free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
The sun was coming up behind the hills as I drove through Onich towards Glencoe.
IMG_7132 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Close up of the dawn light on Aonach Dubh and Stob Coire nan Lochan.
IMG_7135 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The early light had a magical quality. I decided to take a few minutes to look around a lovely little area - the Glen Etive road bridge over the River Coupall. Sron na Creise loomed beyond the trees.
IMG_7136 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Stob Dearg above the river
IMG_7137 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Looking down from the bridge
IMG_7141 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Autumn fungus among the trees
IMG_7124 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Stob Dearg from the nearby moorland. It was nice to be able to pick out the line of Curved Ridge, one of my all-time favourite scrambles - just left of narrow, left-hand shadowed gully below the peak. (Easier to spot if you click the maginfying glass thing on the Flickr image).
IMG_7142 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
My walk started from the car park opposite the "Beehive Cairn".
IMG_7256 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
I found that the ascent of Stob Dubh from the Beehive falls into three very distinct stages. The first part of the route is along the good path leading to the Lairig Eilde. From this path I had great views of Stob Coire Sgreamhach.
IMG_7149 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
There is a clear fork in the path, and the second stage of the walk leads off to the left to climb steep slopes. Thanks to a superbly-constructed path, I found this easy.
I had been worried about doing this walk after a lot of knee pain on Helvellyn a few days earlier. In fact, I found this ascent much less painful than the more gradual ascent from Glenridding to Red Tarn.
Surprisingly soon, I found myself at the end of the second stage of the ascent. The path levelled out and I was looking across the dip of Mam Bhuidhe. I think Mam Bhuidhe means Yellow Pass, which seemed appropriate to the rich golden colour of this grassy saddle. In the background are Stob Dearg and Stob na Doire.
IMG_7154 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
I was wondering whether to turn left for Stob Coire Raineach first, or right for Stob Dubh. The day had that "glassy" look that you get in autumn, which to me means that the weather is about to go downhill.
The map suggested that Stob Dubh would have the better views, so I turned right and went for that one first, to enjoy the views in the sunshine while I could.
This third stage of the walk to Stob Dubh was pure heaven. I followed the path easily up to the 902m bulge on the ridge, which has its own little cairn. From here there was a view forward to Stob Dubh and the Bidean nam Bian massif.
IMG_7176 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
In fact the 902m cairn itself had wonderful views in every direction - this is looking back to Stob Coire Raineach and across the valley of the River Coupall. The flat top of Ben Alder is in the centre horizon.
IMG_7184 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
To the south-east, the first few wisps of cloud of the morning were billowing up around Stob Ghabhar.
IMG_7181 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Ahead of me was the enticing path along the ridge towards Stob Dubh.
IMG_7174 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Another distant peak came into view. I think this is Ben Lui.
IMG_7192 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
About half-way along the ridge - this is the view forwards.
IMG_7187 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
And the view back...
IMG_7194 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
More distant 'blue remembered hills' - An Stac and Ben Lawers in the dip below Stob na Doire.
IMG_7246 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
A little further on, I got my first tantalising glimpse of Ben Starav and Loch Etive.
IMG_7196 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The view north from the final ascent to the summit cairn.
IMG_7199 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The mossy summit cairn came into sight.
IMG_7202 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
From the cairn I had a sensational view of the "massive massif" of Bidean nam Bian.
IMG_7207 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
This was an equally interesting view though - the remote and rarely-seen valleys to the west of Stob Ghabhar, with their regular slabs of rock catching the sunlight. The ridge at the front is part of Stob na Broige.
IMG_7209 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Buachailles Little and Large from the cairn.
IMG_7205 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Beinn Fhionnlaidh, Sgurr na h-Ulaidh and Stob an Fhuarain
IMG_7226 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Glen Etive
IMG_7213 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
More faraway hills - Ben More and Stob Binnean
IMG_7218 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The view north from the cairn. From left to right the most prominent points on the skyline are Aonach Mor, Aonach Beag, the two summits of Na Gruagaichean, Binnean Mor, the Grey Corries with Stob Coire Cluagrigh above Sgurr Eilde Mor, the twin "Easains", Chno Dearg, Beinn a'Chlachair, the Geal Charn group and Ben Alder.
IMG_7211 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
A wider view of the Glen Etive / Appin hills.
IMG_7208 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Clouds floating past Stob na Broige and the Blackmount.
IMG_7227 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
And more shreds around Bidean and Stob Coire nan Lochan.
IMG_7238 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The clouds blew past...
IMG_7243 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The sunshine now felt positively warm. I walked over to the other cairn, then went on a bit further along the ridge to some nice seat-like boulders. From here, the view into Glen Etive was even better. I sat here looking at this view for at least half an hour in total tranquillity.
IMG_7236 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Eventually I set off for Stob Coire Raineach. The ridge was just as enjoyable in the opposite direction, but as I started up Raineach, the long-expected cloud cover started rolling in over Bidean.
IMG_7248 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The more gloomy weather suited the views from Raineach. This is looking down into the depths of Glencoe.
IMG_7254 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Across Rannoch Moor, with Ben Alder and Schiehallion on the horizon
IMG_7252 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
As I set off down towards the Mam Bhuidhe bealach again, the cloud was building and the air turning chill. I felt very lucky to have seen such views in all directions, in the limpid autumn air. A brilliant route on a brilliant hill - and no knee pain at the end of it!
IMG_7251 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
