Mamores barbecue: 10 Munros & 7 tops on a very hot day

[Mal Grey]

This is an epic report that has everything! Superb pictures, a tale of hardship, daft illustrations, a ridiculous number of hills and a pub. What more could we ask for!?

[dogplodder]

That was superb reading.... but why have I now got a raging thirst?

[peregrino]

Great report, fantastic pictures! That same day I was on Aonach Eagach and was enthralled by the views of the Mamores, so much so that I finally fired myself up to do the walk the next day. The heat, the views, the elation, the thirst - I had it all the next day. Would have been nice to meet you, though, as I really like your reports.

[Alteknacker]

Brilliant report, I felt some exhaustion myself just reading it!.

Great photos - and very useful, for me, to see good shots of the entirety of this route. I'm hoping to get back to the Mamores within the next year or so - first time back there since my wife's last Munro walk with me, in 1993!

Tim

Thanks HMHT. I'm glad the detail was useful, because I deliberately tried to get shots of pretty well the whole route, looking both forwards and backwards in many cases, and to give the bearings of the views, precisely so that anyone who wanted to could really follow the terrain on a map and compare it with the pics.
Definitely hills worth repeating I would say - either because of the views, or because of the character of the hills themselves, especially Stob Ban.

Hi Alteknacker, you may remember me from Ben Achalladair/Bridge of Orchy some weeks ago ...

Cracking effort and the extra ascent and km by doing BM twice must have been a right pain, we only got 9 of the 10 done last summer. If it's hot up there you literally can't get enough water on board (ditto SGS). Looks like this route is a few km longer than starting/finishing in Glen Nevis and your point on the WHW road is noted, nothing worse when you've got 30km plus in your feet already !

Sure I remember you after our long chat .
It was indeed extremely annoying doing BM twice, not least because it was due my besetting sin of thinking I don't have to check the map. I seemed to be doomed to Sisyphean repetition of all my navigation faults.... .
As regards liquid, as per my answer to Mancunean's question above, I reckon I drank at least 8 litres....

Fantastic report and an epic walk

We'll in

Stob ban just looks fantastic doesn't it

Thanks. Yes, I really was blown away by Stob Ban; and subsequently reading other WHRs it seems to have the same effect on most people who see it for the first time.

Another epic - fantastic!! Definitely a bit of doubling up of photos from the meager 4 that I managed the following day Wonderful hills though aren't they!

You must have the best CEO ever

Thanks - truly a great set of hills.
I mentioned your comment to the CEO, and - quick as a flash - she replied: "... and she's good-looking too!"

[Huff_n_Puff]

What a wonderful experience - congratulations on an epic trip and a brilliant report. Yes mountains move the soul in a way it's impossible to describe - a bit like some music, your photos get very close though Thanks for sharing and no, I'm not envious at all

[past my sell by date]

Just reading your brilliant report makes me feel exhausted!
I have vivid memories of this area. In the "good old days" one could drive up to Mamore Lodge and park for £2.
In around Feb 2003 I took my (quite new) lady friend up "your" path to Eilde Mor but then L to the unnamed point at 1062m : the ridge North to Binnein Mor was in cloud - the one W to Na Gruagaichen clear. After lunch we walked along the clear ridge and over the peak, but it didn't seem right It's well known that the corries S of the Mamores are grassy - those to the N stony, and as we descended the compass was pointing N - Yes ! the "bastard" cloud had moved ridges - To recover, I dragged her up steep neve gullies , crossed a col and we returned to Mamore Lodge in darkness and pouring rain I'm suprised she ever spoke to me again! - but we're still together - and I still never look at a map or compass until I'm totally lost

[Alteknacker]

Congratulations on another epic marathon and a brilliant report. I love the Mamores and enjoyed reading about your day but felt relieved that we have done a number of the Munro's so I won't have to do them all togethor

Thanks CC. I suspect that once retired (only a few months away, and counting down...) I will feel less constrained to do as much as I can in a single day .

Fantastic day you had for it. Cracking photos....

alyg95.
It was indeed a fantastic day, though I could have wished it had been a tad cooler! Any merit in the photos has next to nothing to do with me and everything to do with the place.

Looks great. The only thing putting me off doing them in a oner are the out & backs which mentally are a killer at times.

I know what you mean, but in practice these are not too bad - compared with, for instance, those on the Glen Etive East ridge route. The real killer in this instance was the unnecessary climb on the out to and back to Binnein Beag .

