free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
So I've been on a Corbett voyage in recent months, but sometimes you miss the delights of rarefied air above 914m
Added to which, Sick Kid was stuck at work again, so I decided to take in Stob Garbh, a Top of Cruach Ardrain. Back up to Crianlarich for 8.30. It was a colder morning than yesterday, car registering -2 degrees at road level. Parked up at Benmore Farm and decided to use the track up past Ben More to access the hill - seemed a nicer route than trying to get there from Glen Falloch. Set off along past the farm, disturbing a number of sheep who trotted up the hill track ahead of me. Nice to have company
Made it along the the "footbridge" which has seen better days - just as well Sick Kid wasn't with me, she'd have had one of her puleeries at the crossing. Then headed up roughly along the fence line, eyes constantly drawn to the pretty twosome of Ben More & Stobinien over to my left. Took the easiest line up to Stob Coire Bhuidhe, which was steep going. Snow was powdery and soft, rarely deep. Ben More looked great, a dome of mist clinging just above its top, the fearsome gully running down the West face of it. Got to the summit of Bhuidhe as the sun was gleaming from behind Stob Garbh - looking at the bumps and crags on this hill, it seems aptly named. Picked up the outline of a path under the snow that led up Stob Garbh, with Cruach Ardrain looking impressive over to its right. I could see the sunlit top of Ben Lui emerging from a sea of cloud inversion over to the west, soon to be joined by other summits poking through. Sat at the top of Stob Garbh enjoying the views with a coffee - a perfect wintery morning, hardly any breeze. A cracking hill this one, well worth doing on its own. The route up to the summit of Cruach Ardrain looked exciting from here too, though that wasn't on the agenda today.
Track from Benmore Farm, Stob Garbh up in the distance
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23weasels, on Flickr
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23weasels, on Flickr
"Bridge"
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23weasels, on Flickr
Route up along the tree line to the bealach
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23weasels, on Flickr
Stobinien
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23weasels, on Flickr
Mist in the valley
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23weasels, on Flickr
Ben More with a cap of mist
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23weasels, on Flickr
The twins
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23weasels, on Flickr
Stob Garbh
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23weasels, on Flickr
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23weasels, on Flickr
Cruach Ardrain
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23weasels, on Flickr
Path up to Stob Garbh
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23weasels, on Flickr
Ben Lui
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23weasels, on Flickr
Falloch Hills
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23weasels, on Flickr
Beautiful Ben More
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23weasels, on Flickr
View back to Stob Coire Bhuidhe
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23weasels, on Flickr
Crouching Lion - Cruach Ardrain
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23weasels, on Flickr
Stob Garbh
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23weasels, on Flickr
Summit of Stob Garbh
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23weasels, on Flickr
Looks an exciting route up
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23weasels, on Flickr
I had a think of what to do next. It was way too early to pack up and head home and I didn't have any time to be back by today. I had wondered about driving over to Killin and climbing Creag na Caillich but an alternative came to mind - Meall na Dige, my remaining Stobinien Top - would be a fair bit of a wander but would mean I could just head over from here with no need for a vehicle interlude. Let's go
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23weasels, on Flickr
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23weasels, on Flickr
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23weasels, on Flickr
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23weasels, on Flickr
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23weasels, on Flickr
I retraced my steps down Beinn Garbh then headed down into Coire Buidhe, subverting the need to go back up over Stob Coire Bhuidhe. Disturbed a young deer who raced off down to the river. I got there somewhat more slowly and crossed just where the stream coming down from Bealach-eadar-dha-Beinn flows to join Benmore Burn. I'd been up this route before and knew what a steep slog it was, never mind after having ascended to almost 1000m already. It was slow going and the weather deteriorated, clag coming in and views disappearing. I was still roasted from my exertions. Got to the bealach and stopped for a bite to eat at around 12.30. No-one in sight - I'd thought the hills might be quite busy today, but other than one set of footprints climbing up Stobinien there was no sign of life.
Oh no - have to go up there!
P1050245 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Towards summit Stobinien
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23weasels, on Flickr
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23weasels, on Flickr
I set off up the Stob, pausing at around 1000m to put on the jaggy shoes -although the snow was still powdery there was a fair bit of ice on the rocks beneath. Slogged my way to the summit, with the sun glowing through the mist then began my walk over to Stob Coire an Lochain. A group of 3 or 4 folk had been out this way already, so left a trail in the snow. Just before the summit of SCaL I headed steeply down east over a snowy flank. I tried to keep as much as possible to the areas where the snow had been blown thin by the wind as there was the potential for avalanche from this aspect. The snow seemed stable however. Got down to a bealach at 890m and started to climb up again to the knobbly peak of Meall na Dige - unfortunately clag still prevented much in the way of views. Got to the cairn and paused for thought. I could go over Bealalch na Frithe and either contour round the north side of Ben More or make for the road through the forestry plantation but neither really appealed. Groaning, I did the sensible thing and set off back over Stobinien.
Follow the wall from the bealach to Meall na Dige
P1050250 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Summit cairn, Meall na Dige
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23weasels, on Flickr
Tired Weasel
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23weasels, on Flickr
The 300m of re-ascent were painful and laborious but eventually I got to the cairn on Stobinien again. Yay - no more uphill! I kept my crampons for quite a while, as the path up to the bealach was coated with ice in many places. Made it back down to the track as the light was fading and got back to the car rather the worst for wear at about 4.15pm.
View over to Stob Garbh
P1050255 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Ben More
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23weasels, on Flickr
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23weasels, on Flickr
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23weasels, on Flickr
Stats
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23weasels, on Flickr