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| St. Paul's Church, Kinlochleven |
Does everybody have "Setting Off Anxiety"? When you can't look forward to the walk because you're worried that you're going to make a mess of getting out of the car park, go the wrong way and look like a fool?
I certainly had it before this walk - I'd read the guide book and looked online, crosschecked with the map and read the guidebook again. I know which way to go when we get out of the car - right!?
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| Bluebells in the woods by the route in Kinlochleven |
Nope - turned right instead of left by the church and ended up on the wrong track up the glen. But there had been at least 2 other walkers setting off just after us, so there was no way we were were going back to the car park and starting again.
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| Views back to Pap of Glencoe, Loch Leven and Stob Ban |
When we realised our mistake, we took the first bit of path (and it wasn't much of a path) ascending north through the woodland, with the intention of joining the stalkers path up An Cumhann at our earliest opportunity.
We passed through some lovely birchwoods, scattered with bluebells, before zig-zagging across a rather steep open area (just recovering from a wildfire a few years ago) and along a rather attractive path on the wrong side of a gorge.
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| Kinlochleven and Loch Leven |
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| The rough path ascending the south side of gorge (NN198627 approx) |
It was fairly rough going, but the views opened up behind us, a sparkling loch, gold and green spring woods and the bluest of blue skies - it was good to be right here, right now.
The "Setting Off Anxiety" had gone!
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| Looking back towards Loch Leven |
We were soon above the birch woods - we aimed to stay on this side of the gorge to it's top, and then head across the open moor to join the stalkers path on An Cumhann.
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| Looking north towards the Ring of Steall hills |
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| Continuing north east across the lower slopes of Meall an Doire Dharaich |
It wasn't far, it wasn't too bad on the ground - a bit tussocky in places - but we were soon back on track - literally...
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| Looking back towards Loch Leven from the stalkers path over An Cumhann |
And then it was just about following the stalkers path across the rolling moorland - clear and obvious before us - towards Sgor Eilde Beag.
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| Views to Sgor Eilde Beag from stalkers path over An Cumhann |
We chatted to a couple of other walkers en route - everyone enjoying the beautiful weather and the great views - it was a busy path today.
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| Jim - above Loch Eilde Mor |
We had walked this path before - a good few years ago now (August 2010 to be more precise), when we climbed Binnein Mor and Na Gruagaichean - we had Freddie (aged 17) and both Hal and Rafe with us. It was a driech sort of a day and we didn't get much in the way of views.
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| Allt Coire nan Laogh - views north |
It was very different today - sun and crisp, clear horizons. And the path seemed different - 9 years of weather and 9 years of boots and bike tyres - the path had definitely deteriorated - it was really quite rough underfoot.
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| Jim - ascending Sgor Eilde Beag stalkers path |
But it was clear and direct - we were soon high above the loch, counting summits that we could see, climbed and unclimbed.
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| Loch Eilde Mor and Glen Coe and Glen Etive hills from ascent of Sgor Eilde Beag stalkers path |
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| Jim - ascending Sgor Eilde Beag stalkers path |
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| Loch Eilde Mor and Glen Coe hills from ascent of Sgor Eilde Beag stalkers path |
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| Jim - first views of Sgurr Eilde Mor |
We left the main stalkers path and wandered, pathless, across Coire an Lochain, heather and deergrass, to a tussock with a view - a good place for a first lunch.
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| Glen Coe and Glen Etive hills from Coire an Lochain - a good spot for a first lunch |
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| Binnein Beag and Sgur Eilde Mor from Coire an Lochain |
After a couple of butties we made our way back to the main path - taking in the views of Sgurr Eilde Mor across the coire (to be our second summit, later in the day) - and continued north, above the lochan and onward to descend into Coire an Bhinnein for the long(ish) trek around the lower slopes of Binnein Mor to its smaller brother Binnein Beag.
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| Coire an Lochain and Sgurr Eilde Mor |
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| Binnein Beag from stalkers path above Coire an Lochain |
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| Sgurr Eilde Mor over Coire an Lochain |
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| Jim - Binnein Beag from descent into Coire an Bhinnein |
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| Binnein Beag from stalkers path above Coire an Bhinnein |
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| Jim - ascent of Binnein Beag |
The views of the Nevis Range were spectacular - it was hard to believe that we were up in the snows on Aonach Beag and Aonach Mor only last week!
