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ive had a busy few weeks, fishing, weddings and a few nights out. id sneaked in a few corbetts while travelling to and from deeside fishing, mostly finishing in the time the smc guide book give for getting to the summit. quick little hills, but i needed something more, a weekend expedition, something to test me mentally and physically. after reading klasslopts jaunt from arrochar to streap i looked at the ardgour section of my smc book. this route stood out to me, 6 corbetts streching the length of ardgour. i started planning the route and broke it down to two sections with an overnight camp. my initial distances were day 1 17km with 2000 m of ascent, and day 2, 15km with 1200m of ascent. now ive done a few big routes and thinking i was quite fit i had visions of actually completing the whole route in one big day. (how wrong was i )
i txted my daughter my route and said to contact mountain rescue if i didnt contact her by 6 30pm sunday evening, headed up to the lomond mc hut at onich on friday night. caught the 7 50am corran ferry and was on my way at 8 am saturday morning. turned left from the ferry and headed along the a861, after a few km took a right to sallachan, crossed the bridge and turned right at the gate into glen gour. walking along the south shore of loch na gabhar the first corbett of the day comes into view, beinn na h uamha.
- beinn na h uamha
after about 5km i had to cross the river and gain the south east ridge. there are no paths ( or i couldnt see any ) so i plodd up a grassy gully that takes me to the base of the outcrop stob uilt dharaich, quite rocky, but again its up little grassy gullies and a little scramble here and there before i gain the eastern ridge of uamha, two more steep and soggy plodds and im on the summit, its a pea souper of clag and i cant see a thing. i take a bearing for a little lochan to the west and head off. i round a little rocky ledge and bypass a bit of snow, after a few minutes i should be at the lochan, but i cant see it. or anything else ! i take out the map and as the mist thins i see a little rise to my left and im thinking that shouldnt be there ! spark up the gps and get a grid ref, take another bearing and eventually find the lochan. once im descending the western ridge the mist clears and i can at last see the way ahead.
- the view down glen gour from uamha
as im heading westward to sgurr a chaorainn the terrain reminds me of knoydart rugged and knarrly, its difficult to determine a route, you basically have to go with the terrain, weaving in and out and up and down the rocky knolls.
- sgurr a chaorainn
once on chaorainn i descend steeply to the bealach with sgurr na h lghinn, and ascend steeply again to the top of sgurr na h lghinn. im blowing here, the ground is soggy, there are no paths and ive got a full weekends camping pack.
- srurr dhomhnill
the cloud level seems to be around the 700m mark, but its showers and the summit views come and go with the showers. after another slog up im resting on the summit, photo taken, i head north westward down the steep snow clad ridge, its extremely slippy and as i near the bealach i meet a group of walkers on the way up. they were staying in strontain and had just come from carn na nathrach ( my next target ) after discussing there route i stick to my own and ascend the unnamed 803 top.
- sgurr dhomhuill from 803 top
- carn na nathrach from 803 top
while compiling this route i had concerns with two of the descents, this northen ridge and the descent of the northern ridge of nathrach. this first ridge proved tricky, the clag as it always does comes down when you dont want it too. im not to sure and as im looking for a way down on my bearing its too steep, i manage to find a gully dropping eastward and follow this down bearing north and westward as and when i could. its a relief when i get to the dried up lochan which marks the end of the descent. but this only heralds the start of another steep ascent. im really toiling now, slipping and sinking into the soft moss. im stopping more often than i do, i take a photo of the ridge i just come down and im glad i choose the gully.
- north ridge
i sit at the summit of carn na nathrach goosed, i make myself a cup of coffee and take some food. the views of the way ahead are clear, but ive another tricky descent and im really feeling the pace.
- coire an t searraich and the way ahead
the initial descent from nathrach is west, im trying to gain the westerly ridge over looking mam beathaig, i find the ridge, i think im following klasslopt,s route and intend following the gully down to the forrest edge. the gully becomes steeper and steeper, its not easy going down with this weight on my back and im really tired. i get to one step !! i call it a " right your here " moment, its my way of saying to myself switch on, this could go pear shaped, i get my poles dug in and get down the step. i verred out to the rockier ground on the left and its with some relief im at the riverside looking for somewere to make camp.
- druim tarsuinn and meall mor
- campsite
i make some food, have a few drams ( medicinal ) and its lights out at 9 30pm. after breakfast and packing up camp im making my way up the very soggy path into coire an t searraich, once above the trees the views open up,
- gleann an lochainn duibh
as i gain the bealach an sgriodain the clag comes down, i leave my rucsack and head upwards to druim tarsuinn. i find a cairn but take a look round to make sure the ground drops off,confirming im at the summit, return to the bealach, pick up my bag, take a bearing and head northwest, there are lots of fence post here and once on the ridge down there seems to be two sets of fences running parrallel, i stay in no mans land and as the clag lifts i follow a set of fence posts up the southern slope of meall nan creag leac, soggy and grassy as i near this top i meet the last eeijit to try this route with a full weekend pack.
- remains of the last attempt
clag comes in again as im on top of meall nan creag leac and its a bearing again to gain the eastern ridge of sgurr ghiubhsachainn.
- druim tarsuinn
- sgurr ghiubhsachain
with the little shower that passed the way ahead was clear, and after a few little tops im on the penultimate corbett sgurr ghiubhsachain. the way ahead is clear as i head of eastward to a little lochan.
- sgorr craobh a chaorainn
- sgorr craobh a chaorainn
after the lochan im on my final ascent and this seems to be the easiest of them all and the views around are stunning.
- beinn odhar mhor, bheag and beinn chaorainn
- nevis range
at last i reach the final corbett of sgorr craobh a chaorainn,
- chaorainn summit pic
i get the stove out and brew up a nice cup of coffee, and savour the views all round.
- coffee and cake on the summit
its all downhill as i head of northeast over meall na cuataige, pick up the path passed callop. i walk along the a830 to the station at glenfinnan.
- glenfinnan monument
im early for the train so i hitched a lift to fort william, got dropped off facing macdonalds, so i popped in for a big mac meal ( would have been rude not too ) and as i try to txt my daughter my phone goes dead !!! its 4pm my car is at corran and the bus leaves at 7 10 pm. i walk to the police station and inform them im ok if my daughter does call.
as im at the far end of town i try to hitch down to corran, 10 minutes later im in a bmw heading to corran, pick up my car and hot tail it back to glasgow. i plug in my phone at 7 25 pm and phone my daugher ( i had 10 missed calls from her ) she was giving me till 7 30 before making the call in case i slept in
well i wanted a big weekend and i certainly got it, and as for being a bit blas-e about this route, these ardgour corbetts put me in my place big syle