Ruth and I once again headed to the Highlands for New Year week, sadly not joined by any other Duffers this year. We stayed in a cosy two-bedroom cottage, Tigh Floraidh, in Glencoe village, which gave access to a wide choice of hills to suit all conditions.
Having driven up via Carlisle parkrun and the supermarket in Dumbarton on Saturday, we were keen to get cracking with some bagging the next day, and with high winds forecast picked a relatively small Corbett above Kinlochleven, Glas Bheinn. While not the most dramatic hill, it was superbly situated for all-around views of the Mamores, the Corrour estate and the Aonach Eagach. We descended south to the Blackwater Reservoir dam then enjoyed an attractive walk down the beside the River Leven.
Monday started very wet but was forecast to improve later. Ruth had a sore hip so opted for a rest day, while I headed up Glen Coe for an afternoon walk over Buachaille Etive Mor. Starting around midday, I ascended quickly via Coire na Tulaich, making use of my ice axe for a short distance to cross the remains of the cornice at its rim. For a few minutes I had clear views along the ridge, but I soon entered the cloud as I ascended to the northerly Munro, Stob Dearg, and remained in it throughout the traverse back along to Stob na Doire. The final few hundred metres up to Stob na Doire had a good covering of snow, the remains of a deep drift. Just as I was starting to give up on seeing more views on departing the top, the clouds broke and lifted to reveal the ridge ahead, and I was to remain in the clear for the rest of the afternoon, with superb views of the White Corries, Glen Etive and Bidean nam Bian from the second Munro, Stob na Broige.
New Year’s Eve was forecast to be a fine, sunny day: the best of the week. Ruth and I had two Corbetts we wanted to bag near the bottom of Glen Etive, each a brisk half-day walk, so this seemed the best opportunity to tackle those. We set off early to reach the car park at the head of Loch Etive at sunrise and set off up Beinn Trilleachan. This proved to be quite a rough ascent over tussock grass at first, eventually reaching easier, slabby ground on the ridge. We were rewarded for our efforts with superb views across the Trilleachan Slabs to Loch Etive and Ben Cruachan, and also up Glen Etive.
We descended the same way, then drove a couple of miles up the valley to set off again for an afternoon ascent of Stob Dubh. After an easy approach along the track to Glenceitlein, this was a brutal and relentless ascent on short but very steep grass directly to the summit. However, the views over Glen Etive to the Glen Coe Munros were magnificent in the low afternoon sunshine. We made it back to the car just before sunset, and felt we’d made very good use of the daylight on the final day of 2019!
New Year’s Day brought a return to grey, windy weather. For a relatively short walk, we opted to climb the nearby Corbett, Mam na Gualainn, a repeat visit for me. Rather an unremarkable hill in mist, but I got a tick in a box by visiting its neighbouring Graham, Tom Mheadhoin, on the way down, which did have decent views over Loch Leven.
Thursday was a very wet and windy day. Ruth’s hip was giving trouble again, so she opted for another rest day while I ventured out for an afternoon march up Buachaille Etive Beag, which I reckoned would have a good path all the way and not involve any tricky burn-crossings. This proved correct and it was a straightforward outing, up both Munros and back to the car in around 2h20. A very thorough test for my new waterproof jacket, with heavy, wind-driven rain throughout, and a good opportunity to prove I haven’t turned into a fair-weather walker!
Friday’s forecast was for more strong winds and snow showers. With Ruth still too injured to want to do a significant walk, I was tempted to do something short, but convinced myself to venture up onto the Mamores ridge and see where I got to. I wasn’t feeling very optimistic as I walked up Coire na h-Eirghe in falling snow, with mist shrouding the peaks. However, conditions began to improve as I reached the bealach, and cleared out properly while I was on the summit of Am Bodach. While the wind was still bitterly cold and brought occasional snow flurries and quite a bit of spindrift, it wasn’t too unpleasant while heading east (out of the wind) so I continued along the very fine ridge, with mild scrambling in places, to Stob Coire a’ Chairn, then on to Na Gruagaichean and Binnein Mor. The light covering of snow and shifting sunlight in the corries made for spectactular views along the ridge in both directions and across Glen Nevis to the Grey Corries.
I descended via Sgor Eilde Beag, the one Munro Top I had not previously visited in the range, then back down the good stalkers’ paths to Kinlochleven.
That concluded a mixed week, generally lacking in snow except for the dusting on the final day, but plentiful in the usual wind and rain! I was pleased to have got up major hills every day, and to have ticked off three new Corbetts (leaving just 15 yet to be bagged) and a Graham over the course of the week, as well as revisiting seven Munros and another Corbett. The path to Corbett completion is starting to look clear ahead, with plans outlined for visits to the Cairngorms and Monadhliath at Easter, and to the Western Isles and far north over Spring Bank Holiday week, which should leave only a small handful to go.
As ever, a much more extensive photo album of the trip is available on on Google Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/UKFoeR3VbaFwEZjr6
David Pettit's photo blog 