Garbh Chioch Mhor

Friday 19th September 2008

This was a really challenging walk, right from the start and all the way until the end. Just to get to the car park I had to drive for an hour down a single track road to the end of Loch Arkaig and from there I had to walk for another two hours through Glen Dessary just to get to the foot of the mountain. And of course once I had been over the mountain I had to repeat the process all over again, two hours back to the car, and then one hour back to Fort William. There was a sign near the start of the walk that proclaimed that this was remote, sparsely populated, potentially dangerous mountain country. I was advised to only proceed if I was adequately experienced and properly equipped to be able to manage without assistance. Since I obviously did manage to return safely, even in the poor weather, I guess that means I am. In addition to the remote location I had another problem to contend with: on the previous walk I had finished the day with an aching ankle. An overnight rest failed to ease the pain and this tough walk would put my ankle under tremendous strain. On previous occasions when I had this sort of trouble I found that my inner sole was to blame. In 2001 I had just bought a new pair of boots and the inner sole in them was useless and it actually ruined the holiday. In 2006 I had problems while walking in Glen Coe due to worn out inner soles. This may have been the cause of my problems at the end of this holiday, but first I had a walk to do, whatever pain I may have been in.

After a particularly tricky crossing of the stream, Allt Coire nan Uth, I started climbing the steep hillside up to the first Munro of the day, Sgurr nan Coireachan. During the climb I plunged into the clouds and at one point I seemed to emerge above them with views to the east. Briefly I even had some sunshine and blue skies, which is something I hadn’t seen all week, unfortunately it didn't last long as the clouds soon closed in, the weather grew worse, and normal service was resumed. When I finally reached the summit of Sgurr nan Coireachan I had my lunch and the mist was now so thick it had become a drenching. After eating I dropped down to Bealach nan Gall and climbed back up to start the fantastic ridge across fabulously rugged terrain over the Garbh Chiochs. This was great fun, despite the bad weather, as the terrain was really rocky and complex, and there was a good path that follows a dry stone wall along the top of the ridge. The path gradually climbed up to the broad top of Garbh Chioch Beag before weaving around mighty outcrops beside the sheer drops into Coire nan Gall to my right. Eventually the summit of the Munro was reached at the top of Garbh Chioch Mhor, which given the isolated nature of this location must have amazing views with nothing to see but mountains as far as the eye can see. Even without a view the awesome rocky landscape was an awe-inspiring place, despite the weather's drenching mist and howling wind.

This was an immensely fun walk, but there was an extra treat to come. After passing over the summit I dropped down to the bottom of the pass, Feadan na Ciche, the Whistler, where the wind howls through the narrow gap. I had originally planned to go up the next Munro on the ridge, Sgurr na Ciche, but the weather was so poor and with time advancing I decided it would be prudent to miss it out. While crossing the ridge I hadn’t forgotten that once I finished walking along the ridge I would have to walk all the way back to the car along the bottom of the valley, which was going to take me so long it was would be dark by the time I got back to Fort William. With the final Munro missed out I now had to descend from the top of the pass through a wonderfully steep, narrow and wet gully that was so narrow and with so much water in the stream that the path was frequently covered by water. It was very challenging, but great fun, and over all too quickly. Once down from there my fun was over as I had a long walk back along Glen Dessary back to my car. It was very wet, very muddy and very tiring as I hobbled along on my aching ankle, and of course once back at my car I still had to drive back to Fort William. This was a good walk, but only because of the quality of the ridge and that gully. The exhausting walk in and out and the bad weather were such negative points that it could never be considered great. Nevertheless it was a good walk to end my holiday and the walking season.

Binnein Mòr

Thursday 18th September 2008

On the morning of this walk I wasn't sure where to go as it was raining again and I didn't want to do another difficult walk in the rain. Being at the top of a mountain in good weather is better than anything, but being at top of a mountain in bad weather can be one of the worst places on Earth; unfortunately I didn’t get any good weather on this holiday. I had considered going up Ben Nevis (who’d have thought that would be a wet weather alternative!), but the path up the Ben is very boring and then my eyes drifted right down Glen Nevis towards the Mamores. This is a fantastic area for walking that I have grown to have a lot of affection for. I first visited the Mamores in 2005 and was blown away by the stunning scenery that was shown at its best by the brilliant weather that I was lucky enough to have that weekend. The Mamores consist of a complex chain of ridges that are an absolute joy to walk along with a multitude of tops arrayed along its length that includes eight Munros. I came back a year later on the only rainy day in a whole two weeks of walking in the Highlands and I still had a great walk, so when I tried to decide where to walk on this day it was an easy decision to repeat the walk that I had done two years ago with only a slight alteration. Two years ago the walk was linear, ending at the youth hostel, but this time I would be returning to my starting point in Kinlochleven, and actually complete the full walk as described in Ralph Storer’s guide book.