.... Did the walk from the north instead but don't recall much in the way of bogs. Hardly saw anything in the wind/rain/clag though - mind you, that may have been an advantage when you see some of the drops to the side Really must try to go back sometime to see some of the views so well captured in your photos ! - cheers

Yes, I read your report afterwards, and RES-PECT for continuing to the bitter end!!! I could certainly recommend it for the views, and fully expect to be up there again before I hang up my walking shoes .

Congratulations AK, that's an awesome effort even by your standards. Rarely done from Kinlochleven and the hot weather must have been a trial in itself. A great report to read and a cracking set of photos with which to remember an outstanding day and a great achievement.

Thanks for the kind words Dav. I have to say that I was pretty knackered at the end of the day - the heat really was a bit of a trial at times. But most definitely worth it for the views (not to mention the Brocken spectre ).

What an epic day. Agree Stob Ban is very striking but also Binnien Mor seen from the west. And a pretty dazzling inversion too for the early part of your walk.

Yes, it was a great day. And it's always inspiring to see an inversion, especially if it's accompanied by one's first Brocken Spectre!

[Alteknacker]

This is an epic report that has everything! Superb pictures, a tale of hardship, daft illustrations, a ridiculous number of hills and a pub. What more could we ask for!?

Thanks Mal. Certainly I think that a short sojourn at an establishment of cultural, architectural and historical distinction is a fine end to a good day in the hills .

That was superb reading.... but why have I now got a raging thirst?

Many thanks DP. If I managed to communicate even half the thirst I felt on the way back from Sgurr a'Mhaim then I'm not surprised you got a raging thirst!!!

Great report, fantastic pictures! That same day I was on Aonach Eagach and was enthralled by the views of the Mamores, so much so that I finally fired myself up to do the walk the next day. The heat, the views, the elation, the thirst - I had it all the next day. Would have been nice to meet you, though, as I really like your reports.

Thank peregrino. I look forward to more harrowing descriptions of the thirst torture in your WHR! And yes, it would have been good to bump into one another. It's always reassuring to meet up with other like-minded folk, who don't think you have a screw loose because you like wandering in the hills....

What a wonderful experience - congratulations on an epic trip and a brilliant report. Yes mountains move the soul in a way it's impossible to describe - a bit like some music, your photos get very close though Thanks for sharing and no, I'm not envious at all

Many thanks. Yes, the music analogy is spot on. And I'm happy if the photos gave an even quarter way reasonable impression of these fine hills on an exceptional day.

.... I dragged her up steep neve gullies , crossed a col and we returned to Mamore Lodge in darkness and pouring rain I'm suprised she ever spoke to me again! - but we're still together - and I still never look at a map or compass until I'm totally lost

Thanks for the kind words PMSD. It's reassuring to learn that others make daft navigational mistakes too (although in my case, it seems to be only when I'm on my own.... ). 45 odd years ago I also dragged a very attractive young lady up various hills, including a September snowstorm on Snowdon; and we too are still together!!!

[steven65]

Quite awesome Alteknacker A mammoth day out. I ( lightweight ) only managed 3 of my planned 4 Mamores, which was just as well as Oskar injured one of the pads on his N/S front - well he does have 4 leg traction . A visit to the vet on the Friday and he was fine albeit with an anti-inflammatory injection, he`s to take it easy for 2 weeks so he wasn`t with me yesterday in Glen Dessary bagging the Sgurr na Ciche trio.
Re tights - I didn't think anything at all about it at the time. However, after reading your TR I couldn't help but think of Mel Brooks 90`s spoof movie - Robin Hood - Men in Tights
I think a Superman T-shirt would have been more appropriate given the massive route you took on on such a HOT day , it was nice to catch up on the hills and chat - gave me a chance to catch my breath up !!

[portinscale]

Great report. I was interested in your comments about using a tent because I did that last year as I didn't think my legs had enough left in them to do the traverse in a day - see my walk report. Interestingly the extra weight wasn't too much of a problem. Including your clothing you are not really carrying more than you would for a winters day and you don't have to go down at the end of the day. it is an immensely satisfying experience sleeping high on a mountain.

[BobMcBob]

Epic! You need to slow down, you're going to run out of mountains at this rate I did the Ring of Steall on a very hot day a few years ago and that nearly did for me, I don't know how you managed all ten in a day, respect.

