free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Yet another pre-arranged walk via WH, yet another new face/name for me to remember (not easy when you are retired
).
My walking companion today was Catriona (cmarcol), we had arranged to meet in Perth & car share as Cat was travelling from Dundee & it was just a crawl up the M90 for me to the Park & Ride at Broxden.
After our introductions we agreed to head through in my car & after a comfort break in Crianlarich we arrived at the layby near the cairn in Glencoe just after 9am.
So we kitted up & Cat then realised she had left her poles in the boot of her car
Being a gent I did offer her one of my poles
The weather was forecast to be low cloud, humid & drizzly which would worsen after midday & was actually fairly accurate. We couldn't see a single summit in Glencoe, but being hardy soles we just romped up the path which really is just like walking up ones stairs at home, obviously a wee bit dirtier & damp around the edges
It must have taken some amount of time & construction to create the path, one thing it made descending very easy & pretty rapid
Due to the low cloud I didn't take many photo's, so don't expect a photo feast
After we left the car park we headed up the path which came to a fork so Cat checked her phone & we headed left uphill, that was the only time we needed to utilise the technology, maps were not required at all
We were following a chap uphill who was walking at about the same pace but he was probably about 5 mins ahead, so we tried to keep up & at the bealach we all turned right & headed up Stob Dubh. There were a few false summits but the climb was straight forward & fairly easy going.
As we eventually reached the summit the chap we had been following was sitting comfortably & I instantly recognised him (David), we had met on Sunday on Gulvain - what a small world
So after a wee chat David joined us & we headed back down to the bealach & then up Stob Coire Raineach. The path up was a bit more eroded & a wee bit steep in places & I had made a mental note that it would be fun when descending
- Looking back to the car park
- Cat trying to smile
- Looking across the ascent of the Aonach Eagach
- Summit cairn on Stob Dubh, room for growth
- Example of the path on Stob Dubh in the clag
- Looking down through the clag to Lairig Gartain
- Stob Coire Raineach a brief break in the cloud
- Lunch on the summit of Stob Coire Raineach
Once on the summit of Stob Coire Raineach it was perfect timing for lunch, however the midges & other insects appeared out of nowhere & decided to interfere & make the lunch break a bit quicker than we wanted
The descent down Stob Coire Raineach was interesting, there seemed to be umpteen paths and it was then a matter of path selection, not something I am used to as my speciality is losing paths
Once down at the bealach the descent from there was rapid, looking back we didn't stop at all on the descent, drinking on the hoof
We arrived back at the cars in 4 hours, Cat was really impressed and came to the conclusion that she is fitter than she thought
Nice to meet David, from Liverpool who I advised to register on here, he confessed to being one the hundreds of lurkers in the background, have a safe journey back down south mate
Don't forget next time you are heading north (next year) give us a shout, someone will no doubt keep you company
Another great day, was much easier than I had expected, next port of call PUBLIC TRANSPORT, something I am not very familiar with
Corrour on Saturday, bring it on