Starting from the car park in Kinlochleven I climbed steeply through woodland out into open country. Despite having done this walk before I quickly, somehow, managed to go the wrong way and found myself taking a seriously muddy, barely discernible path that climbs very steeply up the hillside away from Kinlochleven. This was just the sort of thing I had been trying to avoid when I decided to do this walk! Once I realised I had gone the wrong way I had no choice but to continue to struggle up the hill until I was able to cross the gully that was baring my way onto the proper path, which was, of course, an annoyingly good path. It crossed a track and then climbed steeply below Coire nan Laogh up onto the steep slopes below Sgòr Eilde Beag. The excellent path zigzagged up the hillside on a nicely graded route that cleverly eased the steep contours and made light work of the climb enabling me to enjoy the views until they disappeared in mist as I reached the top of Sgòr Eilde Beag at the summit cairn where I had my lunch. That was also where I accidentally left my compass and whistle. Later when I realised this I couldn’t be bothered to go back for them so whoever found them after me, are welcome to consider them as a gift!

The onward route was fabulous, despite the bad weather. I climbed up to Binnein Mòr's south top and crossed over the fantastic, narrow, connecting ridge to the wonderfully rocky summit of Binnein Mòr, the highest point in the Mamores. I had, of course, been there before, but that was also in poor weather, so despite having been there twice I've still never seen the view from the top! From the highest point in the Mamores I returned to the south top and walked along the deliciously narrow ridge to Na Gruagaichean. This was a great walk along the rocky terrain of the ridge and up to the summit of the Munro, before crossing over to the north-western top, which is another wonderful experience despite the bad weather on this fabulous mountain. Coming off the mountain I dropped down to the bealach that is the lowest point on the whole ridge system. At the bottom of the pass I turned left onto a path that I had never been on before that slowly descends into Coire na Bà. Previously I continued along the ridge to Stob Coire a’ Chairn and then took the northern branch over An Gearanach into Glen Nevis. On this walk I headed back to Kinlochleven down a path that brilliantly negotiated the contours below Na Gruagaichean before dropping down into the corrie bottom where I followed the stream south out of the corrie. The path continued to keep my interest all the way down with stunning views of Kinlochleven as I descended and near the bottom a steep, tricky, but exciting, descent led me through woodland past the Grey Mares Tail Waterfall.

Despite the bad weather, the strong, bitingly cold wind and the rain, I loved this walk mainly because it’s in such wonderful terrain, on great mountains. The Mamores are a great area to walk in and the weather seemed incapable of doing anything to spoil it (although I'm sure it could!). One of the advantages of the Mamores is that there are good, clear paths up onto them and along their tops; there is no need to trudge through heather and bracken to get to them. The Mamores are a fantastic place; I should visit them more often, but perhaps in better weather next time.

Creag Meagaidh

Wednesday 17th September 2008

The weather during this holiday was turning out to be rather poor. After the disappointing weather on Sunday it just got worse and worse with Sunday turning out to have the best weather of the week! On Tuesday it rained all day however I didn’t do any walking on that day as I had spent the day with my parents who were holidaying in Fort William. On the Wednesday the weather was a little better as it didn't rain, but there was still low cloud to contend with and it seemed very cold. I took advantage of having a car during this holiday to walk up a mountain that is off the bus routes, but can easily be climbed from a car parked on the A86 between Fort William and Aviemore: Creag Meagaidh. The whole valley to the east of this mountain is a nature reserve and it looks wonderful for it, and made walk in a delightful past deciduous trees, bracken and heather. It was a lovely place to walk whatever the weather and the reason for that was the path. I know I usually berate manufactured paths and this was seemingly the epitome of manufactured paths as it was a gravel path with bridges over the frequent streams made of blue plastic tubes with a ditch dug on the high side of the path to deflect water away. It was cleverly constructed and an essential path as if it wasn’t there then I would have been walking through a boggy mess of heather and mud. I really appreciated that path as it took all the effort out of the walking and left me free to enjoy my surroundings. These paths are good in such places as there is no fun to be had in wading through a quagmire, but where heavily constructed paths, especially steps, do spoil my fun is on lovely, rocky, mountainous terrain. The well-made path eventually brought me to a small loch, Lochan a’Coire, at the foot of immense cliffs below the summit plateau, where the low clouds seemed to add a brooding air to the place that probably wouldn't exist in better weather. The constructed path stops at the lake and I continued on a more challenging path that climbs steeply up the hillside to a gap called the Window or Uinneag Coire Ardair. This high pass lies between two Munros and it seemed a pity not to take in the smaller, northern Munro, Stob Poite Coire Ardair, since I was there and the summit isn’t far from the Window. Climbing up, I crossed the bleak top to the summit cairn where I had my lunch before returning to the window. I now resumed the text book route up onto the summit plateau by a good clear path which sadly disappeared once I was at the top and left me to walk across the vast, thousand metre high plateau in dense cloud trying to find the summit. With my GPS in one hand, map in the other and a compass round my neck I set off towards the summit.

