Into The Mamores - Stob Ban & Mullach nan Coirean

[SecretSquirrel]

A late change of plans saw my alarm going off at 5:30am on Sunday morning and heading up the A82 to Fort William and Glen Nevis. There was more traffic about than I would have expected at that time on a Sunday morning, but it was an otherwise uneventful drive up.

I was passing through Glencoe as dawn was breaking and just had to stop for a quick photo of the Big Bookil ...



I made good time on the drive up and was in Glen Nevis, parked at Achriabhach just after 8am. Quickly booted and I was off soon after. I followed the road a short distance, passing the Polldubh Falls car park, before turning right through a stile/gate and up the Allt Coire a' Mhusgain Glen.

Looking back to Polldubh


The very craggy sides of Stob Ban's northern ridge


Heading up Coire a' Mhusgain, fording a small but very fast flowing burn


The Allt Coire a'Mhusgain


A quick breather for a photo op looking back down the Glen


Sron Sgurr a' Mhaim


Reaching the head of the coire, views open back to Fort William


Eventually, the awesome view of the days first target is in sight ... Stob Ban


The walk up the Glen had been accompanied by the almost constant bellowing of Stags. It sounded like there was a lot of compettion as each call incited replies more agressive than the previous. Starting the climb up Stob Ban, I heard a particularly intense call just ahead of me and managed get a picture of this guy peeking out, before he took off ...



Stob Bhan


The route up is steep, but easily walked with only a little hands-on


The route up has great views back to Ben Nevis and Sgurr a'Mhaim


Stob Choire a' Mhail


Down below, the WHW from Kinlochleven


Beinn a'Bheithir


The top comes as a surprise, being reached quicker than expected, Stob Ban summit cairn


View to the next target ... Mullach nan Coirean


Ben Nevis


Sgurr a' Mhaim


Looking towards Fort William and the loose descent down Stob Ban


Looking back up after the descent of Stob Ban


Heading for the first quartz cairn on the ridge leading to Mullach nan Coirean


Reaching the cairn with Ben Nevis providing the backdrop


The rocky ridge of Coire Dearg's headwall


The rockiest section has a bypass path on the left, but the rocks are very grippy and fun


Continuing to follow the corrie rim


Looking back to Stob Ban


Cairn on the rim of Coire Dearg and in the background, Sgurr a' Mhaim & Stob Ban


Mullach nan Coirean


Beinn a'Bheithir and Loch Linnhe


Elaborate cairn on the summit of Mullach nan Coirean


I stopped for lunch at MnC's cairn and met Danny, another solo walker. We continued the walk together and followed MnC's eastern ridge down by Coire Riabhach, through the forestry and back to Achriabhach. (If you read this Danny, many thanks for the company and I hope you had a safe journey home).

The fantastic October weather with a stunning location and scenery made this my best hill day yet for 2016.

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Stob Ban & Mullach nan Coirean Photo Album

[Cairngorm creeper]

I am fascinated by the Mamores but have yet to go up any of them Enjoyed your report and photos, looked a brilliant day.

[Huff_n_Puff]

Enjoyed that, you got some great weather, the photos are great. Like CC I've never ventured into the Mamore, something that must be rectified soon, thanks for the temptations

[teaandpies]

I done these on Sunday. I have an almost carbon copy report (unpublished)

The weather, stags even similar picture descriptions.

It's a decent day out. That boggy bit at the end caught me by surprise. I wore shorts and got covered in stinky mud

[SecretSquirrel]

I am fascinated by the Mamores but have yet to go up any of them Enjoyed your report and photos, looked a brilliant day.

Thanks CC. Its definitely worth a visit. The views are amazing.

[SecretSquirrel]

Enjoyed that, you got some great weather, the photos are great. Like CC I've never ventured into the Mamore, something that must be rectified soon, thanks for the temptations

Thanks

[SecretSquirrel]

I done these on Sunday. I have an almost carbon copy report (unpublished)

The weather, stags even similar picture descriptions.

It's a decent day out. That boggy bit at the end caught me by surprise. I wore shorts and got covered in stinky mud

I've just been checking out your report, it was a cracking day. I wasn't expecting the final boggy descent either, but I managed to stay on my feet and my gaiters caught the worst of it