The Grey Corries...
I awoke early on the morning of 3rd August...the merry sound of birds chirping outside my window...a clear looking sky greeting me like a long lost friend...big metaphorical hugs all round...I was looking forward to a pleasant day in the hills (fingers crossed).
By the time I emerged from the shower the picture had changed somewhat...mist lay thick on the hills and the sun had been stolen from its rightful spot!!!
After a hearty breakfast...surely the best reason to stay overnight prior to a walk...I set off along the back road to Corriechoille..then along the dirt track to the start of the walk.
Map in pocket, GPS on stun, I set off into the gloomy mist that awaited my arrival on the route. Head down to avoid stumbling on the rocky path, I looked up to be confronted by a strange looking dude in the gloom...got a right shock as well...only to find out it was a wooden figure depicting the 'wee minister'.
I continued on my way...more watchful now...and met another strange figure lurking out of the mist...a real bloke this time. He had been camping overnight on Stob Ban, after climbing it yesterday, and was regaling me with horror stories of midge attacks...didn't have the heart to tell him I could see by the state of his face...little tell tale red dots everywhere!! He enquired as to my route then showed me a possible escape route off it if things didnt quite work out. I love the cameraderie amongst those on the hill.
I bade him farewell and began my ascent of the steep nameless (though I had a few choice names I was calling them at the time) slopes leading to Stob Coire Gaibhre..still covered in a thick mist.
The climb felt relentless at the time, not helped by the complete lack of a view in any direction!! But as quickly as the mist appeared, it started to disappear...ridges and peaks began to appear before me...
the wonderment of the soaring tops..edged sharp against the skyline...the brooding hulk of Aonach Mor and Aonach Beag dark against the bright grey of the Corries...Nevis sitting out of sight further back...big country all around. Stob Ban, with its sharp pointed summit and whaleback approach slopes rising from Nevis gorge...the Fersit four overshadowing it for size but not for recognisability. A severe drawback to all this beauty on display is that you fail to notice the midge until they are biting in their hundreds on your exposed skin!! Little bastards are relentless...not helped by the heat in the sun and the lack of a strong breeze to remove them!!
Once on the plateau of Gaibhre I noticed that the path was pretty clear all the way along the ridge to the summit of Stob Coire Claurigh (1177m)...this was a blessing as my map had somehow fallen out of my back pocket on the way up...which I only now discovered!!!
Thankfully I had a back up route of the summits printed off to cover me for most of the route...but not for the return once at the dam below...never mind, that's what GPS is for after all....with a couple of steep rises and falls before rising again to the summit cairn.
Jelly McBaby stood proudly on the summit cairn to pose for a pic..taking in the sumptuous panorama. As I descended from the summit, across broken rocks, I stood on a sturdy looking boulder...only for it to topple beneath me..my foot sliding off and jamming against another rock...it happened so fast but I still felt myself closing my eyes and waiting for the sickening crunch of the rock against my leg..knowing that I would be crying out in agony any second as the rock would surely shatter my shin bone...when nothing happened I opened my eyes to find that the large rock had jammed against a smaller rock to the side of my leg...missing me by about a centimetre...lucky escape or what!! I quickly put all thoughts of what I would have done had it hit me..the shame of calling the big yellow taxi..missing the rest of the walking season..hearing "I told you so" from any number of people who lay off at me for going off alone..and carried onwards to the ever narrowing ridge walk ahead of me...
out along Stob a choire Leith...descent followed by ascent...Stob coire Cath na Sine...more steep descent...another ascent...
Caisteal...a short drop then sharp rise to the next Munro top Stob Coire an Laoigh (1116m) which gives even more of the same superb views of the Aonach's and now Nevis.
The view I got of Nevis at this stage was a far different one from the Glencoe view...this showed the steepness of the CMD Arete leading onto it and exposed the rockiness of the north face. I carried out the usual summit rituals then headed off in the sunshine to Stob Coire Easain...which would ultimately provide my route off the Corries...once I had completed the final push.
The summit of Sgurr Choinnich Mor looks a tough climb..narrowing out as it goes until it reaches a pointy conclusion at the summit. Interesting fact; last year a walker fell 1000ft off Sgurr Choincih Mor summit, hitting ledges on the way down, and survived. Not only did he have very little injuries, he was found by mountain rescue reading his map in a standing position...it is unknown if he was trying to work out how to get back up!!
The climb was as steep and rocky as it looked from the bottom...it took a lot of effort to get there, but get there I did, and I failed to see how that bloke could have fallen the way he did without some sort of showing off to his mates about how close he could stand on the edge of the grassy ledge!!
With the last summit in the bag at 1094m I descended the path back to the bealach, then pushed on up to Stob Coire Easain to find the exit path...all downhill from here on in I hope...
followed the ridge around the opposite side of the corries...then started down steep grass slopes (oh my favourite kind!!)...heading for a dam at the bottom. The map I had of course didnt take this into account and ran out halfway down the slopes...so I at least have that as an excuse for some of what happened next...halfway down the slope I slipped, falling off balance with my pole stuck in the grass behind me at this point, basically tied into the handle, as I tried to keep some composure and regain my footing...failing miserably!!! I rescued my pole and set off again...grumping about steep grassy slopes all the way to the path near the bottom. I followed the path towards the Dam, keeping to the same side of the river, then failed to spot that I should have crossed over the river to find the path continuing beyond the Dam at that side...instead I thought that I had come down too far and started back up the grassy slopes...cursing badly...until a glance back revealed a path on the other side of the river heading beyond the Dam!!! Once I stopped cursing my stupidity, I clambered back to the river, crossed and set off on the proper path....thankfully a short 3k walk back to the car...though the path was the boggiest I have traversed in a while...the midge's had a right good feast on my arms...as did the horseflies...but nothing that a swift visit to the chemist wont resolve Im sure...until next time folks, happy climbing to all.....
No comments:
Post a Comment