Trip Report Day 1.It's always great to meet up with old friends and this weekend was no exception! Yorksgirl, Domtheone, Robnolan, Snakehips, Strider and myself, Sparnel met up in Glencoe for another Scottish adventure. We were joined by another friend, Alex, for a day out on Buachaille Etive Mor, affectionately known as the Wee Buachaille. Unfortunately, Jontea, a stalwart of these trips was unable to attend due to family illness, but as always, family comes first. We missed you John!
Accommodation was in the first class hostel in Glencoe (SYHA) for the weekend of 25th - 27th Sept. The weather was good, no rain, high cloud and the midges were only at 'low level'!
Buachaille Etive Beag has two Munros on it and the object was to conquer both of them. We set off from the car park at half past nine and were immediately on the hill path. There is no long walk in for this hill as the path starts almost immediately from the car park.
The path is good all the way to the lowest part of the ridge or bealach.
Rob, Colin, Mark, Ruth, Dom, Bill..........guess who's who! Photo taken by Alex.
After a cuppa and a snack we headed southwest along the ridge towards the first of the two munros, Stob Dubh which means Black Hill in Gaelic. The Buachaille Etive Beag massif comprises three summits over three thousand feet in height and runs parallel with its bigger neighbour Buachaille Etive Mor, the big Buachaille.
There were fantastic views of the neighbouring Glencoe hills and away to the north are the Mamores, with Ben Nevis showing up well through the morning mist.
Alex with Ben Nevis showing up in the background.
The good weather had brought a few other folks out and it was to chat to other walkers mainly from other Scottish areas and a few from abroad. The Scottish hills are never as busy as the Lakeland fells so if anyone reading this desires some isolation try the hills and glens north of Loch Lomond!
The further along the ridge we went the better the views became. Here is Loch Etive with the might of Ben Starav to the left. It was in the glen below that part of the James Bond film, Skyfall was filmed.
Stob Dubh gives the impression to me anyway, of a classic mountain profile, steep and pointy!
Undaunted, the team press on............
The ridge is generally broad but now and again you are reminded you are three thousand odd feet up a hill when it narrows a bit! Here is a view looking along the ridge towards Stob Dubh.
We traversed the ridge back to the bealach and set off for the second Munro, Stob Coire Raineach. The views this time are to the north and north east. Away in Perthshire, the pyramid shape of Schiehallion dominates the horizon. The Mamores with the unpronounceable names and Ben Nevis are in constant view. We can look across to the Anoach Eagach and can see Lochs Leven and Linnhe in the distance. The great dam of the Blackwater Reservoir above Kinlochleven is easily spotted and the boggy wilderness of Rannoch Moor stretches to the horizon. Below Ruth, Dom and Colin enjoy looking at Bidean nam Bian and Stob Coire nan Lochan. The Anoach Eagach ridge is to the right.
From the bealach we descended by the same route we came up and was back at the car park by mid afternoon. The Clachaig bar was the destination for the Saturday dinner. A few refreshments were welcome!
A great day in the hills with a great company of friends! Haste ye back!