Glen Etive completion takes me to 180...great warm up for CMB meet tomorrow!!

The plans had been set in motion a few months back, leave had been arranged to suit, weather forecast looked promising, nothing could surely go wrong??? Oh wait though, this is a CMB weekend...anything and/or everything could go wrong!!!

My final shift of the week ended at 1245 on Wednesday...two days to fill until kick off in Kinlochleven...what is a boy to do? Wednesday night passed without incident but Thursday morning brought bad news...a text from Mike saying he had personal issues and wouldn't make it after all (the poor bloke had also missed Skye with a broken toe)...he must have been well gutted to miss out again. Thursday was spent in the gym on a light session just to fill time (my rucksack was surprisingly pre packed and all ready to go in the boot of the car, which is most unlike me). Thursday evening saw me catch up with Kim over a curry and beer...not seen her in weeks and we had lots to discuss (wink). Of course when I went home that night I unpacked my car boot and started from scratch...AGAIN!!! 

Then Friday arrived...up bright and early (though I had hardly slept if truth be told) and head off on a pre CMB jaunt...Glen Etive the destination and the chance (at the third attempt) to complete the Etive round. I had previously climbed Ben Starav twice, once with Asima and once with Baino (when we had also tagged Beinn nan Aighenan onto it) and Glas Bheinn Mhor once with Baino and Barnett and a rather hungover Jock (which is why we never managed to finish the round the last trip). So here I was, on attempt number three, to bag Stob Coir'an Albannaich and Meall nan Eun.

I arrived at the start point at Coiletir, at the end of a rather long and narrow winding track/road through Glen Etive, at eleven o'clock in glorious sunshine. The local midgies were pleased to see me return and set about me like a long lost meal...B*st*rds!!! Having been here before I knew the track that took me over the bridge and along to the Allt Meirleach...unfortunately I decided to cross the stile hoping that it would be easier going than the present bog I was squelching through...it wasn't!! I soon crossed back over the fence and returned to squelching (which is NOT a euphemism!!) along the "track" until it gained a little height and became a little drier. I could tell you that I smiled at this slight adversity and kept a spring in my step as I did...but that would be a downright lie!!! I cursed and fumed all the way through this quagmire, shouting at my own stupidity for choosing this route on the day before a CMB meet.

Thankfully the views and the overhead conditions were far outweighing the poor access path and the falling on my face three times...

Ben Starav is a magnificent mountain and the path cutting up its steep shoulder is the stuff of thigh bursting legend.

After a good hour and a half of trudging I eventually arrived at the bealach between Glas Bheinn Mhor and Stob Coir'an Albannaich. There is a path that zig zags up through the steep grass and stone slope to reach a flatter shoulder. From here the summit cone of Stob Coir'an Albannaich can be seen ahead and the views of the Glencoe and Crianlarich mountains improve steadily. I followed the shoulder around to the left and picked up (then lost) a path heading through the grass to the rockier summit. Suddenly I found myself standing below the summit and above a dramatic sweep of corries...awesome. A turn to the right and a short walk up to the summit brought some incredible views. Stob Coir'an Albannaich was the taller of today's Munro's at 1044m and had a decent view point of every Munro for miles.

The conditions were perfect and i must admit I stayed there rather longer than I would normally on my own, just soaking it all up while I could. Jelly McBaby loved it too...he deffo prefers the sunshine to rain.

I could see the next target ahead and to the right, following a long path down the shoulder to the east until it levels off. There is a steep descent through the cliffs to reach the bealach below, marked by a small cairn on a slight path. Although it is initially rocky on the descent it does turn to grass slopes lower down, then levels out at the bealach between Stob Coir'an Albannaich and Meall nan Eun. Once at the bealach the climb starts again, following  a very faint path through grass and rocks, getting steeper as you go. The way becomes more strewn with rocky slabs until you reach the top of Beinn Tarsuinn...then have to descend again so you can climb back up to Meall nan Eun. At least the final descent and then ascent to take you to Meall nan Eun is on easier grassy slopes, compared to the previous undulating route, and in clear conditions the summit cairn is easily located to the right of the summit dome at 928m.

Although not as high as Albannaich, it still provides some cracking views to savour, although I could only imagine how hard it must be to enjoy that on a windier day than today as it provides absolutely no shelter, even with a sizable cairn!!

Jelly McBaby finished off the last of the sandwich at the cairn then declared he was ready to head for home...only the steep grassy craggy slopes to descend into Glen Ceitlin to negotiate before a long trudge along the Glen path (which was bad enough today but would be a boggy nightmare in wetter conditions) and back to the car at Coiletir some two hours away...followed by that winding route back along Glen Etive to the main road and Kinlochleven. 

We made it back to the car in six hours, and thirty minutes later were back on the A82 as it snakes it's way through Glencoe. Still time for one more piece of bad news...a text arrived informing me that Angus had pulled out and would not be joining us tomorrow...we had now gone from ten confirmed and booked beds to four...should I just turn the car around now and be the latest casualty??? What do you think!!! 

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