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| Crossing Victoria Bridge over the Abhainn Shira |
We're off again - it's Whit weekend and only Saturday is looking like a good weather day.
Setting off from
Cannich Campsite early - we headed west for Stob a'Choire Odhair and Stob Ghabhar, two more Munros on our to do list - Stob Ghabhar is always getting good reviews for views, being rugged and general massiveness.
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| That's the way - signpost by Forest Lodge, Inveroran |
Last time I was here was in 2007 when I passed through with Rafe and Hal (when they were sprightly "teenagers" - at 19 months old) on the West Highland Way (a long, long time ago...).
We parked up in the walkers car park, beyond the Inveroran Hotel and before Victoria Bridge - booted and rucksacked, we were soon off, north over the bridge and quickly west on the good track into Glen Kinglas.
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| Stob Ghabhar and Beinn Toaig from walk in on track beside Abhainn Shira, Glen Kinglas |
The views were wide - we could see Stob Ghabhar ahead to the north of the glen - Stob a'Choire Odhair was nestling behind Beinn Toaig and out of sight as we started our walk - the bigger hills were shrouded, but we were confident that it would clear...
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| Jim - Stob Ghabhar and Beinn Toaig from walk in on track beside Abhainn Shira, Glen Kinglas |
The cloud was darker in the far west, roiling around the coastal mountains - it looked like they were getting some weather!
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| Jim - near Clashgour Hut, Glen Kinglas |
It was only half an hour or so before we reached
Clashgour Hut, originally a tiny primary school (see the school bell above the door!) but now belongs to the Glasgow University Mountaineering Club.
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| Stob Ghabhar and Beinn Toaig from near Clashgour Hut, Glen Kinglas |
We turned sharp right here with Coire Toaig directly ahead and our misty mountain mission objectives either side.
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| Jim - path beside Allt Toaig - views to Stob Ghabhar, Stob a'Choire Odhair and Beinn Toaig |
Initally the track was good, an easy walk above Allt Toaig, gently ascending into the wild.
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| Jim - very rough path into Coire Toaig - views to Stob Ghabhar and Stob a'Choire Odhair |
But as we made our way up the glen the path deteriorated markedly, very eroded in places - at least it wasn't wet! We persisted - we've walked a lot worse!
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| Waterfall on Allt Coire na Muic over Creag an Steallaire - Stob Ghabhar |
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| Stob Ghabhar and Beinn Toaig from track into Coire Toaig |
We spied our descent route, across to the north west, beside the Allt Coire na Muic over Creag an Steallaire, with an invisible Stob Ghabhar beyond.
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Waterfall on Allt Coire na Muic over Creag an Steallaire, Stob Ghabhar
The way down! |
It looked like the cloud was rising - as we came to a turn in the path, the lower slopes of Stob a'Choire Odhair came into closer view - the blue sky seemed to be winning over the grey.
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Stob a'Choire Odhair and Beinn Toaig from track into Coire Toaig
Zig-zag path can be seen on nose of Stob a'Choire Odhair |
We could also see the path ascending the south nose of Stob a'Choire Odhair - it zigged and zagged up the hillside and we could see another walker halfway up, tiny in the distance - it looked like a slog!
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| Jim - ascent of Beinn Toaig |
We took to the open hillside to our right - taking the south west nose of Beinn Toaig - it was still a slog, but somehow it didn't seem so much of a trudge as sticking to the baggers plod.
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| Ascent of Beinn Toaig - views across Glen Kinglas |
It was pretty steep - but we were feeling reasonably fit and it was over very soon.
Plus the views...
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| Stob Ghabhar and Coire Toaig from ascent of Beinn Toaig |
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| Beinn Dorain and Beinn an Dothaidh from ascent of Beinn Toaig |
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Stob Ghabhar and Coire Toaig from ascent of Beinn Toaig
Zig-zag path can be seen on nose of Stob a'Choire Odhair |
It wasn't long before we topped out onto the rounded dome of Beinn Toaig - with Stob a'Choire Odhair to the north across a wide, shallow beallach.
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| Stob a'Choire Odhair from ascent of Beinn Toaig |
The summit was across at the far side (E) of the dome. We wandered across, through bouldery outcrops, taking it all in...
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| Rannoch Moor from Beinn Toaig |
The view over Rannoch Moor from Beinn Toaig (834m) was just awesome.
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| Jim - Beinn Toaig summit (Sim, 834m) - views over Rannoch Moor |
It was definitely worth taking our little off-path detour.
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| Stob Ghabhar and Stob a'Choire Odhair from Beinn Toaig |
Onward to Stob a'Choire Odhair - an airy stroll across the shallow bealach (sh 802m), followed by a bouldery ascent to the summit, winding through the rocks - nothing scrambly, nothing too steep and only 150m or so. Easy going with great sweeping views...