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| Aonach Beag from bealach between Binnein Mor and Binnean Beag |
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| Jim - ascent of Binnein Beag |
We were soon at the base of the pyramid that is the summit of Binnein Beag - 200m or so of steep scree.
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| Ben Nevis and Aonach Beag from the bealch between Binnein Mor and Binnean Beag |
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| Coire an Bhinnein from the ascent of Binnein Beag |
There was a path zigging and zagging through the rocks - we took a couple of little detours to scramble about a bit - but we were very soon on the summit.
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| Jim - ascent of Binnein Beag |
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| Jim - ascent of Binnein Beag - views to Binnein Mor |
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| Jim - ascent of Binnein Beag |
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| Jim - ascent of Binnein Beag - views back to Coire an Lochain and Binnein Mor |
Binnein Beag (Munro 230, 943m) - standing alone amongst the biggies of the Mamores and the Nevis Range - what a viewpoint - and our 175th Munro!
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| Jim - ascent of Binnein Beag - views to Sgurr Eilde More and Coire an Lochain |
We had the summit to ourselves for about 3 minutes - we could see a group of 4 young men, bounding from rock to rock, making good speed up the hill - many photographs were taken before they arrived.
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| Binnein Mor from Binnein Beag summit (Munro 230, 943m) |
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| Jim - summit of Binnein Beag - views to Ben Nevis and Aonach Beag |
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| Sgurr Eilde Mor over Coire an Bhinnein from Bhinnein Beag |
The lads were up in Scotland for the weekend - they had planned to do all 10 Mamores in the day - this had soon been reduced to 7 by the time they had climbed Sgurr Eilde Mor and had been reduced again to 4 now! - they asked our advice on a route up Binnein Mor (and which hill it actually was!)
It's nice to chat with such enthusiastic (if a little inexperienced) young people. Not sure if we were quite so cheerful about being considered venerable Munro Baggers...
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| Jim - Sgurr Eilde Mor over Coire an Bhinnein from Bhinnein Beag |
We left them to their map and their lunch and headed back down the scree zig-zags - petting Bonnie the Munro Bagger and her owners - a lovely little jackapoo with an ambition to be a Munro Compleater - good luck.
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| North east from Binnein Beag |
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| A snowy Schiehallion from Binnein Beag |
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| Sgurr Eilde Mor from Binnein Beag |
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| Ben Nevis from the bealch between Binnein Mor and Binnean Beag |
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| Bunnein Mor from the bealch between Binnein Mor and Binnean Beag |
The four lads on a mission soon caught up with us, at the junction with the path to Binnein Mor - Yep, that's the way!
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| Sgurr Eilde Mor over Coire an Bhinnein |
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| Looking back to Binnein Beag - note two people in the bealach |
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| Jim - Sgurr Eilde Mor from Coire an Bhinnein |
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| Jim - Stalkers path in Coire an Bhinnein |
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| Jim - Ascent out of Coire an Bhinnein |
It seemed much quicker crossing Coire an Bhinnein on the way back. We were soon ascending steeply out of the coire, initially up the zig-zag path - and towards the top of the bowl we struck off, directly, across the grassy hillside towards the pointy summit cone of Sgurr Eilde Mor.
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| Jim - at the start of the ascent of Sgurr Eilde Mor |
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| Binnein Beag frmo the ascent of Sgurr Eilde Mor |
We stopped for a second lunch at the start of the ascent of the summit cone - a solifluction terrace being very handy seat! - what a view...
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| Coire an Lochain from the ascent of Sgurr Eilde Mor |
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| Jim - Ascent of Sgurr Eilde Mor |
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| Coire an Bhinnein and Binnein Mor from ascent of Sgurr Eilde Mor |
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| Ben Nevis, Aonach Beag and Binnein Beag from ascent of Sgurr Eilde Mor |
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| Ascent of Sgurr Eilde Mor - views over Coire an Bhinnein |
And then began the ascent.
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| Ascent of Sgurr Eilde Mor - steep |
We soon picked up the rough path heading up!
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| Ascent of Sgurr Eilde Mor - really quite steep |
It was really rather steep - the steepest we have encountered recently...
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| Ascent of Sgurr Eilde Mor - views to Aonach Eagach |
And it was quite a sustained steep! - the scree got smaller and more like ball bearings the higher up we got. There was some snow melt mixing in with the gravel too - slippery. It was two steps forward and one back - not nice.
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| Jim - Ascent of Sgurr Eilde Mor - still quite steep! |
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| Coire an Lochain from top of Sgurr Eilde Mor west ridge |
But (as we've said before) steep means quick - we were very soon near the top.
