Coire nam Beiteach of Bidean nan Bian

Buchaille Etive Beag seen on the descent to Lairig Eilde

I had trouble on the main road trying to hitch up to the bottom of Coire an Lochan so I gave up after trying for 20 minutes and just went up Coire nam Beiteach as a compromise. The corrie itself is magnificent and the head was very well snowed up. Time for crampons on. Oh dear, one crampon had lost a screw. I settled with ascending on just one crampon and using the steps made already for the other foot. It made things interesting on the forty degree slope but the going was a lot easier up on the ridges even though the snow was still hard.

The mist covered the summits which is a shame for I wanted lots of photos on what I think is the grandest mountain in Glen Coe. The head of Coire Ghabhail was corniced and very steep yet I spotted a huge group of nine making their way up at a snails pace. They were mad yet probably a university group. The second summit was reached and I now had gentle slopes to descend eastwards before heading down into the Larig Eilde. I finished early and was satisfied with that walk despite the lack of photo opportunities.

Beinn Fhada and Stob Coire Sgreamhach

Am Bodach and the Aonach Eagach ridge

Ardgour

My last day which was a shame for the weather was now getting better each day. Outside the visitor centre I did my usual hitchhike attempt which by now felt a chore for the distance from the hostel to the main road without getting wet is long. I waited 45mins just to travel 7km down the road. I was now impatient feeling no-one would stop.

The Glen Etive and Creran Peaks from the Ballachulish Horseshoe

Ballachulish, Loch Leven and the Pap of Glen Coe

The summit of Sgorr Dearg

Eventually I got to Ballachulish for my walk, the weather prompted many photo stops and the ridge was fantastic. A Sheffield university group were tackling the east ridge which was more of a scramble than a walk and I periodically met their group on the main ridge.

Garbh Beinn in Ardgour, Loch Linnhe in the middle distance

Sgor Donuill from Sgorr Dearg with Loch Linnie in the Distance

Wow! That was the first time I’d seen the Isle of Mull and the Glen Nevis mountains looked particularly fine. I ran out of film on the final Munro after the easy yet narrowish walk up from the bealach and I now had a fine walk on a broad undulating ridge. A temperature inversion meant the snow lower down was very hard but the snow higher up was softer and thus easier for me - the one crampon man! After a descent through the forest on to the track below all I had was a simple walk down and a satisfying finish to a great trip.

Me on the final summit

My final photo from the final summit to Loch Linnhe