5A - MAMORES W
Mullach nan Coirean, comletely contrasting rock and shape to the rest of the "Big Paps", from Stob Ban. Photo Colin Lamont
6.8 miles 1520 metrres
Start Tuesday 01.50
Mullach nan Coirean 03.19
Stob Ban 04.21
Sgurr a' Mhaim 05.53
Sgor an Iubhair 06.15
Finish 06.20
Note that Sgor an Iubhair has been demoted from a Munro to a top since 1993.
Squares: green - start, yellow - changeover. Circles summits: green - this leg. Map Colin Matheson
Time: Estimated 2.11 Actual 4.30
Graeme writes:
When on the move to Glenfinnan via a stop in Fort William I tried to catch some sleep but it's always difficult during the day. My number was soon up again in late evening. I then took the car from Glenfinnan along to near Kinlocheil for my next piece in the jigsaw puzzle relay.
Waiting in the car for Ross to finish his leg I became afflicted by the hunger pangs born from apprehension waiting so investigated the food supply in the boot and unfortunately left the driver's door slightly open only to find the interior window ledges alive in masses of midges swarming like wasps. A quick exhilarating speed test for the Montego was needed up and down the Loch Eil road with all windows and sun roof open. Thankfully I then managed some sleep. Ross emerged from wherever he's come from to frantically give the baton another speed test, this time in acceleration and we sped off to Fort William like criminals leaving the scene of a crime.
It wasn't long before I was out of the car at the Lundavra roadside in the darkness and wading through the bracken at the forest edge. Then a direct line towards Mullach nan Coirean and its misty drizzle having by-passed crags to my right and crossed the riverlet of Allt Coire a' Mhuilinn. After a steepening climb I was soon near my first Munro, vaguely. Thankfully daylight was gradually creeping in so through the wind blown mizzle I detected a slight southerly rise after a flatter area leading to a cairn which I doubted was the top but I pressed the stop-watch anyway. A 100m further south and then I found the large proper cairn.
The ridge should be idiot proof from here to Stob Ban I thought and trotted off keeping the crags to my left. I found the ridge took quite a right hand turn at 139658 in the area where the rock changes from a red colour to a more jaggy grey colour and I didn't find any cairns as indicated on the useful 1:25000 scale map I had with me. Crossing the line of an old dyke in the col before Stob Ban is a good indication that you haven't inadvertently meandered off onto a neighbouring mountain range but I'm sure you'd have noticed wouldn't you?
Unfortunately from the top of Stob Ban standing in heavy rain and swirling mists the direction in which I should be going seemed to be barred by the drop of craggy cliffs. I knew you had to edge southwards first to find the path but I couldn't pick it up so ended up moving down the south west ridge to about the 700m line and contouring beneath the cliffs to pick up the path as on the map. I'd soon found the loch below Sgor an Iubhair and the zig-zag path from there led me to the col between it and the Devil's Ridge.
Had I known before that this evil sounding ridge was a complete doddle I wouldn't have wasted my time detouring to the east along a path marked on the 1:25000 map and then up the laborious grass slopes of Sgurr a' Mhaim. I wasn't impressed at the time it took me to get there so came straight back over the Devil's Ridge and hardly noticed its existence. Then over Sgor an Iubhair and south west to the col to unexpectedly meet Steve standing there as if he'd seen me coming from miles away.
The leg went alright but so much time could have been saved if I'd covered the ground previously on a recce. I think that could have been said of many of the legs.
I was down to around the 600m contour line before I emerged to views over Loch Leven. Once down to the landrover track I bumbled my way on bike to Mamore lodge meeting the car, van and Ross. A change out of my damp clothing and down to meet the others at kinlochleven for breakfast only to find they were all asleep and I was fully alert and wide awake.
Peaks done 40 Hours elapsed 47 Peaks to do 237
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