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Had a Granite City Hillwalkers meet at Kinlockleven for the weekend and had taken the Friday off to get some hills in on the way. However the forecast was dire: 10-30% chance of a cloud free Munro on Friday, followed by two less than 10% days, with rain and gales predicted! Also had a sore throat developing so was seriously considering not bothering given my recent experience on Skye. So spent Thursday night drowning my sorrows rather than packing. In the end the forecast on Friday hinted that the afternoon might be OK in the West so the bagger instinct kicked in and decided: what the hell, what’s all the wet weather gear for anyway.
Didn’t leave the house till 10:30am so wasn’t on the hill will 2:00pm. But having driven through some foul weather the sky was indeed brightening up. So togged up in full wets despite there being only a slight drizzle and set off, having found the suggested parking area just North of An Dubh Lochan. The path was clear enough to start with but soon was very overgrown with bracken and difficult to follow. Then soon came to a nice new barbed wire fence right across the intended route. Scouted around for a gate or stile but in the end just had to clamber over. Being 6’2” helps but others should be aware of this new obstacle – and having started so late I wasn’t prepared to go searching for a more accessible route.
Looking South down Loch Treig
Looking South-East across a low level Loch Treig to the Munro of Stob Coire Sgriodain
Once over the fence the path up the hill was fairly clear if very boggy. The view was to Meall Cain Dearg, the Northern guard to Stob a'Choire Mheadhoin and not the summit. But the rain soon stopped and the sun was even putting in an occasional appearance. Hadn’t spotted from the map that Loch Treig was a reservoir but the indications of the dry start to the summer were clear from the tide line around it. Unfortunately the path I followed took me well to the West of the direct route and it just petered out in boggy wilderness some way short of Meall Cain Dearg. The way up Meall Cain Dearg was clear but it is also very steep – hands needed as well as feet. And today it was slippery and boggy too. Once over this obstacle the summit was still not in view – it’s not till the next false summit a mile on that you can actually see you destination(s).
- Notice the badge? Maybe not the first WH one on a Munro but one of the first :)
After the final steepish section got to the summit around 4:15pm and was impressed with what lay ahead: Stob Coire Easain & a decent view of the Grey Corries & the Mamores. And the true nature of Stob a'Choire Mheadhoin itself became more apparent. A quick bite to eat, as few photos and onward. Half an hour latter was atop Stob Coire Easain and even better views. The low sun and clouds to the West made for some atmospheric views which my photographic skills weren't quite up to capturing.
Stob Coire Easain from the summit of Stob a'Choire Mheadhoin
Stob Coire Easain from the bealach between Stobs Easain & Mheadhoin
Another from the bealach
Looking North from summit of Stob Coire Easain at Stob a'Choire Mheadhoin
Looking West from summit of Stob Coire Easain to The Grey Corries
Then back the way I came – by the time I was atop Mheadhoin again the wind had really picked up. Probably gusting to 50mph at the top, but thankfully once I was below 900m again it some fell away. Got some nice evening light, but the sheen was taken off the day by a couple of things. Firstly after several near misses I finally succumbed to the bogginess, slipped & ended up with a wet left leg. Then after negotiating the barbed wire again I got midggied. Swarms of the little b*****, and even worse when I got to my car I found I’d left the driver’s window down – so they we in the car as well! I must have a about hundred bites – ears, eyelids, face, scalp, neck, arms, legs, wherever. Now on my second tube of anti-histamine cream!
Stob a'Choire Mheadhoin from Stob Coire Easain
Decent light at last as I made my way back to the car and the waiting midges... Full flickr set
hereAnyway MWIS 0 : Alastair 2, so not too bad a day