I won't refer to this as a meet up as one person does not a meet up make. Despite no one else joining me I still had a great time and enjoyed the peace and quiet of the Scottish Highlands. I arrived at the Glen Nevis campsite early evening on Thur. 30th July and by the time I pitched my tent and had something to eat I wasn't really up for the short leg warmer walk I had planned (might have had something to do with the fact that I'd only finished my last night shift at 6am that morning!) so I just enjoyed the sunshine before turning in for the night.
Day 1 - Ben Nevis via Carn Mór Dearg and the CMD arêteFrom the campsite I headed up the Mountain Track with all the tourists in their jeans and trainers to Lochan Meall t-Suidhe. Here I left the tourists behind and headed off along the climbers path to the CIC hut on Ben Nevis's North-West side. After a short break at the CIC hut to admire the Ben's impressive NW crags (which make for good climbing apparently) it was an hour long slog up the pathless side of Carn Mór Dearg to the col between Carn Dearg Meadhonach and Carn Mór Dearg itself. The going was steep with lots of loose scree and proved very tiring. Once at the col it was just a couple of minutes to the summit of Carn Mór Dearg, my first ever Munro!
The view of the CMD arête from the summit was very impressive and beckoned me onward. The arête certainly lived up to my expectations providing a narrow and airy ridge walk with precipitous drops either side, I loved it! All too soon I found myself at the end of the arête and a final slog over loose scree and boulders to the summit of the Ben. Despite being a broad plateau the summit sneaks up on you, one minute you're looking at scree and boulders in-yer-face then all of sudden you're there, on the summit! After a break and taking in the glorious vista I made a rapid descent back to the campsite via the Mountain Track and couldn't help but marvel at all the tourists in jeans or track suits and trainers, no back pack, no water either!
Ben Nevis's craggy North West face with a few patches of snow clinging on (taken from the summit of Carn Mór Dearg)
The Carn Mór Dearg arête
The summit of Ben Nevis
Day 2 - The Ring of SteallFrom the campsite I drove up the road deeper into Glen Nevis to the car park near Polldubh Falls. From here I walked up the path next to the river before crossing the bridge to the road, following this to the end then on up the path towards Steall Falls. Just before reaching Steall Falls there's an 'interesting' bridge to cross over the river. It's 'interesting' because it consists of just three steel cables suspended about 10 metres above the river, one cable for your feet and two for holding onto! I made it across without falling in the drink and headed for the falls which were impressive to say the least. Another river needs to be crossed here at the foot of the falls but there is no bridge, nothing, just a few slippery stones to step onto to get across! Somehow I managed to cross this river and remain dry but I'm not sure I could do the same again. From here it's a long, arduous slog up a well defined but steep zig-zag path to the summit of Am Gearanach, the first Munro on the Ring of Steall. After a well earned break on the summit there followed a short section of narrow ridge before dropping down into a col and then climbing up to the second Munro on the Ring, Stob Coire a' Chàirn. From here another section of narrow ridge walking before a slog upto the summit Am Bodach, the third Munro. Onward along more narrow ridges and over Sgorr an lubhair to the col at the foot of the Devil's Ridge. The Devil's Ridge is the narrowest and easily the best of all the ridges on the Ring of Steall narrowing to a sharp arête where care is needed. Before long the ridge is done and I made the final ascent of the day to the last Munro, Sgurr a' Mhàim. From here it was a long and steep descent back down to the car park and I was utterly exhausted at the end of it!
After crossing the cable bridge myself I took this shot of a fellow walker making his way across
Steall Falls
The summit of An Gearanach with the ridge stretching out ahead and Stob Coire a' Chàirn to the right
Stob Coire a' Chàirn and behind, Am Bodach
The bump in the middle is Sgorr an lubhair with the Devil's Ridge extending to the right
Sgurr a' Mhàim with the Devil's Ridge on the left
The Devil's Ridge starts off as a nice easy stroll
But it soon becomes a little more challenging
A look back along the ridge
Day 3 - A rest dayAfter a tough walk on the Ring Steall my legs were stiff and I was still feeling quite fatigued so I took a day out to rest and mooch around the shops in Fort William and do other touristy stuff. Besides, it was wet and the summits cloudy although it did clear in the late afternoon.
Day 4 - A horseshoe route of my own devising that took in Mullach nan Coirean, Stob Ban and also the Devil's Ridge and Sgurr a' Mhàim againParking at Polldubh Falls again I walked down the road a few hundred metres before turing into the forest and following paths and forest tracks to Allt a' Choire Dheirg. Here I followed a rough path through the undergrowth alongside the stream and gradually gained height before reaching a nice little waterfall at the edge of the forest. I then crossed the boggy ground and up onto the crest of the ridge which I followed to the summit of Mullach nan Coirean. I then followed the narrower ridge round and over a couple of unnamed summits and ascended Stob Ban. Descent was made by Stob Ban's steep and narrow east ridge and down to Lochan Coire nam Miseach. Here I decided rather than to follow the direct path down the valley back to the car park I would ascend to the col between Sgorr an lubhair and the Devil's Ridge then continue along the ridge to Sgurr a' Mhàim and descend the same way as I had previously done on the Ring of Steall walk.
The falls on Allt a' Choire Dheirg
Looking back down across the forest to Glen Nevis with Ben Nevis at the back
Mullach nan Coirean
The ridge between Mullach nan Coirean and Stob Ban, Stob Ban the peak capped in cloud
The ridge with Stob Ban on the right
Looking across to a cloud capped Ben Nevis
Stob Ban still holding onto that cloud although it did clear for a short time whilst I was up there
Stob Ban's East Ridge
Lochan Coire nam Miseach
Once more onto the Devil's Ridge (it is there, somewhere, I promise!)
The cloud never cleared from the ridge whilst I crossed nor from the summit of Sgurr a' Mhàim
The view down into Glen Nevis on the descent of Sgurr a' Mhàim
These were probably some of the best mountain days I've ever had. The views were absolutely awesome, a 360° panorama of mountains after mountains after mountains, the photo's just don't do it justice. Airy ridges and arêtes, tough and arduous climbs, a true feeling of being alone and isolated. A fantastic experience and I can't wait to go back!