Stob Ghabhar and Stob a'Choire Odhair

[seamus0]

From Bridge or Orchy, take the road west from the hotel. This small road looked as though it's been recently re-surfaced, as the road was in good condition. It runs past Loch Tulla to your right, passing the Inveroran hotel. Park at the Victora Bridge car park, just before the bridge. Walk across the bridge and take the path to your left, just before the forest lodge, heading west.

Forest Lodge-Start of Walk

The path follows the Abhainn Shira. unfortunatley we saw a dying Stag. We wernt sure what to do under these circumstances? We presumed the laws of nature would take course.

Stag

After 20-25 mins you will see the Clashgour hut, a small tin bothy. At this point take the path heading north. This track is quite mucky in places, and well worn.

Track to Stob a Choire Odhair

Follow this path, you will see a large waterfall just beside the Aonach Eagach.

Waterfall

You should also see the route up to Stob a'Choire Odhair which zig-zags up its ridge. Take this path, past the ford (253447). it heads up the ridge quite steeply at first, and eventually starts to level off after 1/2 hour.

Track up the ridge of Stob a Choire Odhair

At this point the terrain becomes more rocky (and snowy!). Keep heading up, and a small cairn marks the top. Great views of Rannoch Moor and the surrounding hills were seen from here, although the wind chill was biting!

Rannoch Moor

Summit of Stob a Choire Odhair

Head west towards the bealach between Stob Ghabhar and Stob a'Choire Odhair for a well deserved lunch, a path is available to follow. From here the route of Stob Ghabhar looks quite intimidating and steep.

Bealach and Stob Ghabhar

However, the closer you get to it, the easier it looks. Keep to the path, which heads towards the Coirein Lochain, and turns southwards going straight up the face of Stob Ghabhar. It isn't really a scramble, but it does require some steadying with hands in places. The path heads up the face, and should present no difficulty.

Route up North face of Aonach Eagach

If you look closely, you can see people on the pic above to give u an idea of scale. Eventually, the path will lead you to the top of the Ridge, the Aonach Eagach.

Beginning of AE ridge

Follow the ridge in a westerly direction. It will quickly become apparent that it narrows quickly, and looks exposed. However again, looks can be deceiving. Once you are on the ridge, there is plenty of path to make your way over it, and the exposure at either side shouldn't cause a difficulty if you concentrate on the path and not the exposure. There are no moves that are exposed and in no time at all, the ridge is over. Bit of a shame really, as I was expecting something more sinister. It reminded me a bit like Striding Edge in Helvellyn, except not as long.

start of ridge

Views along ridge

Again, the pic above gies an idea of scale with the people in it.

Coirein Lochain

After the ridge continue up the broader ridge to the top. From here we saw fantastic views of the hills around Glencoe and further afield.

Towards Glencoe

Looking out westward from the summit

We even saw the sea it was that clear! After 15mins of admiring the view, we headed back down the broad ridge SE, and followed the metal fence posts for a while, eventually making our way back down, back to the path, tracing our steps back.

Route back down following posts SE

Back down to snow-free territory

Full Moon

All-in-all a very enjoyable day with fantastic views from start to finish, the first of the winter snow, and a bit of excitement on the mini-me Aonach Eagach!

[mountain coward]

How sad about the stag - I don't suppose there is anything you can do. It would have really spoilt my day though. But that's what guys get when they fight!

Thanks for those pics and route description - very timely as I'm thinking of doing Stob Gabhar at the weekend (but not the Aonach Eagach)... The pic showing the ridge out to the west from the summit is particularly useful as I need to go along that to get 2 tops and a Corbett

[seamus0]

MC, yeah we did think about who you should call, whether the estate would be interested or not. But then again they cull stags anyway, so we left it. I would really recommend the ridge, it isnt exposed enough to cause wobbly leg syndrome and is a good ridge starter. I dont like exposure and I found it ok and really glad i did it.

[mountain coward]

It's not the actual ridge I would worry about as it does only look like a milder version of Striding Edge - but I had a look at that really steep clamber up to it from the col between that and SaC Odhair and that put me off really... But I'm happy just to trog up the SE ridge (where you came down?) as then I'm going along the western ridge and will be coming back down somewhere quite a way along the valley...

[seamus0]

Yeah that would be the way to do it if not doing the AE, head up the SE. The clamber up the face looks bad from a distance, and i did think twice about it. But the path on it is a good path, and wouldnt really call it scrambling going up it just a bit of a leg burner for a bit. I was tempted to go across the ridge to Sron a ghearrain but the light was going....thats for another day!

[monty]

Nice one Seamus, Your pictures and the snow make the ridge look pretty dramatic. It was clear when I was up there a few weeks ago. Excellent walk.

[Oldman]

Good report!!! Not only entertaining but informative in your description of parts of the walk and in some of the photographs. I always research my walks as thoroughly as possible and read all the reports together with the Walkhighlands description. I have looked at these two hills but wondered about that airy ridge - I'm not as young as I used to be - but thanks to your description and the picture with people on the ridge giving it perspective it doesn't look so bad so I'll soon be giving it a respectful go. Ta much.

[seamus0]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm a bit like you I like to research my walks first. I try to give as much information in my write ups that I think I would want to know if I was doing the walk, I take the photos with that aim also, so that you could take the report as a whole and do the walk armed with as much info as possible. And the ridge, you'll be fine...its good fun!

[goth_angel]

Some very nice autumnal colours there. Did the first of these in the snow and didn't have time to go on to the second.

[seamus0]

Yeah,

Im seriously considering upgrading my camera, as some if the shots look a lisstle hazy and the moon shot was blurred. anyone any recommendations? My Olympus Camedia c-770 is great for hanging round your waste, for quick shots, but not so good when u have more time on your hands and want a good lanscape photo. I Guess it will be on my santa list!