Despite at one point going in the wrong direction I eventually reached the large summit cairn of Creag Meagaidh at the height of 1128m. Once I had successfully crossed the plateau I had to do so again in the other direction heading towards the top of the cliffs that overlook the lochan. My descent across the plateau was arrested by a rise to the subsidiary top of Puist Coire Ardair from where the terrain narrowed to a ridge that extended eastwards above the precipitous cliffs above Lochan a’Coire to the top of Sròn a Ghoire. Ridge walking is simply the best form of hill walking as it produces maximum gain from little effort. With a minimum of effort required once you are on the ridge, the stunning views continue along with an awesome sense of being up high, which persists even when you can’t see anything, like on this day. From the top of Sròn a Ghoire I descended steeply down the grassy slope and picked up a faint path beside the stream, Allt Bealach a Ghoire. Although wet underfoot and not always clear I was able to follow this path all the way down off the mountain and eventually join a track which crossed the river by a bridge and brought me back to my car.

Although it didn’t rain on this walk, I had low cloud all day that spoilt any views I may have got while at the top and it was cold, but despite the poor weather I did enjoy the walk. After the wet weather of the last couple of days I was almost happy to keep this sort of weather as anything would be better than the rain I had been enduring. There was a relaxing path through the valley at the start and then a more exhilarating path on the climb up to the Window. It was also fun trying to navigate across the summit plateau in dense cloud which tested my skill with a GPS and map. On a negative note my boots appeared to leak quite badly. I’d had them for only about a year and so far they had been fabulous and yet on this walk my feet were soaked and worse, frozen. There hardly seems to be anything wrong with them except this so it’s rather frustrating to have this problem. Despite my boots, this was a great walk across some wonderful terrain and on good paths, which seems to make all the difference.

Streap

Monday 15th September 2008

I was late starting this walk because I was getting a problem sorted on my car first so it wasn't until 10.30 that I was walking out of the car park on the A830 to start the walk up to the fabulous ridge of Streap. The beginning of the walk involved a long trek along a forest track through the valley, Gleann Dubh Lighe, as it slowly climbs beside the stream through a dense coniferous wood, eventually crossing the stream and continuing to climb past a bothy and out onto the open country. A landrover track continues to climb beside the stream high into the hills and took me along with it until after crossing the stream again it disappeared. I decided it would be a good idea to stay on this side of the stream, but that ultimately proved to be the wrong thing to do and I had to somehow cross the rather full stream, without a bridge, which I eventually managed to do but not without getting my feet wet. The weather for this walk had reverted to form as it rained almost all day which made me realise that I should have been more appreciative of the weather the day before when it was sunny and dry. What the stream had not managed to do to my wet feet the grass and mud finished off. Wading through the wet grass and mud brought me to landrover tracks that were obviously a continuation of the earlier tracks. I followed this for a while but ultimately I had to leave the tracks and climb up the steep hill to my left, but I didn't want to do this as it seemed to be impossibly steep and I would much rather walk along the track, but that was going in the wrong direction. Ultimately I had to make that climb and soon I found that it was indeed virtually impossible. That climb was murder as it was absolutely excruciating trying to get up the hill, so much so that I contemplated giving up and going back down as I thought I would never make it. I was really not thanking Ralph Storer for making me go up there, however while later reviewing the route as described in Ralph Storer’s “100 Best Routes on Scottish Mountains”, which I always use in Scotland, I discovered that I had actually gone the wrong way round. I should have descended that steep hill, not climbed it!

Somehow I finally managed to reach the small outcrop of rocks that had been in my sights for almost the whole of the climb and collapsed against the rocks utterly exhausted. After eating my lunch I found renewed strength that enabled me to complete the climb to the top of Streap Comhlaidh, which was by now enveloped in clouds as I would stay until I dropped back down into the valley. Heading off along the ridge I made my way towards the top of Streap. This connecting ridge was quite fun as it was quite narrow but that was nothing compared with Streap itself which is a long narrow ridge all of its own. Walking south along this ridge was a sheer pleasure that was easily the highlight of the walk as it was so deliciously narrow. It wasn't too rocky so as to make it exceptionally challenging, it was simply a high narrow ridge with little undulation. I can understand why Ralph Storer suggested doing this walk in the other direction as in good weather this ridge would be better appreciated when you are able to see the summit ahead of you rather than having it behind you. It made no difference in my case as I couldn’t see anything, but I was still able to enjoy the wonderful ridge underfoot.

