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Perfect winter day on Buachaille Etive Beag, Glen Coe

Perfect winter day on Buachaille Etive Beag, Glen Coe


Postby HighlandSC » Sun Apr 04, 2010 7:34 pm

Route description: Buachaille Etive Beag

Munros included on this walk: Stob Coire Raineach (Buachaille Etive Beag)

Date walked: 02/04/2010

Time taken: 5 hours

Distance: 6 km

Ascent: 730m

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Date - Fri 02/04/10
Hills - Stob Coire Raineach [Buachaille Etive Beag], Glen Coe
Route - Standard route from car park on A82. Retrace steps from summit back to start.
Weather - Perfect. Blazing sunshine. Blue skies. Not a drop of wind.
People - Me
Time - 5 Hours (includes several generous breaks)
Distance - 5.7km
Ascent - 730m
Max Altitude - 925m


I'd wanted to get back out somewhere in Glen Coe for a while and I'd been eyeing up Buachaille Etive Beag for a few weeks. Intended to go last Saturday but with all the cloud forecast I went east to Lochnagar (that's another story and a retreat 1.5km from the summit - too windy to walk! - still a good day though). With Friday forecast to be a stunner I hoped it possible to get to Buachaille Etive Beag - the issue was the avalanche forecast. With the recent dump of snow and windslab aplenty I was very wary. An alternative Corbett/Graham plan was devised as backup and I'd decide when I got there on the day.

Upon arrival it was clear that the slopes I'd be on didn't pose a high risk, so plan A was on :D I decided I'd get up on to the ridge and take it from there. Once there I decided I'd just stick to ascending Stob Coire Raineach. Stob Dubh looked steeper, and bigger unbroken patches of snow (although not all that bad). The ridge looked a bit daunting to a winter newcomer like myself (with a bit of a cornice/ledge too...), and the summit looked plastered in snow. I guess it was all probably okay because 3 seperate pairs of walkers did go up in the time I was on the hill. Still, I didn't want to push my limits, especially when out solo. Besides...who cares about bashing on up to another top - as good as I'm told it is - I was more than happy with my choice and boy am I glad I decided to dive into winter adventures this year..... this day showed me what it's about.....I'll let the pics say the rest :D :D :D

...plus a couple of short videos - these show just how calm a day it was.


Stob Coire Raineach (Buachaille Etive Beag) - Route Export.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts



Stob Coire Raineach (Buachaille Etive Beag) - Walk Profile.jpg


Stopped just down the road from home for a snap of sunrise at Loch Ness
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The Three Sisters - pic taken from the layby near the waterfall. Stopped here to get a good look at my target hill and was pleased to see it windscoured and asking to be ascended.
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Car park on A82 - nobody there when I arrived. I started walking at 8:45am.
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Buachaille Etive Beag
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Aonach Eagach Ridge
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Stob Coire Raineach (Buachaille Etive Beag)
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Deer
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Chopper flying over Aonach Eagach
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Buachaille Etive Beag - first top of Stob Dubh on right. It was a little chilly on the ascent - I was spurred on by the thought of soon basking in the sunshine upon hitting the ridge.
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AInKhiD9U0[/youtube]

Bidean nam Bian
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Me (on Buachaille Etive Beag)
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Nearly on to the ridge (top of Mam Buidhe). A joy to have the sun on my face.
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Stob Coire Raineach
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NE ridge of Stob Dubh
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Buachaille Etive Mor (North tops)
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South tops of Buachaille Etive Mor [left] & Stob Dubh (Buachaille Etive Beag) [right]
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Stob Dubh [Buachaille Etive Beag]
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Bidean nam Bian
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Aonach Eagach Ridge viewed from summit of Stob Coire Raineach (Buachaille Etive Beag)
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Ben Nevis viewed from summit of Stob Coire Raineach (Buachaille Etive Beag)
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Ben Nevis viewed from summit of Stob Coire Raineach (Buachaille Etive Beag) [zoomed]
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Blackwater Reservoir
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South from Stob Coire Raineach [Buachaille Etive Beag] toward Loch Etive
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Bidean nam Bian
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Looking NW over Beinn Fhada to Loch Leven. Sgorr nam Fiannaidh (Aonach Eagach) on right.
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Buachaille Etive Beag - Stob Coire Raineach summit
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Buachaille Etive Beag - Stob Coire Raineach summit (looking toward Stob Dubh)
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Aonach Eagach (left) & Ben Nevis (right)
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Lairig Gartain
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The centre of Buachaille Etive Mor
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Summit of Stob Coire Raineach (Buachaille Etive Beag). Aonach Eagach ridge on right.
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Stob Dubh [Buachaille Etive Beag] / Bidean nam Bian
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Panorama of Buachille Etive Mor (taken from Buachille Etive Beag) Click here to open LARGE version http://www.flickr.com/photos/highlandsc/4486245275/sizes/o/in/set-72157623766378768/
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Full Panorama from summit. Click here to open LARGE version: http://www.flickr.com/photos/highlandsc/4486895098/sizes/o/in/set-72157623766378768/
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7Ml_K_6y7k[/youtube]

First top of Stob Dubh [Buachaille Etive Beag]. 2 people in centre
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Look closely and you can still see 'em
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A glance back as I begin the descent
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Stob Coire Raineach [Buachaille Etive Beag]
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Last look at the Aonach Eagach
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Returning to the car park. Finished at 2pm. Gave me plenty of time to mull around the area for a while, scope out some plans for the future, and grab something to eat.
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=======================================
Took a few other pics in the area:

