Bealach near the little lochan and heading up the ascent
to Stob Coire Claurigh

Ptarmigan near the lochan brilliant camo

Jake having a splash with the Ring Of Steall in the background

When we reached the point where the path goes into the boulders I stopped
to give jake and myself a bite to eat well jake ate his and mine
As my stomach for some reason was not feeling too great, so I just had some fluids
and the set off over the boulders ( sorry Alteknacker no camera found )
and in no time we were on the summit and the views were just breath taking
with everything in its Autumn glory

View along the ridge brilliant

Customary couple of pics and we set off along the ridge heading towards Stob a Coire Laoigh
there was a light breeze blowing along the ridge and you could feel a bite in it
Winters not far away now ,bt as we were cracking along at a good pace it was enough to keep
me cool and content with my progress

Some photos taken from along the ridge

Stob Ban

Looking back when I reached Caisteal I noticed who I assumed were the 2 walkers who got a taxi
reaching the summit of Stob Coire Claurigh
From Caisteal it was a short walk along to reach the summit of Stob a Coire Laoigh

Stob a coire Laoigh 3 down 1 to go

Sgurr Choinnich Mor

The Anochs an Nevis looking great from here

East Mamores

The Ring of Steall

I set of along to Stob Coire Easain where I left my rucksack and headed straight away
to the final summit of the day in Sgurr Choinnich Mor
The descent from Stob Coire Easain is quite straightforward just the large boulder
to navigate here and the
From a distance this look a very sharp peak and so it proved to be ,at one point on the ascent
the path is badly eroded right on the edge of a fair drop but it is easily avoided
Reaching the summit of Sgurr Choinnich Mor the cairn looks pitiful but the views
back along the whole walk make up for it And Sgurr Choinnich Mor was Jakes 70th
Munro in just 6 months

Sgurr Choinnich Mor, number 4

We headed back down and started our ascent back up to Stob Coire Easain
which strangely is is a lot easier than the descent
As we got near the top I then met the 2 walkers who got the taxi to the start
they were then going over to Sgurr Choinnich Mor and drooping over the other side
to walk out through Steall Gorge ,another taxi I assume once the get to the car park !!
I then met another 2 ladies at the cairn where I left my bag stashed and that was all I seen
on the whole route ,
All that was left now was the long walk out back to the car starting down along Beinn na Socaich
the good ground here makes walking easy and quick

View back up into the Corries

Then the drop down towards the Dam where I slipped on my A**e more than once
and as jake has not learned to walk across rounded top dam walls we headed upstream a little
to get across and over the style to start the walk through the woods
Going by the heavy machinery here I recon that major felling work will be starting soon
so really pleased to do the walk before this starts

We were soon back at the car where I managed a bite to eat (some fruit) and a drink
and then off on our journey home after another great day in the mountains

[Alteknacker]

Sorry you didn't find my camera, but glad you had a great day. It's brilliant up there, isn't it? Apart from the ridge itself, the views of the Mamores are just spectacular

[jamesb63]

Sorry you didn't find my camera, but glad you had a great day. It's brilliant up there, isn't it? Apart from the ridge itself, the views of the Mamores are just spectacular

It is a great walk ,and the views on a good day are spectacular ,I would also say that including Stob Ban
to the walk wont really add anymore time (if any ) to the route

[Petr Dakota]

Good walk James one from top of my to-do list , just waiting for the right day as I'm limited by time during week and very rare weekends free...

[jamesb63]

Good walk James one from top of my to-do list , just waiting for the right day as I'm limited by time during week and very rare weekends free...

Hi Petr you will enjoy this walk very straightforward and no great issues with it
in snow maybe take a bit longer though
The walk in at the start and the walk out are the longest part
The actuall climbing of Stob Ban and to walk the ridge is no big obstacle

[jamesb63]

A couple of extra pics I found in my phone ,Beinn na Socaich is where you drop down to from
Stob Coire Easain ,