[malky_c]

Typical - all of the Mamores is a bit soft for you so you add a funny way out to Binnein Beag on just to make things a bit tougher . Looked like a fantastic day out - if perhaps a bit warm for all of that exertion

[Sunset tripper]

Brilliant pictures Altenacker and an epic round . I think I would have been bailing down into Kinlochleven for a beer far earlier
They are great hills and I,m down there often usually going in from Glen Nevis. I was there on thursday also and I was planning on doing a great looking route up Sgurr a'Mhaim that jmarkb had suggested but decided to leave that for just now. I crossed the wire bridge over the Nevis then immediately crossed the burn from the Steall Falls. I find it easier to cross further down than up by the waterfall and if you then follow the Nevis upstream you miss a lot of the bogginess nearer the falls (normally ) Later on that day I reckon I may have passed you going the other way, and spoke briefly to you on The Devils Ridge. Here is a picture I took which has a time on it of 4.35PM on Thursday 25th may 2017. I had just crossed the ridge and was looking back.

Thanks ST. For sure, if the pics are any good, that has nothing to do with me and everything to do with the environment.
I've never tried getting up to the hills on the South side of Glen Nevis via the Glen itself, have survived (just) a descent of the Glen path once .

I'm sorry, but I just can't remember who I bumped into on The Devil's Ridge - and I suspect it's not just old age. I was feeling pretty dehydrated, and focused on getting back to my water supplies! At 4.35pm I was just getting back to the bealach before the turn off to Stob Ban - actually pretty close to the location of your pic. When we spoke, I hope what I said was both coherent and polite!!

I'm not surprised you cant remember. I did less than half of your route and found it long enough. I guess I remember because you were the only person going in that direction at that time of day. At the time I had assumed you had started late and Sgurr a'Mhaim was your first hill of the day.
Cheers

[Alteknacker]

Quite awesome Alteknacker A mammoth day out. I ( lightweight ) only managed 3 of my planned 4 Mamores, which was just as well as Oskar injured one of the pads on his N/S front - well he does have 4 leg traction . A visit to the vet on the Friday and he was fine albeit with an anti-inflammatory injection, he`s to take it easy for 2 weeks so he wasn`t with me yesterday in Glen Dessary bagging the Sgurr na Ciche trio.
Re tights - I didn't think anything at all about it at the time. However, after reading your TR I couldn't help but think of Mel Brooks 90`s spoof movie - Robin Hood - Men in Tights
I think a Superman T-shirt would have been more appropriate given the massive route you took on on such a HOT day , it was nice to catch up on the hills and chat - gave me a chance to catch my breath up !!

Sorry to hear about Oskar, but glad to hear he seems to be recuperating!

Yes, shorts over tights look really stupid (my brother wears the same), but I find them quite practical - protect the rear end if you slip - so continue to wear them - it doesn't disturb me 'cos I can't see myself

And yes, excellent to catch up

Great report. I was interested in your comments about using a tent because I did that last year as I didn't think my legs had enough left in them to do the traverse in a day - see my walk report. Interestingly the extra weight wasn't too much of a problem. Including your clothing you are not really carrying more than you would for a winters day and you don't have to go down at the end of the day. it is an immensely satisfying experience sleeping high on a mountain.

Thanks portinscale. Just read your report, which is brilliant, and really captures what I think I'm missing on 1 day trips! I have slept out on summits, so I that's probably what's nagging away at the back of my mind.

Your packs look absolutely miniscule - you must have a highly efficient kit list!!!

Epic! You need to slow down, you're going to run out of mountains at this rate I did the Ring of Steall on a very hot day a few years ago and that nearly did for me....

On the contrary, it feels like I'm going to run out of legs first .

Typical - all of the Mamores is a bit soft for you so you add a funny way out to Binnein Beag on just to make things a bit tougher . Looked like a fantastic day out - if perhaps a bit warm for all of that exertion

I wish I could attribute the detour to something other than stupidity

It was indeed a fantastic day out - the views at the back end of the afternoon especially were to die for; but it would have been even better had the temperatures been nearer 10 degrees!!

[tombombadilio]

I sit soaking up sun and views. For the umpteenth time, I ponder the perfect pleasure of being in this environment; and for the umpteenth time come to the same conclusion: it is simply not explicable, nor can it be adequately articulated in prose. The reality of the experience is always so much more than words can capture. Any attempt to communicate it seems to be reduced to pointing and saying, "look, isn't it marvellous?". And one's interlocutor either gets it, or they don't. Whatever, I feel privileged that an accident of fate meant I was introduced to the hills at an early age.

Well that's a cracking bit of prose in itself, Alteknacker! My sentiments exactly.

Oh, also, cracking post/pics etc, obviously! Researching this for a mid August jaunt.