walkhighlands

Share your personal walking route experiences in Scotland, and comment on other peoples' reports.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

Aonach Beag and Aonach Mor

Aonach Beag and Aonach Mor


Postby gman » Fri Oct 26, 2012 2:09 pm

Route description: Aonach Beag and Aonach Mòr from Glen Nevis

Munros included on this walk: Aonach Beag (Nevis Range), Aonach Mòr

Date walked: 25/10/2012

Time taken: 6.45 hours

Distance: 16.5 km

2 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).


aonachmor 25-10-2012 actual.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts


70% chance of cloud free Munros yesterday :lol:

Left car park at 9:30 and wandered round the glen, there were a couple of Germans and a bloke from London there too. They were heading for the ring so I pointed out the impending terror of the cable bridge :D

Walking round further, I think it might be easier to cross upstream if you're doing the ring, missing out the cable bridge, falls crossing and swamp.

Got to ruined cottage and headed up towards Sgurr a'Bhuic:
Image

There's a path on the right of the burn, it disappears/reappears further up. Bit muddy but not too bad:
Image

View back down to Ring of Steall - which were clear of clag!
Image

Rockier towards to top of Sgurr a'Bhuic:
Image

Bit of a slog to get here, 963m but no Munros bagged yet. Cairn and eastern Mamores:
Image

Back down and follow the path up the shoulder:
Image

Sgurr a'Bhuic looking more dramatic from this side:
Image

Close to the edge:
Image

Sheep chillin out on the path:
Image

Now it's up and into the clag. The cloud base was about 1100m and the ridge doesn't really drop below that from here so not much chance of views:
Image

I followed the top for a while, then noticed an easier path round the side so went for that. Soon noticed that this was traversing the top so I cut off and went straight up instead, quite hard work but got to the cairn:
Image

Big round top, went onwards to the drop down to the bealach. Wasn't difficult to find despite clag:
Image

Bealach and path leading up Aonach Mor - this path is well defined and easy to follow:
Image

There had been some light hail up to this point, turned into snow as I got closer to the cairn. Another 3 walkers appeared here, they'd come up the other side and seemed to be taking rock samples.
Image

Returned on the path, looking for the point to cut off towards Carn Mor Dearg bealach. Nothing marks the spot, found it using my handy GPS :D
Image

Then went straight across to the cairn that starts the descent to the bealach. Met a couple here, we'd seen each other earlier as they were on the bridge while I was wandering up Sgurr a' Bhuic. They said the descent was pretty steep, and the path was eroded:
Image

Was a bit dodgy going down, rocks and red earth giving way as you stand on them. Looking back up:
Image

Return path from the bealach:
Image

As advised by the other couple, I kept to the right of the burn. There's a path, indistinct in places and a bit marshy at times. Nice view onwards though:
Image

The Ben:
Image

Bit bouldery here, with pools of water around too - someone has taken advantage of this and used the area as a toilet, with plenty of bog roll left around too. I would have a good look at any prospective route, to make sure there aren't any unwelcome surprises :shock:
Image

Then it's straight down to the wooden bridge:
Image

Was quite busy on the walk back to the car park, plenty of folk out for an afternoon stroll. Left about 4:30 and had a big empty road ahead of me all the way through Glen Coe till just before Crianlarich, scenery looking amazing :D
User avatar
gman
 
Posts: 827
Munros:250   Corbetts:4
Sub 2000:1   
Joined: Sep 12, 2011

Re: Aonach Beag and Aonach Mor

Postby bobble_hat_kenny » Fri Oct 26, 2012 3:35 pm

Nice report - lovely autum colours in your photos. All credit to you for avoiding the easy option of the gondola up from the Nevis Range car park, too :clap: !
User avatar
bobble_hat_kenny
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 382
Munros:238   Corbetts:43
Fionas:43   Donalds:19
Sub 2000:26   Hewitts:2
Joined: Sep 3, 2011

Re: Aonach Beag and Aonach Mor

Postby Fudgie » Fri Oct 26, 2012 3:59 pm

Thats a good effort getting round those two in that time although I think you bring your own cloud with you :lol:

Funnily enough, the time I inadvertently bumped into you at the bottom of An Stuc had me being pelted by hailstones at the top of Meill Greigh about an hour later :lol: Up to that point it had been a clear day :wink:
User avatar
Fudgie
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 997
Munros:100   Corbetts:20
Fionas:3   Donalds:7
Joined: Aug 30, 2010
Location: Port Glasgow

Re: Aonach Beag and Aonach Mor

Postby gman » Fri Oct 26, 2012 5:45 pm

bobble_hat_kenny wrote:Nice report - lovely autum colours in your photos. All credit to you for avoiding the easy option of the gondola up from the Nevis Range car park, too :clap: !

Whit, there's a gondola?? :shock: :lol:

Fudgie wrote:Thats a good effort getting round those two in that time although I think you bring your own cloud with you :lol:

Funnily enough, the time I inadvertently bumped into you at the bottom of An Stuc had me being pelted by hailstones at the top of Meill Greigh about an hour later :lol: Up to that point it had been a clear day :wink:

Ach, a bit of weather adds some colour to the walks :lol:
User avatar
gman
 
Posts: 827
Munros:250   Corbetts:4
Sub 2000:1   
Joined: Sep 12, 2011

Re: Aonach Beag and Aonach Mor

Postby pigeon » Sun Oct 28, 2012 11:03 pm

Pity you got clagged in on the summits gman,still some great views to the Mamores though,almost took the same picture as you yesterday from the walk back
anoachs and cobi abseil 089.JPG
Great time of year this :thumbup:
User avatar
pigeon
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 1489
Munros:282   Corbetts:128
Fionas:41   Donalds:40+7
Sub 2000:23   Hewitts:2
Wainwrights:1   Islands:2
Joined: Apr 29, 2010
Location: Linlithgow
Walk wish-list

Re: Aonach Beag and Aonach Mor

Postby ken reid » Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:26 pm

great report and pics thanks for posting, brings back sum nice memories
User avatar
ken reid
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 215
Munros:246   
Joined: Jun 17, 2009

2 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).




Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Becca, jamezq, litljortindan, nigheandonn, sst1 and 71 guests