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| Jim - Stob a'Choire Odhair from bealach (sh 802m) between it and Beinn Toaig |
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| Ascent of Stob a'Choire Odhair - views over Rannoch Moor |
It really wasn't long before we were at the summit - clear skies and sunshine over Stob a'Choire Odhair (Munro 226, 945m) - but the mass of Stob Ghabhar, to the west, was still shrouded.
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| Stob a'Choire Odhair summit (Munro 226, 945m) - views to Stob Ghabhar |
The chap we had seen climbing the zig-zags was also at the summit - taking in the panorama. He was on holiday from Belgium and was getting his annual Scottish hill fix!
After many photographs and a bit of a quiz about our knowledge of Belgium, geography and customs - he trundled off, back the way he had come - he had climbed Stob Ghabhar the day before.
We tucked ourselves behind a rock and ate a first (and very welcome) lunch - with those views of Rannoch Moor spread out below.
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| Jim - Stob Ghabhar from descent from Stob a'Choire Odhair |
After some refreshments we wandered on, descending east into Bealach Coire Toaig - the rough path intermittent, but once off the summit plateau, it was obvious where we were going - pointy Aonach Eagach across the other side of the coire with Stob Ghabhar, still shrouded beyond.
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| Stob Ghabhar over Bealach Coire Toaig from descent from Stob a'Choire Odhair |
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| Jim - Bealach Coire Toaig - views to Aonach Eagach, Stob Ghabhar, Coirean Lochain and Sron nan Giubhas |
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| Coirean Lochain and Sron nan Giubhas from Bealach Coire Toaig |
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| Stob Ghabhar and Coirean Lochain from Bealach Coire Toaig |
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| Stob a'Choire Odhair from Bealach Coire Toaig |
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| Couloir Buttress and Aonach Eagach from Bealach Coire Toiag |
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| Stob a'Choire Odhair and Beinn Toaig over Bealach Coire Toaid from ascent of Stob Ghabhar |
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| Stob a'Choire Odhair and Beinn Toaig from ascent of Stob Ghabhar |
Once across the bealach, the ascent stiffened and the rough path took us up through and round some minor outcrops, before depositing us at the foot of the steep ascent up to the Couloir Buttress and Aonach Eagach.
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| Jim - ascent towards Couloir Buttress and Aonach Eagach from Bealach Coire Toiag |
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| Stob a'Choire Odhair from ascent of Stob Ghabhar |
As advertised, it was steep, bouldery and there was a few bits of scree - but a rough path ascended through it all. The views were magnificent, especially as the cloud seemed to be raising off Stob Ghabhar.
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| Stob Ghabhar ascent of Couloir Buttress, Aonach Eagach |
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| Stob Ghabhar ascent of Couloir Buttress, Aonach Eagach |
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| Stob a'Choire Odhair from ascent of Couloir Buttress, Aonach Eagach, Stob Ghabhar |
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| Jim - ascent of Couloir Buttress, Aonach Eagach, Stob Ghabhar |
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| Stob a'Choire Odhair and Beinn Toaig from ascent of Aonach Eagach, Stob Ghabhar |
Very soon we reached the summit ridge of Aonach Eagach - not quite so precarious or serious as it's Glen Coe namesake - but an airy crest, never very narrow, with a lofty outlook.
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| Ascent of Aonach Eagach - views to Stob Ghabhar |
Stob Ghabhar was ahead - a final pull along the Aonach Eagach and 100m or so up to the summit - the cloud clearing by the minute.
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Ascent of Aonach Eagach
Views to Beinn Toaig with Loch Tulla, Beinn Dubhchraig, Beinn Beinn Oss, Beinn an Dothaidh and Beinn Dorain beyond | |
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| Jim - Aonach Eagach summit (ex Munro Top, 1000m) - views to Stob Ghabhar |
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| Stob a'Choire Odhair over Aonach Eagach from ascent of Stob Ghabhar |
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| Jim - ascent of Stob Ghabhar |
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| Stob a'Choire Odhair and Aonach Eagach from ascent of Stob Ghabhar |
But, typical, the cloud rolled in again, just as we got to the final few metres...
We hung about for a while - Stob Ghabhar (Munro 55, 1090m) - hoping for the mist to clear. It was chilly out of the sun and in the summit breeze, but we were lucky that the mist cleared enough to give us a bit of a view.
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| Stob Ghabhar summit (Munro 55, 1090m) |
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| Descent east from Stob Ghabhar |
The mist was only on the very top of Stob Ghabhar, as soon as we started our descent, back down the ridge towards the bealach between the hill and Aonach Eagach, we came out of the clag and the sun felt warm.
