Met up with the reat of the crew in Tyndrum arriving at our start point at about 9am. I had never been down the etive road & it is a beautifull place.
- Stob Dubh (BE Beag) to Starav
Whilst getting geared up & looking at our first target GB Mhor it seamed silly not to go over Starav first. So of we set with a why not kind of attitude. We had all told respective partners we would be home late.
- Starav & GB Mhor
- B E Beag
Off we set along the track to Coiletir crossing the bridge over the etive & follow the fence round. Headed accross the marshy bracken ground having pin pointed the path to Starav on the other side of the Alt Mheuran. This was clearly quicker than following the route nearer the etive. Oops!
Arrived at the raging torent that was Alt Mheuran & preceded to what can only be discribed as 'fannying about' in an indiscisive way going up & down, into the revien, out of the revien, higher up to look for a suitable place to cross. Eventualy we took different routes & methods. Myself & Harry choosing lower down, boots of trousers rolled up & wade across.
- river crossing
We all met up again higher up on the path, by which time some other walkers had told my pals about the bridge! At this point i was summeraly dismised from my map reading duties with no right of apeal, but hayho onwards & upwards. Cameron McNiesh discribes thie as 'a brutal ascent' & for once i agree with him. It went on & on untill we came to the boulder field & final push to the summit. From the bolder field we were in the clag so no more views.
- View back
- Starav in mist to GB Mhor
- Sky
- boulder field
Launch at the summit & then of along the narrowing ridge, which is great fun whith a few scrambly bits, but nothing serious. Down of Starav over the minor bump & up to the summit of GB Mhor.
- Ridge of Starav
- Not that way
- Summit of GB Mhor
From here we could not pick up the path. So decided with the time already taken & with the rain now on it was head for home time. Followed our compass bearing & kind of zig zaged our way down very steep grass slops brocken up by crags. Eventualy emerging safely out of the clag with the bealach on our right & the stream directly ahead.
Then a 5.5k yop through some awfull bog back to the track.
Where did the day go back to the car at 19:30 having been gone 10.5 hours. The last 3 in the pouring rain.
All in a good day though.
.
