Buachaille Etive Beag
Route: Buachaille Etive Beag
Munros: Stob Coire Raineach (Buachaille Etive Beag), Stob Dubh (Buachaille Etive Beag)
Date walked: 20/04/2024
Time taken: 5.5 hours
Distance: 8km
Ascent: 900m
Weather forecast indicated that a hill in the south west would be the best option and I decided on Buachaille Etive Beag after reading a recent WH report with "short and straightforward" appended to the title. That suits me fine just now.
I set off from home quite early with a vague plan of going along to the football in the afternoon if time permitted. That wasn't to be but I did get a good walk in excellent weather as compensation.
I would say I have neglected the hills south of Fort Willian out of a perception of these being busy and the fact of a long drive to get there. However, if you start early enough you get a relatively quiet hill for a spell and the AA route planner reminded me that it is not that much further to go to get to Glencoe from Fort William. I was all set then.
I was bit slower than expected getting to the car park but the unintended benefit of that was arriving at the Ballachullish bridge in time for the subdued sunrise. This cast my mind back to 1994 when I was on foot at the very same spot, en route to Mull I think. The drive up the glen was nostalgic too as I'd been here a few times with a couple of student clubs and with various other folk over the years. Some memories fade but others seem to be burned in there forever. The French chorists in the Lost Valley still sing to me across a twenty-nine gap and I still remember one of their songs.
I am surprised to arrive at a near empty car park and set off up the excellent path at 6.30am. I left my ice axe behind but took my crampons along just in case.
It was a fairly easy ascent to the bealach, but once again by virtue of actively shortening my stride and slowing down whenever I started breathing harder. That's about 500m of ascent and just over a mile from the car park. There are lots of stone steps to help but I made sure I only stepped up the minimum height from stone to stone so that I wouldn't tire myself over the early part of the walk. The ascent was also aided by the fine view ahead of Stob Coire Sgreamhach and glimpses of the target hill plus improving weather.
I arrived at the bealach in reasonable shape and just kept going south west as I was feeling fine. Had a short break before the 902m summit and then kept going to Stob Dubh. Some snow patches gave me pause for thought but they could all be edged round or didn't feel too hazardous on close inspection.
But the thing that really propelled me along the ridge was the fantastic scenery and ever improving weather. From the bealach Bidean nam Bian was under cloud but its satellites were all cloud free, Aonach Eagach was in and out of cloud, Buachaille Etive Mor was cloud free along its entire length and Ben Starav was just about clearing. As I ascended towards Stob Dubh the weather and views just got better and better.
After a quick detour south for the view of Glen Etive I retraced my steps to the bealach and had a rest at the cairn there.
It was 10am and I knew that if I continued I could forget about going to the football. Such a nice day though so not a difficult decision really.
I made my way up Stob Coire Raineach very slowly but that helped with negotiating the occasional scree and stones. I ascended more towards the east but descended more towards the west. Not much difference either way. Took me forty minutes to ascend though and twenty minutes to descend. Plenty of reward for the relatively small extra effort -good views of the neighbours and of the ridge from Stob Dubh.
Thought I might struggle a bit with the descent but both my ankle and my knees were fine.
A nostalgia stop near the Ballachulish bridge.
Setting off from a near empty car park at 6.30am on the excellent path.
902m top and, I think, Stob Dubh just visible beyond.
Also prominent straight ahead is Stob Coire Sgreamhach.
Cloudy over Aonach Eagach.
Cloud over Stob Coire Raineach thinning, breaking, lifting.
By the time I get near the bealach the Aonach Eagach cloud has lifted too.
But Bidean nam Bian is cloud capped.
First view east from the bealach. It is turning out a very nice day indeed.
Aonach Eagach again.
As I ascend towards the 902m top Bidean starts to shed its cloud. I am now thinking back to a memorable bivvy on Stob Coire nan Lochan on June 21st 1995.
Not sure what I'm looking at there but obviously a wee bit more cloudy still to the east.
Buachaille Etive Mor ridge -Stob Coire Altruim to the right I think.
Nearing the 902m top with great views of Bidean nam Bian.
And suddenly there is Sob Dubh up ahead. Still half a kilometre away but only another 56m of ascent.
An extra layer on as it is chilly over the last part of the ridge.
View north east from 902m top.
View north -still cloudy over Ben Nevis.
Stob Dubh beckons.
Another view north east.
Still a wee bit of cloud on Ben Starav.
On the final slopes of Stob Dubh.
Nearing the summit with Loch Etive visible beyond.
View along the length of Buachaille Etive Mor.
Hills south west of Bidean nam Bian.
View from ridge end of Loch Etive with Starav now cloud free.
Wouldn't particularly fancy another bivvy there but you never know.
Descending from Stob Dubh.
The way ahead.
Figures on the next Munro.
Ben More I think.
Mamores and/or Grey Corries clearer now.
Figures ascending Stob Dubh.
After a break at the bealach and an easy decision to continue my Munro bagging spree at the expense of going to the football I begin my slow ascent of Stob Coire Raineach.