Unfortunately this didn't last long enough as the ridge widened and began to undulate which made it a little more tiring and less interesting. Continuing along the ridge I reached Stob Coire nan Cearc, where a steep descent led me down to the Bealach Coire nan Cearc. Ralph Storer suggested descending from this point (actually climbing up to it) and I was too tired to argue so I dropped below the clouds following a stream down. This was a fun descent that I really enjoyed as I picked my own route down around the small moraines and beside the streams all the way down to the valley bottom. Eventually I reached the metal bridge at the end of the landrover track which I now crossed and followed all the way back to my car. After this tiring walk I was keen to get back to the car as quickly as possible but it seemed to take me forever as I slowly descended the valley, past the bothy and through the forest until eventually I reached the main road and the car park. This was not a great walk as the weather was against me and that climb up Streap Comhlaidh was just too difficult and exhausting, but the walk along the narrow ridge of Streap was brilliant and well worth the agony. Once I’d had my lunch the walk got better and better so it was just a pity about the weather.

Ben Starav

Sunday 14th September 2008

For the first walk of my week-long holiday in Scotland I decided to go up Ben Starav, a mountain that lies at the end of Glen Etive, a valley with only one way in along a narrow single-track road with passing places that requires a long drive-in from Glen Coe. When I eventually got to my starting point I quickly got going along a track down to the river as I was being eaten alive by midges. The weather was considerably better than the day before but it was still overcast with very little wind, which is unfortunately perfect midge weather. During the early stages of the walk I was plagued by midges and a bigger insect that I can't identify but seemed to be less interested in biting me than simply walking all over me and was just generally annoying. The insects were not a problem at the top of the mountain as it was far too windy for them: which is another reason to love going up a mountain.

After crossing the river I walked past a house and up beside a stream, which I crossed to continue climbing beside the stream. At the appropriate moment I veered off the path and began climbing the north ridge of Ben Starav. This was a never ending climb up a hill with nothing of any interest to break the monotony except the ever-present flies. It wasn’t too steep, it was just that I had to climb all the way up with no easing of the gradient at any point, so it was really exhausting. During the climb I did have some quite good views behind me up Glen Etive towards the mountains of Glen Coe that ultimately gave me the best views of the entire holiday, but unfortunately I didn’t appreciate that at the time. Eventually I reached an interesting section of the climb near the top as the ridge narrowed and rock became more prevalent, but, as I climbed up the rocks to reach the summit of the Munro, clouds descended to rob me of any views.

Rounding the top of Coire an Fhir Lèith I reached the eastern top where a fantastic narrow ridge led out eastwards towards Stob Coire Dheirg. This was the best bit of the walk as I gingerly made my way along the narrow rocky ridge to the top and was actually quite scary as it was rather high and narrow with a less than straight forward path that weaved around the rocks along the top all the way to Stob Coire Dheirg. Once I reached the top I didn’t stay there long as the mist was too thick for me to see much so I descended past some spectacular rock formations down to the pass, Bealach Lochain Ghaineamhaich, where I had my lunch. After eating I resumed the walk along a wide grassy ridge over Meall nan Tri Tighearnan and up to the top of the Munro Glas Bheinn Mhór. This was a quieter section of the walk and after the exertions of the climb it was nicely relaxing and enjoyable. After descending to the col along the ridge I came to a nice treat, a rocky end to the ridge which the path cunningly negotiated while winding its way down. I was reminded of the walk I did a couple of weeks ago in Wales where the path was heavily manufactured whereas here there were no steps, simply a well graded path. There was no sign of the sort of paths that the National Trust like to build that detracts from the enjoyment of the walk, and the wildness of the scenery (of course the Black Mount is not a hugely popular area, unlike the Glyderau). The remainder of the walk was very wet and muddy as I walked beside the stream, Allt Mheuran, back into Glen Etive where my boots had to work overtime to prevent my feet from getting wet as I waded through the wet ground.

This was not a great walk, and I’m not sure why. It could have been the lack of views from any of the tops even though the weather had been good enough for the whole walk and I should not have expected anything more. It wasn’t too hot and the rain held off almost all day (unlike the day before) and the sun was even out for some of the day, which is something I wouldn’t see again until I was coming home. It could have been that the ridge climb was just too long and exhausting, which I would have preferred as a descent when the views coming down would have been fabulous. I suppose my problem with the ascent could be simply my lack of fitness this year and because I was tired after driving all the way up to Scotland the day before. Maybe I was just too tired to appreciate this mountain; Ben Starav does have some great sections to it, but they were just too small to overcome my fatigue.