We wandered along to the end of Sgurr Eilde Mor's West Ridge. It looked like it could have been a good ascent route - a bit scrambly and possibly more exposed, but better than the scree we had just endured - if ever we go up Sgurr Eilde Mor again - that's the way we'll go...
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| Jim - Ascent of Sgurr Eilde Mor - nearly there |
It was just a short gentle pull up from here to the summit - Sgurr Eilde Mor (Munro 122, 1010m)
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| The Nevis Range and Binnein Beag from Sgurr Eilde Mor |
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| Sgurr Eilde Mor summit (Munro 122, 1010m) |
We had the view to ourselves - the whole of the north of Scotland!
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| Binnein Mor from Sgurr Eilde Mor summit |
Good place for a third lunch...
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| Blckwater Reservoir from Sgurr Eilde Mor summit |
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| Buachaille Etive Mor and friends from Sgurr Eilde Mor summit |
Now, which way off?
There were a couple of cairns and a couple of what looked like paths. All very steep.
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| A distant Lawers Range from Sgurr Eilde Mor summit |
None seemed more likely than any other. We just headed off - south south east, towards Lochan Coire an Lochain - picking our way through the scree, boulders and grass. It was very steep (and somewhat hard on venerable knees) but very quick.
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| Jim - Glen Coe and Glen Etive hills and Loch Eilde Mor from descent from Sgurr Eilde Mor |
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| East - from descent from Sgurr Eilde Mor |
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| Jim - Glen Coe and Glen Etive hills and Loch Eilde Mor from descent from Sgurr Eilde Mor into Coire an Lochain |
And the views......
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| Jim - Coire an Lochain from descent from Sgurr Eilde Mor |
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| Sgurr Eilde Mor from Coire an Lochain |
It wasn't long before we were back in the coire...
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| Coire an Lochain |
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| Descent from Coire an Lochain |
And back on the Sgor Eilde Beag stalkers path - a long and slightly weary trek back along the rubbly path.
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| Views to Pap of Glencoe, Loch Leven and Stob Ban |
The views of Loch Leven and it's accompanying hills kept us going - just beautiful.
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| Looking back to Sgor Eilde Beag |
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| Jim - descent to Kinlochleven |
We followed the correct route (the stalkers path down Am Cumhann) on our descent - to be quite honest, I'm quite glad we didn't go up that way - it was rough and eroded.
But it was a quick descent.
A sudden shower damped everything down and we were treated to that wonderful smell of new rain - petrichor.
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| Into the woods above Kinlochleven |
The woods enveloped and sheltered us for our final few metres of descent - and the car and coffee beckoned.
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| Jim - the woods near Kinlochleven |
Route: Car park beside St. Paul's Church, Kinlochleven (NN188623), fp to the right of the church, and taking right turn at T junction just beyond the church, follow this to a house on left (NN191623), take fp N just before house, ascending through woodland, follow indistinct path ascending steeply NE up lower slopes of Meall an Doire Dharaich to gorge of burn (at NN197627 approx) follow indistinct path ENE along the top of gorge along the edge of woodland and continue to top of gorge to the point where it is possible to cross burn (NN201628), cross burn and cross moor to pick up stalkers path (NN200629 approx), continue NE along Am Cumhann, at junction with track (NN208634) cross track and continue on stalkers path NE ascending around Sgor Eilde Beag, continue along path across wide bealach to crossroads (NN221656), continue straight on and descend into Coire an Bhinnein and contouring around lower slopes of Binnien Mor and Sron a'Gharbh Choire to lochan at NN218671, take fp NE along shore of lochan and ascend Binnein Beag (Munro 230, 943m), return to lochan and fp through Coire an Bhinnein, ascending back towards wide crossroads, at NN222658 (at the top of the last zigzag), ascend E steeply across moor and start ascent of Sgurr Eilde Mor, meeting fp at NN225658 approx, ascend very steeply on this fp to Sgurr Eilde Mor (Munro 122, 1010m), descend extremely steeply on pathless ground at the south of the hill, picking way across scree/boulders/grass/moss to pick up fp at NN230653, cross wide bealach to stalkers path below Sgor Eilde Beag and follow to An Cumhann, descending on main path until tarmac path is reached, just behind the church in Kinlochleven
Statistics: Distance: 20.5km Ascent: 1600m Time: 9 hours
Map: OS Explorer 392 Ben Nevis & Fort William
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