Waterfalls on the walk in.
I met up with James at Bank Street Lodge in Fort William Last night (Monday) to discuss plans for today. After a quick look at the weather we decided to take on the classic Ring of Steall in the Mamores, at the end of Glen Nevis. This little mountain jaunt takes in four Munros over 16km and has 1676m of assent. Guide book times are 9-12h, in summer, So its actually quite a long day out.
Oh and if this wasn't daunting enough, the highlight of the route is the aptly named Devil's Ridge. This knife edge ridge is made slightly more interesting by a rocky "tooth" that sits in the middle and poses an awkward obstacle.
Oh and if this wasn't daunting enough, the highlight of the route is the aptly named Devil's Ridge. This knife edge ridge is made slightly more interesting by a rocky "tooth" that sits in the middle and poses an awkward obstacle.
We met early and headed off down Glen Nevis. We left the car park at a brisk pace and quickly found ourselves at the notorious "Wire Bridge". We wobbled our way over this contemplating the wet ending that awaited us should we slip and land in the river below us. We the bog hopped and heather slogged our way up the mountain towards our first summit.
James wobbles his way across the wire bridge
We quickly found our way onto the summit of An Gearanach. On route we had met a couple who decided to turn back. We headed on. The summit was quite un remarkable. Just a small top on a long ridge. Following the ridge we made our way onto eh op of Stob Coire a' Chairn. So far the ridge had been narrow but nothing to write home about. Although if it was narrow and scary the last thing I would be doing is writing home and telling mum. Anyway a slightly longer section of ridge let us to Am Bodach. This mountain I was particularly glad to finally summit. Jess and I tried from Kinlochleven several years ago and last year Sarah and I tried from the same way, both times we had to turn back.
After Am Bodach we made our way round towards the Devils ridge. This, I'm afraid to say, did not live up to its fearsome reputation. We sauntered along it until we reached a small rock tooth, we awkwardly climbed round it and I was confronted by the second set of people of the day. They were very uncommunicative and James and I thought that they were leaving it pretty late to be starting the route. Anyway we carried on till we reached the summit of Sgurr a' Mhaim, our final Munro of the round.
From here it was an easy but dull walk down a broad shoulder of the mountain back to the Glen below. I was glad to be back at the van. I must confess that I was slightly disappointed by the route. I'm sure that with better visibility it would have been spectacular, but it felt like a bit of a long plod. My hair did freeze in an amusing way though.
After Am Bodach we made our way round towards the Devils ridge. This, I'm afraid to say, did not live up to its fearsome reputation. We sauntered along it until we reached a small rock tooth, we awkwardly climbed round it and I was confronted by the second set of people of the day. They were very uncommunicative and James and I thought that they were leaving it pretty late to be starting the route. Anyway we carried on till we reached the summit of Sgurr a' Mhaim, our final Munro of the round.
From here it was an easy but dull walk down a broad shoulder of the mountain back to the Glen below. I was glad to be back at the van. I must confess that I was slightly disappointed by the route. I'm sure that with better visibility it would have been spectacular, but it felt like a bit of a long plod. My hair did freeze in an amusing way though.
James on one of the Summits.
Maybe I should have worn a hat.