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Pap of Glencoe

Pap of Glencoe


Postby dav2930 » Sun Mar 27, 2016 7:47 pm

Route description: The Pap of Glencoe

Fionas included on this walk: Pap of Glencoe

Date walked: 22/03/2016

Time taken: 3.5 hours

Distance: 7 km

Ascent: 716m

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The picture below was taken on the evening of Saturday, 19th March, just a few hours after Karl and myself had arrived in Kinlochleven, where we were staying for a few days. Clearly, the Pap is a hill that demands to be climbed! :)

DSC00297.JPG
Pap of Glencoe from the grounds of the hotel in Kinlochleven


Next day we did the Ring of Steall (see TR). Monday was a rain-sodden and blustery write-off, which consigned us to the gear shops and cafes of Fort William. Tuesday promised to be slightly better but still not good; suitable, perhaps, for a shorter walk. So, not very early on Tuesday morning we checked out the skies. A ceiling of grey cloud was down over anything approaching Munro height, but the wind had dropped and we noticed that the Pap was clear. It was the obvious choice. Short drive, short walk, hopefully some views and, icing on the cake, a Graham tick. Great! :)


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When we got to the parking spot at the start the clag was down on the Pap. Oh well :? We decided to go up the direct path and down via the usual col route.

P1010418.JPG
Across Glencoe to Fionn Ghleann


P1010420.JPG
Classic view out to Loch Linnhe from lower slopes of the Pap, with Beinn a' Bheithir (pronounced 'Byn Vair') on left,


Luckily the clag had lifted off again. :)

P1010421.JPG
A foreshortened view up the Pap from somewhere not on a path


Somehow this 'direct' path seemed to be taking us too far towards the col; maybe we'd taken a right branch instead of a left one somewhere :? So we just struck off left and picked our own way up through the heather and outcrops. The rock, being damp and lichenous, was quite slippery in places.

P1010423.JPG
Across Glencoe to the big boys


It was interesting finding the line of least resistance, winding between the craggy bits. If anything, the weather seemed to be improving. The summit was clear when we reached it and the views were superb :D

P1010424.JPG
View from the summit, looking out to Loch Linnhe


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Looking up Loch Leven


P1010427.JPG
Loch Leven and Garbh Bheinn


We took the path down to the col, which turned out to be more of a scramble than the way we came up! :o

P1010429.JPG
Towards Bidean again


The weather had been better than expected, and the forecast for Wednesday was promising. So we were optimistic about the possibility of doing another Munro or three before going home. :think: The Pap had been well worth doing - so much better than another day in Fort Bill! :D
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dav2930
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Re: Pap of Glencoe

Postby ancancha » Sun Mar 27, 2016 11:59 pm

Nice opening photo 8)
Window shopping and coffee drinking in the Fort does lose its appeal quickly :roll:
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ancancha
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Re: Pap of Glencoe

Postby rockhopper » Mon Mar 28, 2016 12:15 pm

Not a bad day all in all - haven't been up here yet but really must at some point - cheers :)
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Re: Pap of Glencoe

Postby dav2930 » Mon Mar 28, 2016 9:03 pm

ancancha wrote:Nice opening photo 8)
Window shopping and coffee drinking in the Fort does lose its appeal quickly :roll:

Thanks Anc. It is a fine view down Loch Leven from that point and has the bonus of pointing west to the sunset!
Don't think I could have survived another day of café-crawling in the Fort :lol:

rockhopper wrote:Not a bad day all in all - haven't been up here yet but really must at some point - cheers :)

Cheers RH. With hindsight we probably ought to have done something more substantial, but the Pap is well worth the effort for a short day or maybe a summer evening. :)
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