The Glen Etive Hills seen from forest Lodge

This was round 2 of my attempt to finish off the munros around Glen Etive. In doing so I would have climbed all the munros south of the Great Glen. In the end five out of a planned seven munros were climbed. I'm now left with Beinn Sgulaird and Beinn Fhionlaidh to finish off.

Stob Ghabhar seen with much less
snow this time round

Without question the best day in the highlands ever that I've experienced!

Today was one of those perfect days that was promised to be cloudy and drizzly. The journey up left the mist of Manchester and ventured into the moonlit skies of Glasgow before continueing into a perfect dawn by Loch Lomond. A lot of snow had gone with Ben Lomond largely clear of snow. Beyond Crianlarich, however, amounts on snow on the mountains were much greater.

I eventually left the coach at the now familiar Bridge of Orchy. I felt so full of energy at the sight before me but I was faced with the prospect of having to walk to Forest Lodge from Bridge of Orchy - a full 7km. Luckily a rare Tuesday car was driving up there and they offered me a lift which was kind of them. They were a group of three off to climb Stob Ghabhar.

The Glen leading to the wilderness of Glen Kinglas

Beinn Dorain

I set off walking at the reasonable time of 9.30am along the frozen banks of the Abhain Shira past Clashgour to Loch Dochard. Some parts of the river were completely frozen over and the lack of wind made the approach feel very warm. The South Glen Etive ridge can only be described as looking superb from this angle.

Beinn Achaladair

The shapely hill of Stob Coir an Albannaich

At Loch Dochard it was time to leave the track and engage in some bog trotting to enter a side glen called Coire Chaorach. As height was gained towards the bealach, the going became increasingly icy as side trickles and otherwise wet packets of slime were now icy obstacles. A ten foot section of hard snow at an easy angle of ~1:10 was very hazardous as I slipped and slid a little way down it. Trouble was there wasn't enough coverage of ice yet to demand crampons.

Looking back down the corrie of Coire Chaorach

Extensive views over to the Crianlarich and Tyndrum hills

I dumped my sack at the Bealach beneath Stob Coire an Albanach. The view back the way I came was stunning. As I walked off towards the first summit, the view broke to the north and the Glen Coe peaks were under a sea of clouds. All summits above 1000m still appeared to have large amounts of snow with Ben Nevis looking very white.

Buchaille Etive Mor and my Brocken Spectre

The summit dome of Meall nan Eun seen from the west at Meall Tarsuinn

I could see my broken spectre around my shadow - sometimes I could see third order spectrums depending on how close I was to the cloud. The summit of Meall nan Eun beckoned after having traversed the summit of Meall Tarsuinn. All snow in the shade was very hard and the plateaux of Meall nan Eun was one big ice rink.

Bidean nan Bian seen from Meall nan Eun with the mist creeping in

Summits on the other side of Glen Etive including Beinn Fhionlaidh

Returning back to my sack, I noticed the clouds spreading eastwards spilling across the bealach where my sack was. I arrived at my sack and it was now time for lunch. It was 3.15pm - 1 hr 15mins left till dusk. Time for the final summit.

Meall nan Eun ice rink is now open for business!

Glen Coe and Glen Nevis summits seen from Meall nan Eun

The eastern ridge of Stob Coir an Albannaich and the Glen Kinglas hills

I emerged from the clouds again this time to mountains that had turned from white to a tinge of pink. After ascending up the grass / ice ramp to the summit ridge, I was now left with a final 100m ascent up the shapely ridge. The views were getting ever better but the snow was quite mushy up here in the sun - the summit ice shattered under my crampons and skidded off down the slope.

The eastern summit ridge of Stob Coir an Albannaich

Cloud spilling across the first bealach I reached

Bidian nan Bian now above a sea of clouds!

Time now to descend to the next bealach (also in the cloud) I entered the cloud just as the sun disappeared and it was now up with the tent in the chilly breeze. After a warming meal it was time for a well earned 12 hour sleep. Ah Bliss!

Superb views west of Stob Coir an Albannaich

Ben Starav, Glas Beinn Mhor seen in the golden pre dusk sunlight

Beinn nan Aighhenan with the Cruachan hills on the horizon

The summit ridge leading east
to Glas Beinn Mhor

The morning started just as the last evening ended - misty. I was keen to get moving as it was freezing doing the washing up. Unfortunately I reached the summit ridge in shifting mist. I could just see the sun trying to get through the tops of the clouds but alas the clouds won today. The snow was hard this morning demanding that I wear crampons for I slid a little way after trying to negotiate rocks covered in very thin ice.

After arriving at the Bealch before Ben Starav, I dumped my sack I walked across to climb the outlying summit of Beinn nan Aighenan. The breeze was fresher on that summit and was also damp - my gloves were saturated now.

I returned to the sack for water before walking light upto the summit of Ben Starav. The narrow ridge linking Stob Coire Dheirg with the main summit wasn't anywhere near as narrow as I had envisaged - it could be easily circumvented by following easy snow slopes to the south. The ridge itself look like an easy clamber on granite blocks though I didn't do it.

The summit of Ben Starav

I donned crampons before committeing myself to the ridge and then contiued on to the final pull to the mini plateaux with it's northern corrie filled with snow and topped with a cornice. 240 munros now done. Great stuff.

I now returned to the sack and met two others on their way up to the summit. It was time to leave the ridge for Glen Etive. The descent down Allt nam Mairteach was rough and slow going - but not boggy. It was nice to swap ice axe for trekking pole and could now stand upright and relieve the back strain.

I camped by the bridge of the aforementioned river. After chatting to a mountain rescue guy who passed me at camp it seemed that the weather would be taking a plunge for the worse tomorrow.

The next day was spent resting despite the weather not being as bad as was said to be. Next day after was my departure in the lashing rain for a 2 1/2 hour slog up Glen Etive before being given a lift by the second car to pass me (shortly after the first car passed me!). The couple who gave me a lift were kind enough to let me wait for the bus - got to the main raod with ten minutes to spare, Phew!

The rain eased off to showers just as the trip finished - typical!

Despite the last two days, that first day was well worth it - I'll remember for a long time to come. I felt very familar with the highlands around this area now - time now to visit places with another angle to the highlands.