Glen Etive Bunch
Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 12:03 am
Date. Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th sept 2010
Completed by. Dave, Julie and Wilson
Weather. Clear, sunny, mainly blue skies
Time. 4 hrs + ??hrs
Distance. 28.5 km
Ascent. 2833 m
Hills.
Munro’s x 2
Corbett’s x 2
Grahams x 0
Sgurr na h ulaidh, Beinn Fhionnlaidh
Beinn Maol Chaluim, Meall Lighiche
Starting from.
Druimachoish Lochetive
Another late start arrived at the start of our walk at 2.30pm much later than expected. Immediately we start, and head NE heading for Invercharnan. Once there, it’s just a case of following the track NW ish for near 2km the track should then change direction and head north prior to exiting the woods. We missed the last part of the track and headed up about ½ km to far, ended up having to climb up parallel to a burn for a bit, eventually we met the track as we exited the woods.
Our first hill, Beinn Maol Chaluim was dead ahead as we exited the woods. Soon we were climbing and gaining height fairly rapidly. The views opened up nicely, especially that of Ben Starav dominating the East side of Loch Etive.
One of the few people we met over the weekend was an older guy from Aberdeenshire, we met him and his partner prior to gaining the ridge. He had completed the munro’s many years ago and was now on the final stages of finishing all the Corbett’s (lucky man ) anyhow, they also made the same error that we made. Earlier in the woods, missing the main path and having to exit the woods the same way that we had.
Once on the ridge we headed NW for the summit for approx 1.5 km. Soon enough we reached the summit and just savoured the views for a while.
We decided this would be the ideal place to pitch the tent for the night, slightly SE from the summit was our ideal location with clear views down Loch Etive to the SSW and Bidean Nam Bian directly behind.
Come 7.30pm the wife and I were tucked up in our sleeping bags. Unheard of for both of us, to be in bed on a Saturday evening at that time.
Sunday morning and the weather was bang on the button. By 9am we had struck camp. We headed due west directly from the summit of the Corbett down to the Bealach, this was fairly tough going trying to negotiated the steep descent and avoiding the worst of the crags. No sooner had we reached the Bealach we started to climb to gain the ridge leading to Stob An Fhuarain. From the Stob there was a drop of approx 100m before climbing another 150m to the summit of . Great 360 views all over from this fantastic advantage point, was an absolute joy to be there at that moment in time. Met a lady with her 9 month auld dog at the summit, she had came up by the Allt Na Muidhe her wee Collie dog had done 28 munro’s since April.
About ½ km East from the Munro summit I dumped my big pack and the wife (she declined the Corbett) and headed NNW to bag the Corbett Meall Na lighiche. I was back in 90 mins or so pretty well exhausted, and the wife by that time was pretty well rested (bless her).
SSW we descend Sgurr Na h ulaidh. Very steep again, we seem to be making a habit of this. On reaching Caol Creran we then need to climb once more. We head up the West bound ridge up to Lochan Caorainn then from here it was the final tough push to the summit of
Beinn Fhionnlaidh. It was well on when we reached this point, was just gone 6.15pm / 6.30pm.
We had to reach the Lochan Fola soon, very soon. We really needed to reach the lochan and then get a bearing for the forest edge. By the time we reached the Lochan, and had climbed the last main hump we only just had time to get our bearing before the darkness had swallowed up the last faint outline of the forest. The Last 5km from the Lochan was a bit of a nightmare after a long day, and by the time we had reached the track at the head of the Loch our head torches were fading badly. Only another 2km NE before we reached the car.
Another long day, and the better half in none to happy with me, we still have a 3 hour drive to go and she’s working on Monday morning. 4 hrs sleep is no way near enough for her. And me, well im ok im on the nightshift.
Note.. I must replace the head torch batteries pronto.
Completed by. Dave, Julie and Wilson
Weather. Clear, sunny, mainly blue skies
Time. 4 hrs + ??hrs
Distance. 28.5 km
Ascent. 2833 m
Hills.
Munro’s x 2
Corbett’s x 2
Grahams x 0
Sgurr na h ulaidh, Beinn Fhionnlaidh
Beinn Maol Chaluim, Meall Lighiche
Starting from.
Druimachoish Lochetive
Another late start arrived at the start of our walk at 2.30pm much later than expected. Immediately we start, and head NE heading for Invercharnan. Once there, it’s just a case of following the track NW ish for near 2km the track should then change direction and head north prior to exiting the woods. We missed the last part of the track and headed up about ½ km to far, ended up having to climb up parallel to a burn for a bit, eventually we met the track as we exited the woods.
Our first hill, Beinn Maol Chaluim was dead ahead as we exited the woods. Soon we were climbing and gaining height fairly rapidly. The views opened up nicely, especially that of Ben Starav dominating the East side of Loch Etive.
One of the few people we met over the weekend was an older guy from Aberdeenshire, we met him and his partner prior to gaining the ridge. He had completed the munro’s many years ago and was now on the final stages of finishing all the Corbett’s (lucky man ) anyhow, they also made the same error that we made. Earlier in the woods, missing the main path and having to exit the woods the same way that we had.
Once on the ridge we headed NW for the summit for approx 1.5 km. Soon enough we reached the summit and just savoured the views for a while.
We decided this would be the ideal place to pitch the tent for the night, slightly SE from the summit was our ideal location with clear views down Loch Etive to the SSW and Bidean Nam Bian directly behind.
Come 7.30pm the wife and I were tucked up in our sleeping bags. Unheard of for both of us, to be in bed on a Saturday evening at that time.
Sunday morning and the weather was bang on the button. By 9am we had struck camp. We headed due west directly from the summit of the Corbett down to the Bealach, this was fairly tough going trying to negotiated the steep descent and avoiding the worst of the crags. No sooner had we reached the Bealach we started to climb to gain the ridge leading to Stob An Fhuarain. From the Stob there was a drop of approx 100m before climbing another 150m to the summit of . Great 360 views all over from this fantastic advantage point, was an absolute joy to be there at that moment in time. Met a lady with her 9 month auld dog at the summit, she had came up by the Allt Na Muidhe her wee Collie dog had done 28 munro’s since April.
About ½ km East from the Munro summit I dumped my big pack and the wife (she declined the Corbett) and headed NNW to bag the Corbett Meall Na lighiche. I was back in 90 mins or so pretty well exhausted, and the wife by that time was pretty well rested (bless her).
SSW we descend Sgurr Na h ulaidh. Very steep again, we seem to be making a habit of this. On reaching Caol Creran we then need to climb once more. We head up the West bound ridge up to Lochan Caorainn then from here it was the final tough push to the summit of
Beinn Fhionnlaidh. It was well on when we reached this point, was just gone 6.15pm / 6.30pm.
We had to reach the Lochan Fola soon, very soon. We really needed to reach the lochan and then get a bearing for the forest edge. By the time we reached the Lochan, and had climbed the last main hump we only just had time to get our bearing before the darkness had swallowed up the last faint outline of the forest. The Last 5km from the Lochan was a bit of a nightmare after a long day, and by the time we had reached the track at the head of the Loch our head torches were fading badly. Only another 2km NE before we reached the car.
Another long day, and the better half in none to happy with me, we still have a 3 hour drive to go and she’s working on Monday morning. 4 hrs sleep is no way near enough for her. And me, well im ok im on the nightshift.
Note.. I must replace the head torch batteries pronto.