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GLEN COE WH Meet 30.10.10

GLEN COE WH Meet 30.10.10


Postby Jockstar » Fri Nov 05, 2010 6:07 pm

Route description: Beinn a' Bheithir via Schoolhouse Ridge

Munros included on this walk: Sgòrr Dhearg (Beinn a' Bheithir), Sgòrr Dhònuill (Beinn a' Bheithir)

Date walked: 30/10/2010

Time taken: 9 hours

Distance: 17 km

Ascent: 1326m

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Glen Coe – WH Meet : 30/10/10

The independent hostel at Glencoe was a very busy place as those WH members started to arrive from Friday night and by Saturday morning there was a considerable buzz with welcomes all around. Once assembles the next task was to consider the various walks that we wanted to do. After a lot of suggestions the majority decide that it was a good day to
do Beinn a Bleathir. So with that decided we made our way down to Ballachulish and parked at the Information Centre. Time for a team photograph and then we set off for the walk, which was looking a bit bleak when we seemed to have trouble getting out of the housing estate! However we soon got to the farm road just after the school and met up with the other lads who had gotten parked close by.

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team photograph of the lads who parked at the Information centre


P1000236.JPG
Setting off up the farm road. Mountainstar in charge of recording the event


We walked up the path and went through two gates, the second of which was a bit obstinate to open before being carefully (?) lifted of the gatepost by the Lazy Hungarian! We then headed directly up the hill till we joined the path. It was boggy in places, but we kept up a steady pace, leaving Ballachulish below. As we climbed higher the surrounding
area started to appear and soon we were marvelling at the views. :)

P1000245.JPG
looking down on Ballachulish


It was time for a photo and at that moment realised that I didn’t have my camera. I can’t tell you what I said or thought at that moment other than *********. !!!!!!!!!! :( So I decided to retrace my steps down the hill and eventually when I got back down to the bottom there was my camera (in its hard case) lying on the farm road by the second gate.
So now it was back up hill and catch up with the other guys.

As I could see them far in the distance I could judge where the route was and also at times they seemed to be close but would then go on again, which I then worked out that they were doing quite a bit of scrambling. The only way was forward and I kept heading for the start of the ridge. As I got up to that point the Pap of Glencoe became very prominent and also across loch leven.

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The Pap of Glencoe


A little bit further on and I could see Nathan and Mark waiting for me, and now the three of us set of heading for the ridge to the top of Sgurr Dhearg. :D

P1000254.JPG
Nathan and Mark waiting for me at the start of the the ridge: Top blokes!


We still had agood bit of scrambling to do and showed no signs of catching the main group. It was exciting stuff with myself having never done anything like this....Eeeekkkk!. :shock:

P1000255.JPG
eeekkk!!! What a great feeling once you get to the top!!!


Onto the ridge and the weather had started to close in and before long the rain was pretty heavy, then turned to hailstones and then to snow…all blown in with a strongwind….only in Scotland!

P1000257.JPG
Onward and Upward !


With no shelter we had to climb on so made it to the cairn and the first Munroe was done. :D

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Sgorr Dhearg done !



Time for a quick photo before heading down the bealach and up towards the second Munroe. :D

P1000258.JPG
The Three Amigos !


At that point the others appeared having climbed Sgurr Dhonuill, and we exchanged stories of what had happened. This raised my spirits and headed of with Nathan and Mark along the ridge. This was fairly steady going and we had one more scramble and also we had to get over a boulder field and then a small climb to the second summit. There was a very nice elderly couple at the cairn and looked at us bedraggled lads and must have wondered what we were doing. We explained we had done Sgorr Dhearg and then told them how to get down the valley towards the forest but not before taking a picture of the three of us at the cairn.

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3 Amigos at Sgorr Dhonuill


So again it was a quick photo and then head back down the bealach and then down towards the forest using the fence as a guide before we came across the path that headed into the forest.

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The way down towards Ballachulish


This was joined up by several other paths that come of the ‘car’ roads and that eventually follows the old railway track heading towards Glen Coe village. This is about 3 miles walk and in the pouring rain, helped by passing motor cars soaking the three of us, seemed to take an eternity. However, we got to our cars, and although thoroughly soaked jumped in and headed back to the hostel.