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| Stob a'Choire Odhair from descent from Stob Ghabhar |
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| Jim - descent east from Stob Ghabhar |
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| Views south east from descent from Stob Ghabhar - many, many hills |
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| Buachaille Etive Mor from descent from Stob Ghabhar |
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Jim - descent from Stob Ghabhar - views south east from cairn marking descent point onto Stob Maol
(Minor col between Stob Ghabhar and Aonach Eagach) |
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The route down Stob Maol followed a line of old fence posts, an easy, gentle descent - the view went on and on ahead of us - over Loch Tulla to the Orchy Hills - Beinn Dubhchraig, Beinn Oss,
Beinn an Dothaidh and Beinn Dorain, with
Ben Lawers,
An Stuc and friends beyond.
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| Jim - descent from Stob Ghabhar on Stob Maol along old fence-post path |
The heat increased.
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| Descent from Stob Ghabhar - views back (NW) up Stob Maol |
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Jim - descent on Stob Maol, Stob Ghabhar
Views south east over Loch Tulla to Beinn Dubhchraig, Beinn Oss, Beinn an Dothaidh and Beinn Dorain |
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| Jim - above Allt Coire na Muic over Creag an Steallaire - views over Loch Tulla again |
Still following the old fence, we dropped into the little gorge of Allt Coire na Muic and had a little mooch about around the waterfall - lovely. Time for a second lunch.
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| Waterfall on Allt Coire na Muic over Creag an Steallaire - descent from Stob Ghabhar |
Jim even took his coat off!
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| Jim by waterfall on Allt Coire na Muic over Creag an Steallaire - descent from Stob Ghabhar |
Before we scrambled down the rocks of Creag an Steallaire and continued down the hillside...
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| Jim - descent from Stob Ghabhar - above Allt Coire na Muic |
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| Looking back to waterfall on Allt Coire na Muic over Creag an Steallaire - descent from Stob Ghabhar |
We crossed the Allt Toaig in its pretty little gorge - the water was low and we had no trouble hopping from rock to rock.
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| Jim - crossing Allt Toaig |
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| Allt Toaig |
We joined our outward path again and continued south above the burn, wending our way back...
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| Path above Allt Toaig - descent from Stob Ghabhar |
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| Allt Toaig - descent from Stob Ghabhar |
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| Stob Ghabhar from near Clashgour Hut |
It wasn't far to the main track at Clashgour Hut - the mountains all around were crisp and clear against a sapphire sky - with just a hint of heat haze.
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| Jim - Clashgour Hut, Glen Kinglas |
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| Beinn Dorain and Beinn an Dothaidh from track beside Abhainn Shira, Glen Kinglas |
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| Views west along Glen Kinglas |
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| Jim - near car park at Victoria Bridge, Inveroran |
After a half hour of delightful rambling along the Abhainn Shira we were back at the car - just time for an ice cold pint of shandy and supper at the
Inveroran Hotel.
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| Red deer at Inveroran Hotel |
Route: Car park at Victoria Bridge at the W end of Loch Tulla (NN270418), N along rough path beside trees to road, N along road, crossing Victoria Bridge and taking track left (W) beside Forest Lodge (sp Loch Etive and Glen Kinglas), turn R (N) just after Clashgour Hut onto stalkers path along bank of Allt Toaig, at NN252442 (approx) turn NE on pathless open hillside to ascend Beinn Toaig, initially steeply to reach SW ridge, follow wide ridge NE to Beinn Toaig summit (Sim, 834m), NW to bealach (sh 802m), then NNW steeply to Stob a'Choire Odhair (Munro 226, 945m), descend W on rough path to bealach above Coire Toaig (sh 668m), continue W along rough path and continue to follow this when it turns S to ascend very steeply to Couloir Buttress on Aonach Eagach, WSW along ridge of Aonach Eagach, (passing a cairn which marks the descent route) then NW and N, continuing along rough path and ascending to Stob Ghabhar summit (Munro 55, 1090m), return S and SE to cairn at the W end of Aonach Eagach ridge, head SE on rough path descending along Stob Maol, (following a line of fence posts for the entire descent), and into Coire na Muic, crossing the waterfalls at Creag an Steallaire (path rough and eroded, but very obvious), continue on path and following fenceposts (and eventually a wall) to cross Allt Toaig at NN252439 (approx), and pick up outward stalkers path just on the E bank, continue S to Clashgour Hut, return E along track to Forest Lodge and then S across Victoria Bridge and to car park.
Statistics: Distance: 18.5km Ascent: 1250m Time: 8 hours
Map: OS Explorer 377 Loch Etive & Glen Orchy
