Stob Dubh (Buachaille Etive Beag) - 958m
Stob Coire Raineach (Buachaille Etive Beag) - 925m
Friday 9th October 2009
Stob Coire Raineach (Buachaille Etive Beag) - 925m
Friday 9th October 2009
Weather/Conditions: A lot of cloud (but clear summits) and a lot of wind with occasional rain. Dull weather start to end.
Distance/Ascent/Time: 8.1km / 900m / 4h
Accompanying: Michael
Stob Dubh
The weather was hardly ideal, and the wind was very cold when we stepped out of the car on the A82. After ten minutes of preparation, we left the car park, following a well built track upwards. The key here was speed, and so we packed light and moved fast - the best way to go in my opinion. It was 3pm and darkness fell at 7pm, so we'd have to get a move on.
To my surprise, a staircase of boulders led us all the way to the summit ridge. The path was similar to those on the likes of The Cobbler or Ben Lomond. It's been very well constructed, but isn't for someone that prefers to climb by their own route. Lower sections were still being constructed, so we occasionally went cross country. Otherwise it was an easy ride all the way to Mam Buidhe, the bealach separating the two Munros.
On the ridge, the wind had picked up and the going was tougher. We went for Stob Dubh first, being the further away Munro and therefore the one to get out of the way. A sketchier path took us up to 900m where the ridge levelled off and a narrow ridge took as the rest of the distance to the summit. Stob Dubh is an impressive mountain, and very steep sided for being such an accessible Munro. It looks beautiful, but offered no great challenges on the ascent. Of course, it is surrounded by the even more impressive mountains of Glen Coe and the views are spectacular for the effort required to reach it. We got it on a dull day, but there were always views worth seeing. Glen Coe is always magnificent, whatever the weather.
Stob Coire Raineach & Descent
From Stob Dubh, we traced our steps back to Mam Buidhe where Michael dropped off his bag, then headed up towards Stob Coire Raineach. A short ascent brought us to the summit at 5.40pm. It was becoming noticeably darker while we stood at the top, but we'd have ample time to descend. Few words other than moody could describe the views. It was complete melancholy; Glen Coe and Rannoch Moor both sulking beneath the thick cloud. Then we heard a siren coming from Glen Coe - a few blue flashing lights could be seen and for a moment we wondered whether there had been an accident. Some light drizzle fell too.
On a lighter note, Stob Coire Raineach was my 50th Munro. We stayed at the summit for a while, sometimes making calls, watching the police/ambulance lights in the valley below, or shivering from the cold. When it was getting a bit miserable we left for the bealach below; a couple of nice scree runs and steep ground on the way.
Michael picked up his bag at the bealach then we followed the path back down in the direction of the car. The stags were making a racket, with their distant roars sounding throughout the glen. Very atmospheric. Lower down, we picked up the pace and arrived at the car park four hours after starting out having ran the final hundred metres.
360° Panorama
Stob Dubh
Times (Time relative to 0.00)
(0.00) 2.55pm Car Park
(1.05) 4.00pm Mam Buidhe
(1.40) 4.35pm Stob Dubh
(2.25) 5.20pm Mam Buidhe
(2.45) 5.40pm Stob Coire Raineach
(3.00) 5.55pm Stob Coire Raineach (left)
(3.15) 6.10pm Mam Buidhe
(4.00) 6.55pm Car Park
(0.00) 2.55pm Car Park
(1.05) 4.00pm Mam Buidhe
(1.40) 4.35pm Stob Dubh
(2.25) 5.20pm Mam Buidhe
(2.45) 5.40pm Stob Coire Raineach
(3.00) 5.55pm Stob Coire Raineach (left)
(3.15) 6.10pm Mam Buidhe
(4.00) 6.55pm Car Park
Written: 2009-10-12