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This hike has been two years in the making. My friend Derek and I both enjoy a hillwalk, especially if it involves bagging munros and we agreed a couple of years ago that we'd give the Aonach Eagach ridge in Glencoe a bash together at the next best opportunity. However, with us working different shifts it took two years to finally get a day when we were both available and the weather was agreeable. We had looked at Sunday but then the weather forecast changed and Saturday started to look like the day. Derek cancelled his plans to go out for a pint for a mate's birthday (sorry Ian!) and we agreed to go for it.
Our scrambling experience prior to Saturday was pretty limited so we'd be breaking our "exposed scrambling" ducks. Striding Edge and the Horns Of Alligin were about as difficult as i'd previously encountered so we were relying on eachother for moral support. However, our already fragile confidence was not helped when we stopped on our way up the hill to chat to another climber who informed us that his pal had fallen off the ridge a few weeks earlier. We were left feeling a bit silly when Derek asked the fellow how his pal was only to be told; "Deid". It turns out the chap we were speaking to was a friend of the late Stuart Thompson, a trail runner who sadly lost his life following a fall in Clachaig Gully.
The ascent to Am Bodach is steep and steady enough to keep you honest but the views down Glencoe make the effort worthwhile.
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
You get a bit of a fleg when you peer over the edge of the descent from Am Bodach but we were spurred on by the rumour we'd heard that this was the toughest section of the ridge. Let's just get this out of the way, we thought, and the rest will seem like childsplay. Little did we know!
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
One or two tricky moves later and we were at the bottom of the buttress feeling rather proud of ourselves that we'd managed what we believed would be the hardest part. As with most mountains, it looks far more difficult when you look back at it wondering "how did we get down that?" than it does when you're actually on it. However we did watch on a little nervously as another pair of hikers scuttled down it.
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
Once down off Am Bodach the walk towards the first munro top is straightforward with dramatic views to The Chancellor. We had a look at the path down to it but decided that cowardice was the better part of valour and continued along the ridge.
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
The views really begin to open up of the ridge from here though with other climbers visible climbing up the Chimney.
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
After a slightly hairy descent round to the right we reached the bottom of the chimney and, after promising myself I would not look down, I set off up as quick as I could thereby not giving myself enough time to think about it and start panicking! Derek soon followed me up.
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
From here things started to get a bit dicey. There are a number of up and down scrambles over the Pinnacles and whilst I was fine going up the way for the most part coming down felt like a struggle with the exposure. There's not much room for error as the ridge starts to narrow. We found the Pinnacles to be tougher than the descent off Am Bodach but I guess it's all a matter of personal experience and perception. Even still, there was no hiding the drama of the mountain scenery or the heart-pumping thrill of the traverse at this stage.
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
At one particularly steep, slabby section we veered round to the left to avoid what looked like the worst angle of ascent. The holds were better to the left but the exposure was more immediate especially with a portruding boulder pushing you further out to the left than you'd like. The views over to the Mamores and Ben Nevis and back east down Glencoe towards Rannoch Moor from the top of the Pinnacle were breathtaking though.
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
After one last steep, exposed descent down a rocky buttress we were able to look back safe in the knowledge that the worst of the difficulties were over. What a relief!
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
Feeling all chuffed with ourselves we were able to enjoy the ascent of the minor top which afforded wonderful views of Beinn a'Bheithir in the distance and the broad ridge towards our next munro which would have looked exciting had it not been for what we'd just done!
The greatest view was back to the Pinnacles though which looked as menacing as they did majestic from this side.
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
Untitled by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
Untitled by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
We were treated to both a flyover by the Lochaber mountain rescue team and some glorious views of the Ballachulish Narrows as we meandered down the stony path to the right, avoiding Clachaig Gully and eventually joining up with the Pap Of Glencoe Path.
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
Aonach Eagach by
Ross McGowan, on Flickr
Ridge traverse complete, we were now faced with the 7km hoof back to the start point and if we're honest neither of us were overjoyed by the prospect. We chanced our mitt and stuck our thumb out and to our eternal gratitude a delightful couple from Dijon, France pulled over and made space in their car to give us a lift. They'd just done the Pap of Glencoe and were on their way to Oban.
Overall i'd say the traverse was about as difficult as I expected it to be, no more no less. It's not a mountain you can take liberties with and I certainly wouldn't fancy it on wet rocks. It demands and deserves your respect and full concentration. But even with the fear it generates, this really is a wonderful hill. The scrambling is utterly involving, you constantly have to have your mind on what you're doing and how you're going to do it. The scenery is the most dramatic I've seen yet in Scotland. You can admire mountains from the bottom but it's only when you get up there that the best stuff shows itself.
It's certainly given us the confidence to go and try hills like Liathach next summer but i'm not going to look too far ahead just now. I'd rather just sit back and enjoy what we did on Saturday and a wee bit of me might even allow myself to feel proud!