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This was my 3rd attempt at Stuc , success at last
1st attempt failed from Ben Vorlich due to poor weather & bad visibilty , same on 2nd attepmt from Coire Fhuadarich via Coire Buidhe.
I set off from home at 11am & picked up my mate Steven & his dad Davie in Menstrie ( we`re doing WHW together in May). On entering Callander you turn right up towards the golf club , passing this, & continuing past the car parks for the forrest walks area.
Then on through a metal gate , on the gate post is a sign advising of the bridge being”down” over Keltie Water. We continued on through another metal gate at a deer fence, then parked near Braeleny Farm. The tenant farmer asks if you can park just short of the farm at the turn off to Drumardoch Farm , there is an area there for 4/5 cars beside the wheelie bins.
At Braeleny Farm you climb over a locked wooden gate & onto a drovers track that climbs easily & leads onto the water crossing at Alt Breac-nic. This is where the bridge is down. An outflow from the reservoir joins the Alt Breac-nic here to form Keltie Water , the Army had been asked to build a new bridge after the old one was destroyed in storms / floods in 2004 , but at the moment you have to ford the 2 stretches of water.
In summer it would be possible to ford 1 stretch of water , but not at the moment , I wouldn`t
have wanted to cross if the water had been any higher
Me fording Alt Breac -nic.......... a wee bit gingerly
Once across the water , the track is easily found again & passes by the old disused farm buildings at Arivurichardich.
Arivuvrichardich
Arivuvrichardich , closer now.
From here you climb steadily until about 400 meters , running alongside a boundary fence until you exit a metal gate on towards Coire Ban & Stiol nan Tarbh.
After exiting this gate we were in the cloud / mist & visibility was very poor , we proceeded onwards & upwards & as if by magic an older chap appeared from nowhere out of the mist- in a Mr. Ben like way !
We chatted briefly & he said things would improve greatly after a few hundred meters once we had reached the plateau leading onto Stuc. He was right.
Steven looking down into Coire na Rainich
Unfortunately there were no open views at all from here to the summit because of the cloud, but we could see there was a wee bit of snow remaining here & there. The last stretch up to the summit was taken with extra care as the rocks were a bit snowed over.
Sun trying to break through on summiting.
This was the most sun as we had all day !
Steven & Davie on the top of Stuc.
Me toasting the top with a wee nip of something nice.
Summit views again.
We didn`t stay too long on top as we were aware of the time , despite having head torches we didn`t fancy fording the water in the dark. Whilst having a quick coffee & snack before returning , we heard voices approaching & waited a few minutes before 2 climbers appeared.
They had came up the scramble route in the cloud , explaining that as they came up they had
passed 2 climbers going down , 1 of whom had suffered nasty facial injuries in a fall on the scramble – but was at least making his own way off the hill. Hopefully he`s fit & well.
We made good progress coming down, coming off the plateau down towards Coire Ban.
At about 650 meters the cloud cleared away very nicely, giving good views over Gleann a` Chroin , towards Beinn Each & the back of Callander Craig / Crags , & the reservoir below.
We now had a clearer view of things & because of the time factor decided to cut across the dam / reservoir walkway & cut through the fields. This would make the return a wee bit shorter. But would mean only 1 water crossing instead of 2 we had taken on the outward way.
This worked out fine as there were styles over the fenced fields.
Davie fording water on way out
– looks very dark in foto but was actually MUCH lighter
Once through the field we rejoined the track out & were back at the car in no time at all
A well earned pint at The Crags Hotel in Callander before home.
Steven had his GPS on for the outward route , details viewable on link below – but due to battery death the return route wasn`t calculated.
Overall another very enjoyable , but demanding day out.
http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/sAovmAN2Wy4