Climbing and CRR Leg 2!

Fools Paradise, Gowder Crag

SATURDAY: I couldn't miss the opportunity to get out climbing while it was hot and sunny this weekend:

Sunny view of Skiddaw from Gowder Crag

SUNDAY: Back in Scotland, the route was 36.2km (23 miles) with 2443m of ascent. I took me exactly 9 hours to complete in good weather (with little bit of jogging along the tracks)! Sadly I forgot my camera though! 

My training route for CRR leg 2

My day started at Corrour Station, from where I headed up munro Beinn na Lap (935m). This hill succumbs easily to some determined plodding and I was soon stood at the summit cairn (further than you think), wondering which way to tackle the next summit. In the end, I decided to head down the north ridge slightly, before dropping down steep grass (nearly vertical in places!) to the river Allt Feith Thuill in the glen below. Here I rolled up my trousers and commited to crossing the cold water (it is shallow but fairly wide in places). There is a stunning view NW down Strath Ossian, with Loch Ghuilbinn glinting in the distance.

From the top of Beinn na Lap the route I would take up the flanks of the mountain opposite (towards the col between Garbh Bheinn-Meall Garbh) looked far too steep and highly improbable. But from the river, it was easy enough to see a line up the now not-so-steep slope, weaving through rocky outcrops. Once on the ridge you simply have to push on, over Meall Garbh before the round mass of Chno Dearg finally appears (1046m).

It doesn't take long though to pull up to the top of this mountain. You are well compensated with a lovely jog down runnable terrain across the col and NW towards the ridge rising to third munro, Stob Corie Sgriodain. This ridge rises gradually but makes for quite slow progress because it is broken and rocky ground. In places, striking patches of white quartzite protrude from the darker rock, where they have bee shattered into small pieces on the surface.

From the summit of Stob Corie Sgriodain at 979m, you get a panoramic view over Loch Trieg and over the forestry of Glen Spean. From here I made the mistake of dropping off the ridge to the east at about 860m in favour of crossing, what I thought, would be relatively easy terrain alongside the river Allt Fhearghais. Instead, this ground ended up to be water-logged and tussocky, with hunderds of tiny streams to negogiate. I felt like it took me far too long and I planned to follow the ridge down as far as possible instead next time! I guess this is what recces are for!!

At the edge of the forest I met with a fence and a barricade of densely packed wirey and sratchy trees. Fortunately I only had to plough through about 100m of them before I hit the track alongside the railway. I wasted more time here walking up and down trying to find a way down and across the railway line. In the end I just hopped over the fence any-old-where, ran across the line and pushed on down to dam of Loch Trieg. I scampered over this to the other side, saving time by not going all the way back to Fersit!

Approach to Stob a Choire Mheadhoin (winter 2009)

Instead of heading straight uphill, I followed the service track along the north shore of Loch Trieg until it forked [Grid Ref at 342764]. I then trudged up onto the broad ridge above, aiming for some sort of trig point/marker on the skyline. Here I met a more defined path leading up the ridge and took this up Meall Cian Dearg. I must have started flagging at this point because the broad ridge to the summit of Stob a Choire Mheadhoin (1105m) seemed to go on FOREVER.... It is actually 4km in distance!

Fortunately the dip down to the col and back up Stob Coire Easain (1115m) is short and sweet. This mountain has some incredible rock architecture and geology, which can be seen from the col. Well worth a visit! This is the last top (and munro) of the day, making it just big 5 summits in total.

Stob Coire Easain (winter 2009)

I took the NW ridge of Stob Coire Easain down through steep scree, on a faint weaving path. This depositied me on flatter boggy ground where I veered west to meet the Lairig Leacach. This track brings you to a ford, just north of the bothy. The ford joins with the huge landrover track (the Lairig) to Corriechoille, which makes for a good downhill jog if you want to speed up this long walk-out. A long day but a well worth while venture....