Stob Dearg (Buachaille Etive Mor). Went to scope out Curved Ridge….possible future excursion…..one day. Whilst sitting in the layby here it was almost a constant stream of cars heading toward Glen Coe, with all passengers and the odd driver necks twisted in full on mountain ogling mode.
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Aonach Eagach from the roadside
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The Pap of Glencoe [Sgorr na Ciche]. Pic taken from outside "Crafts & Things" Coffee Shop - they do a great bacon roll.
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Commando Monument near Spean
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Ben Nevis and surrounding mountains
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One of my best days out yet :D 8)
Last edited by HighlandSC on Tue Jun 23, 2015 3:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Stob Coire Raineach [Buachaille Etive Beag], Glen Coe

Postby Milesy » Sun Apr 04, 2010 9:29 pm

What a cracking day it looks like! The panoramas are especially brilliant. 8) They would make good canvases :)
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Re: Stob Coire Raineach [Buachaille Etive Beag], Glen Coe

Postby Stretch » Sun Apr 04, 2010 9:53 pm

Nicely done sir, great pics of some of my favorites, Bidean and Ben Starav. Wish I could have made it Friday, my attempt at a walk on Saturday ended because of low visibility - made up for it today though.

I'm looking into one of those Nokia 5800's and the Viewranger software, perhaps I'll pick your brain about it soon.

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Re: Stob Coire Raineach [Buachaille Etive Beag], Glen Coe

Postby David.Ferguson » Sun Apr 04, 2010 10:02 pm

Gorgeous pictures HSC.Need to wait till Wednesday till my time out.Does not look like i will get weather like you,2 day route with camping if weather ok.Fingers crossed.Got one of the proporta gubbins like you had mentioned,great with the Nokia 5800.

Cheers

David.
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Re: Stob Coire Raineach [Buachaille Etive Beag], Glen Coe

Postby sid0995 » Sun Apr 04, 2010 11:34 pm

Cracking report Scott. One for the suit in coming months!
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Re: Stob Coire Raineach [Buachaille Etive Beag], Glen Coe

Postby Graeme D » Mon Apr 05, 2010 10:34 am

Great report HSC - love the shot of Starav looking mean!
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Re: Stob Coire Raineach [Buachaille Etive Beag], Glen Coe

Postby monty » Mon Apr 05, 2010 12:01 pm

Fantastic set of pictures HSC. Scotland in all its glory. You had perfect weather for the day :D
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Re: Stob Coire Raineach [Buachaille Etive Beag], Glen Coe

Postby kevsbald » Mon Apr 05, 2010 1:08 pm

Good man. You had a brilliant day, Scott. Photos are superb and I'm sure you thoroughly enjoyed your day out.
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Re: Stob Coire Raineach [Buachaille Etive Beag], Glen Coe

Postby HighlandSC » Mon Apr 05, 2010 7:44 pm

Thanks all. It was definitely a fantastic day 8)


Milesy wrote:They would make good canvases :)

Funny you mention that, I was looking at http://www.snapfish.co.uk/ the other day (they are affiliated with Flickr and links all over it), some of the canvases and other products look quite cool. I'm sure there's many other similar services. Wouldn't mind doing something with a selection of my pics in the future.


Stretch wrote:I'm looking into one of those Nokia 5800's and the Viewranger software, perhaps I'll pick your brain about it soon.

No worries. If we get out together sometime I'll show it working.


David.Ferguson wrote:Got one of the proporta gubbins like you had mentioned,great with the Nokia 5800.

Aye they're fantastic. I notice I only get 3 recharges on my N97 (used to get 4-5 with the N96). But then the N97 battery seems to last a lot longer. Do you get somewhere in the range of 3-5 full charges for the 5800?
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Re: Stob Coire Raineach [Buachaille Etive Beag], Glen Coe

Postby mountain coward » Tue Apr 06, 2010 2:49 am

You really need to go and do Stob Dubh - it's a superb peak - by far the best of the 2 - I don't think you'd actually have had any problems on it even in snow (although I've only done it in summer) but I actually found it easier than Raineach! Love the pic with Stob Dubh on the right and looking towards Ben Starav and Loch Etive!

LOL to the 'odd driver' looking towards the peaks through Glencoe - I've never managed to drive down that bit looking at the road! I'm surprised there aren't many more accidents! My passengers however spend quite a bit of time looking at the road for me :lol:
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Re: Stob Coire Raineach [Buachaille Etive Beag], Glen Coe

Postby HighlandSC » Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:32 am

Fear not, I’ll definitely be back for Stob Dubh. Yeah it didn’t look particularly difficult once you’re up on the ridge, but add in a winter newbie, poorly bonded snow, and I started pondering all that might go wrong. I’ll be back :D

I turned into one of those drivers myself going back along the road, neck creeking back fixed on to Curved Ridge….definitely gave a couple of cars going the other way a moments cause for concern! :o
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Re: Stob Coire Raineach [Buachaille Etive Beag], Glen Coe

Postby BertvdBeu » Tue Jul 06, 2010 6:46 pm

Hi there

thanks dropping some comment to the trip report of our walk on Buachaille EB last June.
Your pics of the winter - scenery makes us longing for more Scotland.
But booking a flight in advance will always be the problem: no one can predict the weather.
And last June we were very lucky with the blue skies !
You had a nice day too in April, very challenging going up in the snow.
Have a nice stay ther soon !

Cheers Lucie & Bert
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