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Weather/Conditions: Some cloud
on the tops, but only briefly. The forecast was for great weather,
although with minimal wind, the sunny skies over the sea never came
inland. Still, nice conditions and temperate - not too hot or cold. No
rain.
Distance/Ascent/Time: 16.3km / 1700m / 11h
20m
Accompanying: Dougie on all, Diane
and Vicky on Beinn a' Bhuiridh |
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Finally I got to do the horseshoe, a wee
long term goal for several years. This comes after an attempt two days
shy of five years previously, when Ben Cruachan alone was climbed and
then another day just over a year ago when something resembling an
extended Dalmally Horseshoe was done around the other three Munros.
But never the Cruachan Horseshoe, until today.
A slightly sweaty pull took us up to the reservoir where the hope of
good weather from the west propelled us up the Corbett Beinn a' Bhuiridh
- a steep sided mountain with a very flat top. Well we took a
slightly-steeper-than-usual route up it, which was essentially straight
up the west ridge. There were some big drops but all the rocky parts
were easy and I found no problem at all. Then followed lots (and lots)
of false summits which culminated in a flat summit plateau bearing a
cairn surrounding by about ten loud, bantering hill walkers that seemed
not to be the highest point at all. Yet on this flat, bumpy plateau, god
only knows where the real summit really is. There's a pretty
impressive horn of rock at the eastern end, although we didn't go out
there.
Quite a while was spent on top, so we took pictures, ate and drank
before moving on. Well the good weather forecast hadn't come through,
but maybe later...? Diane and Vicky were heading down now, but Dougie
and I headed on to do the full Cruachan ridge. We headed off the
northern slopes of Beinn a' Bhuiridh (quite steep and rocky) then came
to a broad bealach. Here we separated into two, and Dougie and I headed
upwards and onto the Munros.
There was a lot of cloud around on the ridge, but enough visibility to
see that this is a very interesting places. Check out the gullies, they
bristle with little crumbling pinnacles and the granite thrusts in all
sorts of strange directions. It makes for a very interesting walk. We
headed across the Munro Top Stob Garbh, onto the Munro Stob Diamh, then
out to the Munro Top Sron an Isean. Stob Garbh looks very interesting
from here, same since it's out on a limb we had to retrace our steps to
Stob Garbh. Then for the real fun.
I'll say it now - the Stob Diamh to Ben Cruachan ridge is simply
awesome. Funny that at the time of walking, I'd done most Tops and many
ridges in the area, but not this one. Well glad I got to now, because
it's just cracking. What was coming up ahead looked enormous, but it was
up on Drochaid Ghlas (Munro Top) that things got very interesting. The
north ridge of this Top gives a very mountainous atmosphere, narrow with
granite blocks and such. Then the ridge to Cruachan only helps this
mountainous atmosphere. It's known for having one scrambling step, but
the actual hands-on is a one off and there's a nice big hold in the
perfect place for lowering yourself off. Beyond this final step we
went into the cloud and completed the ridge to Cruachan, but not without
a sting in the tail. The bit nobody speaks about is a narrow section
with smooth granite blocks and long drops on either side. I found
negotiating one particular gap slightly hairy, however we did it without
incident.
Now this is a lot of rambling detail, but in short, it is a superb
ridge.
Now on the summit of Cruachan, we acknowledged that it was getting dark
and that plans had to be altered. We'd cut out Stob Dearg (Munro Top)
and head straight down to the Reservoir, missing out Meall Cuanail
(another Munro Top, both unclimbed!) as well. We needed a lift back to
Crianlarich too from Diane and Vicky who were so patiently waiting for
us below.
Well we got down into the coire, noting the fading light but still
taking it easy, talking about everything and anything (but mainly the
High Tatras...) Then quickly shot down past the reservoir and over the
dam. It became very dark at the path down to the train station, where I
came to realise I'd left my headtorch in Crianlarich. Dougie had his,
(phew) and he led the way while I picked my way down in the shadow of
his footsteps. It was a good system really and got me down fine (apart
from the occasional slip) since the path is pretty rocky with bits of
roots sticking out everywhere.
And then finally down to the power station in the dark, where we rested
in the car park until Diane and Vicky came along to get us. We were
enormously late! But I should note the weather had cleared by this point
and by the time we stepped out of the car at Crianlarich we saw one of
the most spectacular starry skies I'd ever seen. Amazing!
Beinn a' Bhuiridh
Stob Diamh
Drochaid Ghlas and Ben Cruachan
Descent
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