walkhighlands

Share your personal walking route experiences in Scotland, and comment on other peoples' reports.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

Pap of Glencoe – Walk between failure and success

Pap of Glencoe – Walk between failure and success


Postby Beekeeper » Wed Oct 27, 2010 9:23 pm

Route description: The Pap of Glencoe

Fionas included on this walk: Pap of Glencoe

Date walked: 30/09/2010

Time taken: 5 hours

Distance: 9 km

Ascent: 780m

Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

It was our first time in Glencoe and we thought the Pap will be a nice opening. The weather on the 26th was brilliant, warm and sunny. So Mrs. Beekeeper and me have a early start from our cottage in Glencoe village.
Up to the col the path was a steep but pleasant walk with some fine views. The sight of the final ascent on the dome makes my wife looking scary. She is a wee bit afraid of heights and doesn't feel very comfortable in scrambling but she loves to be on summits to enjoy the views. We go on to climb up the last part to the Pap. The path was rocky and strenuous to walk and Mrs. Beekeeper do her best, but half the way it looks very difficult to continue. The rock were quite steep and going further seems to be a serious scramble. After a look in the face of my wife :shock: I decide to break up he walk and go back and I was annoyed about the walk report. In my opinion the walk was grade 4 with tricky scrambling and not grade 3 as indicated on the report.
Back on the col we have a rest with a cup of tea and if we are sitting there, the rush hour is starting. Lots of people coming up the path and heading on to summit, including a family with children around 10 years old. All of them seems to have no problems to go up. What a shame! The report on Walkhighlands was right it was me making the fault. :oops:
On the way back there were all the time thick black clouds over my head and the following days I can't see the Pap without feeling a deep anger.
The 30th was our last day at Glencoe and it was clear what we have to do. Walk the Pap again! The weather wasn't as good as the first try but good enough for a hill walk. To the col again it was a good walk and interesting to see the same way in different weather conditions.
The ascend on the dome began and we were a bit excited how it will be. F..., half the way the same situation as the last time steep rocks and no way. I can't believe what's happen again. :crazy:
After a short distance back I have a look around and surprisingly behind a rock a wee bit hidden was a little cairn marking the ongoing path to the summit. Happy to find the right way we continue the way up. This final part of the ascend was a hard work for Mrs. Beekeeper. It was steep and the fine views down to Loch Leven gives a good feeling of height and makes her scary. But she do her job very well and both of us enjoy the great Views from the Summit.
In the end the walk on the Pap was a successful day out and we remember now this Graham as a fine mountain and not as a fiasco. :D

The Pap from Glencoe Lochan
Pap_0.JPG

The walk up begins
Pap_1.JPG

Little burn on the way
Pap_2.JPG

Pap_3.JPG

View to Glencoe in different weather cnditions
Pap_4.1.JPG

Pap_4.2.JPG

Glencoe Village and Ballachulish from the way
Pap_5.JPG

The dome of The Pap
Pap_6.JPG

Deer crossing the col of the Pap
Pap_7.JPG

Loch Leven from the height (dedicated to Mrs. Beekeeper :wink: )
Pap_8.JPG

The Summit :D and it's views
Pap_9.JPG

Pap_10.JPG

Pap_11.JPG

Pap_Panorama.jpg
Last edited by Beekeeper on Sun Oct 31, 2010 10:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Beekeeper
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 42
Munros:17   Corbetts:12
Fionas:8   Donalds:3
Sub 2000:9   
Joined: Aug 7, 2010
Location: Berlin, Germany

Re: Pap of Glencoe – Walk between failure and success

Postby skuk007 » Wed Oct 27, 2010 10:14 pm

Well done for not giving up, bet you're glad you made it on such a good day. Cracking views and great photos to remember your day. :)
User avatar
skuk007
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 1419
Munros:44   
Hewitts:8
Wainwrights:16   
Joined: Aug 24, 2009
Location: Bristol

Re: Pap of Glencoe – Walk between failure and success

Postby Beekeeper » Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:09 pm

Well done for not giving up, bet you're glad you made it on such a good day.

Yes, I was happy to get the chance to do the walk again.
Always when I saw the Pap in that time I feel a grumble in my stomach because I want to now how was my mistake. A short step in the wrong direction led us in a dead end. In the end it was so silly.
User avatar
Beekeeper
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 42
Munros:17   Corbetts:12
Fionas:8   Donalds:3
Sub 2000:9   
Joined: Aug 7, 2010
Location: Berlin, Germany

Re: Pap of Glencoe – Walk between failure and success

Postby mountain coward » Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:24 pm

Love one of those photos of Loch Leven... I got some photos very similar to the other ones when I was up there. I know what your wife means about the feeling on the summit - I wasn't keen either as it felt what we call 'airy'! But the path up is okay providing you find it, which eventually and happily, you did :D
mountain coward
 

Re: Pap of Glencoe – Walk between failure and success

Postby Beekeeper » Sat Oct 30, 2010 2:37 pm

...I know what your wife means about the feeling on the summit - I wasn't keen either as it felt what we call 'airy'!...

Thanks from Mrs. Beekeeper :wave:
Its good to know that she isn't alone with her feelings.
User avatar
Beekeeper
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 42
Munros:17   Corbetts:12
Fionas:8   Donalds:3
Sub 2000:9   
Joined: Aug 7, 2010
Location: Berlin, Germany

Re: Pap of Glencoe – Walk between failure and success

Postby mountain tortoise » Sat Oct 30, 2010 10:02 pm

It is worth remembering that although the Pap is only a Graham because you walk it from sea level you climb as high as some Munros and it is very steep too. 2400 feet up!! Just up the road Buachille Etive Beag sexy Munro status 2200 feet up from the car park which is 890 feet or so up the pass.

So a very worthy and not easy climb well done!!!
User avatar
mountain tortoise
Scrambler
 
Posts: 253
Munros:10   Corbetts:6
Fionas:1   
Sub 2000:17   Hewitts:56
Joined: Jan 17, 2009
Location: Corwen

Re: Pap of Glencoe – Walk between failure and success

Postby Beekeeper » Sat Oct 30, 2010 10:33 pm

Thanks, we have done the Buachille Etive Beag a day after our first try walking the Pap. It's graded 4 but we found it easier to walk it than the Pap. Only the last ascend on the Stob Dubh was a wee to much for my missis, so I have a quick solo run to the summit.
I think quite often Grahams and Corbets are a wee bit underestimated .
User avatar
Beekeeper
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 42
Munros:17   Corbetts:12
Fionas:8   Donalds:3
Sub 2000:9   
Joined: Aug 7, 2010
Location: Berlin, Germany

Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).




Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: archierob, EwanM, hornetuk, jamezq, LeeRae, Martraven, peter mc g, simp25, sjkennedy, steveo73, TaylorsTreks and 76 guests