Some summit photos:
Easy but slow descent back to the car.
All in all an excellent day weather wise. Met a few people on the ridge with beaming smiles. Difficult not to feel uplifted when it's like that.
I set off from home quite early with a vague plan of going along to the football in the afternoon if time permitted. That wasn't to be but I did get a good walk in excellent weather as compensation.
I would say I have neglected the hills south of Fort Willian out of a perception of these being busy and the fact of a long drive to get there. However, if you start early enough you get a relatively quiet hill for a spell and the AA route planner reminded me that it is not that much further to go to get to Glencoe from Fort William. I was all set then.
I was bit slower than expected getting to the car park but the unintended benefit of that was arriving at the Ballachullish bridge in time for the subdued sunrise. This cast my mind back to 1994 when I was on foot at the very same spot, en route to Mull I think. The drive up the glen was nostalgic too as I'd been here a few times with a couple of student clubs and with various other folk over the years. Some memories fade but others seem to be burned in there forever. The French chorists in the Lost Valley still sing to me across a twenty-nine gap and I still remember one of their songs.
I am surprised to arrive at a near empty car park and set off up the excellent path at 6.30am. I left my ice axe behind but took my crampons along just in case.
It was a fairly easy ascent to the bealach, but once again by virtue of actively shortening my stride and slowing down whenever I started breathing harder. That's about 500m of ascent and just over a mile from the car park. There are lots of stone steps to help but I made sure I only stepped up the minimum height from stone to stone so that I wouldn't tire myself over the early part of the walk. The ascent was also aided by the fine view ahead of Stob Coire Sgreamhach and glimpses of the target hill plus improving weather.
I arrived at the bealach in reasonable shape and just kept going south west as I was feeling fine. Had a short break before the 902m summit and then kept going to Stob Dubh. Some snow patches gave me pause for thought but they could all be edged round or didn't feel too hazardous on close inspection.
But the thing that really propelled me along the ridge was the fantastic scenery and ever improving weather. From the bealach Bidean nam Bian was under cloud but its satellites were all cloud free, Aonach Eagach was in and out of cloud, Buachaille Etive Mor was cloud free along its entire length and Ben Starav was just about clearing. As I ascended towards Stob Dubh the weather and views just got better and better.
After a quick detour south for the view of Glen Etive I retraced my steps to the bealach and had a rest at the cairn there.
It was 10am and I knew that if I continued I could forget about going to the football. Such a nice day though so not a difficult decision really.
I made my way up Stob Coire Raineach very slowly but that helped with negotiating the occasional scree and stones. I ascended more towards the east but descended more towards the west. Not much difference either way. Took me forty minutes to ascend though and twenty minutes to descend. Plenty of reward for the relatively small extra effort -good views of the neighbours and of the ridge from Stob Dubh.
Thought I might struggle a bit with the descent but both my ankle and my knees were fine.
A nostalgia stop near the Ballachulish bridge.
Setting off from a near empty car park at 6.30am on the excellent path.
902m top and, I think, Stob Dubh just visible beyond.
Also prominent straight ahead is Stob Coire Sgreamhach.
Cloudy over Aonach Eagach.
Cloud over Stob Coire Raineach thinning, breaking, lifting.
By the time I get near the bealach the Aonach Eagach cloud has lifted too.
But Bidean nam Bian is cloud capped.
First view east from the bealach. It is turning out a very nice day indeed.
Aonach Eagach again.
As I ascend towards the 902m top Bidean starts to shed its cloud. I am now thinking back to a memorable bivvy on Stob Coire nan Lochan on June 21st 1995.
Not sure what I'm looking at there but obviously a wee bit more cloudy still to the east.
Buachaille Etive Mor ridge -Stob Coire Altruim to the right I think.
Nearing the 902m top with great views of Bidean nam Bian.
And suddenly there is Sob Dubh up ahead. Still half a kilometre away but only another 56m of ascent.
An extra layer on as it is chilly over the last part of the ridge.
View north east from 902m top.
View north -still cloudy over Ben Nevis.
Stob Dubh beckons.
Another view north east.
Still a wee bit of cloud on Ben Starav.
On the final slopes of Stob Dubh.
Nearing the summit with Loch Etive visible beyond.
View along the length of Buachaille Etive Mor.
Hills south west of Bidean nam Bian.
View from ridge end of Loch Etive with Starav now cloud free.
Wouldn't particularly fancy another bivvy there but you never know.
Descending from Stob Dubh.
The way ahead.
Figures on the next Munro.
Ben More I think.
Mamores and/or Grey Corries clearer now.
Figures ascending Stob Dubh.
After a break at the bealach and an easy decision to continue my Munro bagging spree at the expense of going to the football I begin my slow ascent of Stob Coire Raineach.
Some summit photos:
Easy but slow descent back to the car.
All in all an excellent day weather wise. Met a few people on the ridge with beaming smiles. Difficult not to feel uplifted when it's like that.
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Comments: 1
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litljortindan
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