Plan A had been an introduction to Glen Affric and the duo of Tom a’Choinnich and Toll Creagach. But the Met office suggested it didn’t look great, so plan A soon got shelved.
Plan B was Sgurr a’Mhaoraich. Weather looked ok and the bonus was I could afford a slightly later start time. So it was 5 a.m. that I was off and on my way up the A82, stopping off at Fort Bill for a tasty Donkey and egg McMuffin meal from a well-known fast food outlet




So that led me to plan C. At that point though I didn’t actually have a plan C


I’d often considered this hill, but never got round to it. Now was the perfect opportunity. And so I found myself heading back south and eventually parking up at one of the small parking areas close to the start of the walk. A later start than I had planned for plan B, but as this is only a short walk all would be good.
Personally I like to investigate a walk in advance of doing it. I like to feel like I already know the hill and the surrounding area before I arrive. It leaves me feeling uneasy if I’m contemplating a walk I either don’t know already or haven’t investigated. I was a bit rusty on Garbh Bheinn, so was onto walkhighlands to get the low down on the hill and the route I would be taking (I had also stopped to purchase a map of the area too, even though it is in essence a straight up and down type of hill).
Perhaps it was the lack of preparation, but I wasn’t overflowing with enthusiasm at the start. For pretty much the whole of the walk up I would be looking for any excuse to head back to the car. Despite that fact though (and the occasions when I stopped to navel gaze and try to dream up excuses) I kept putting left in front of right, in front of left, in front of right………….heading onwards and upwards

And this little hill gives great views too………….of the Pap, down the length of Loch Leven to Ballachulish and beyond


The initial section of the walk was pretty boggy, but eventually I was standing at the base of the serious climb up Stob Coire Sgoilte. I tried to persuade myself to jack it in here, but the feet kept moving onwards and upwards

First set of crags. Did that with no problem.
Then the short trip to the next set of crags.
Easy.
Then the 300 odd feet to the top of Stob Coire Sgoilte.
A bit of a slog, but done in no time.
All that was left was a short scrambly bit and a final 300 odd foot walk to the summit opf Garbh Bheinn.
The little scrambly bit is probably easy without snow. It’s probably easy with snow, but just as I hit it the wind picked up and we had another of those snow showers

And there I was on the final slog to the top

And here I could enjoy the views


Blackwater reservoir and the wasteland of Rannoch Moor

The Mamores


The Pap and down Loch Leven to the west

Oh yeah, and the cloud even lifted off the Aonach Eagach to give some wonderful, snowy views of the notched ridge

That was a view that was to accompany me all the way back down


I spent quite a while on the summit, just enjoying the unexpected views, given the cloud that had appeared to hang over the hill up until that point. As plan C’s go this one had turned out quite alright
And to top it off, having got back down to the car I stopped off on the way home for a posh coffee and perhaps the best slice of chocolate cake I have had in a long while

Happy days