I would say that this was an eventful walk and lots of memories, especially of walking with all these characters from WH, but however, I was glad that Nathan and Mark waited for me and I think that they are both ‘proper’ blokes. Cheers guys and thanks! :clap: :clap:
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Jockstar
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Re: GLEN COE WH Meet 30.10.10

Postby Stretch » Fri Nov 05, 2010 11:31 pm

That section of scrambling looks a lot worse than the part we went up Brian. I wonder if the stuff Nathan and Mark are climbing up in that pic is to the left or right of where we encountered the steep slippery stuff. Anyways, you got your scrambling fix :lol: :lol:
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Re: GLEN COE WH Meet 30.10.10

Postby walk aboot » Fri Nov 05, 2010 11:46 pm

Wow-ee, I'm getting dizzy trying to keep track of all these brilliant trip reports :) .

I think that 'Three Amigos' photo is my favourite from all of the ones I've seen so far Jockstar...it looks so cheery against the other hoods up, heads down in the windy wet hail :) 8) .
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Re: GLEN COE WH Meet 30.10.10

Postby Chrisandkaz » Sat Nov 06, 2010 11:29 am

Hi jockstar

It's kaz from geordielamd we met you after you had found the sensible path and we scrambled down through the trees. This is indeed a great website! Hope you guys had a great weekend up in glencoe!
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Re: GLEN COE WH Meet 30.10.10

Postby mountainstar » Sat Nov 06, 2010 11:51 am

Good to see another report from that day...from the splinter group, and that your camera was still working.
And well done on doing that ridge, if you've never done anything like it before, it certainly was a tester!
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Re: GLEN COE WH Meet 30.10.10

Postby Jock McJock » Mon May 30, 2011 11:39 pm

Just noticed that you had done this report Brian. Don't know how I missed it :? Was nice to have a wee read and remember our day. Hadn't seen the pics either so great to see the 3 of us soaked, freezing and smiling at the top :lol: Was a pleasure to walk with yourself and Nathan that day. And if anyone tells you that I only waited on you 'cause I was knackered and wanted a breather don't beleive them :lol:
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Re: GLEN COE WH Meet 30.10.10

Postby Jockstar » Mon Jun 06, 2011 3:40 pm

Heh..how are you doing. It was a bit of an epic day but great comaraderie, especially with you 2 guys waiting for
me ....Have had a mixed bag since with the weather almost beating us last Saurday on Bienn a glo'. out for 11 hours and
only did 2 of the three munros. Still made it back in the end. Hope your well and maybe we can get another walk together. :D
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Re: GLEN COE WH Meet 30.10.10

Postby Jock McJock » Tue Jun 07, 2011 4:02 am

:D Doing fine Brian, cheers. Just fed up of not getting out enough, lol. Work, work, work :( Only 2 Munros so far this year and a couple of Corbetts so itching to get out. Planning a wee 2 day run around the hills on the south side of Glencoe (Bidean etc) in a couple of weeks. Just got myself a wee tent so been dying to get out and try it. Going to camp high on day 1 around the wee lochans below Coire nan Lochan and catch the lower tops. Then get the big stuff the next day. That's the plan anyway :? we'll see how it turns out. See you've been busy :D And yeah, would be nice to get a walk sometime again. We could get Nahan along too, the return of the 3 amigos :lol: But only if you promise not to drop your camera :lol:
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Re: GLEN COE WH Meet 30.10.10

Postby Jockstar » Tue Jun 07, 2011 8:54 am

It was a great walk that day despite the weather. Myself and Su were at Glencoe in April and caught the good weather.
We climbed up to that spot where you are hoping to camp and it would be ideal as the rest of the walk should be very straightforward. We walked behind the toast rack but it maybe better to try the other side as it was really hard on the feet with the large stones to overcome. Also we didn't get to Bidean as there was still a fair bit of snow about and we didn't have any clampons. So we will be back for another try this summer. Super walk though ! We also have a wee tent and took it over to Mull to climb Ben More. Have a look at my report and see how good that was! Love the wild camping and will be trying it out again shortly as we are heading for the Cairngorms. If you are thinking of that area let me know and we can maybe meet up for a walk.
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