Sunday, July 17, 2011

Scotland 2011 (The Munro Huggers Tour!!)







The club trip to Scotland this year saw 12 of us walking for a week in the central highlands of Glencoe and Glen Nevis.

This area of outstanding beauty is a walkers paradise with a selection of routes that would keep everybody happy for the week.

After flying into Edinburgh we sorted out our car hire and drove up to Fort William where we stayed at the Glen Nevis Lodges.

Day 1 saw us climb Ben Nevis via the Carn Mór Dearg Arete, the weather was beautiful and the views even better! There was huge congratulations when we summited our first munro Carn Mór Dearg at 1220m and the walk got even more exciting as we went over the arete with excellent views of the Aonachs and the Mamores, then onto the top of Ben Nevis 1344m. (17km 185om ascent 8hrs 18mins)

Day 2 we drove into Glencoe and though the weather was misty with low cloud cover we walked in through the coire na Tulaich and ascended Stob Dearg our third munro at 1022m, we then headed south to Stob Na Broige our fourth munro at 956m and completing the whole of the Buachaille Etive Mór range. (14.4km 1330m ascent 6hrs 38mins)

Day 3 saw us driving back to Glencoe for a walk of Bidean Nam Bian and with improved weather we all enjoyed this walk which saw us walk into the lost valley which we entered to the left of the three sisters. We reached munro number five Stob Coire Sgréam 1072m and then onto Bidean Nam Bian which was munro number six at 1150m. (12.5 km 1400m ascent 7hrs)
Day 4 saw the group divide and after three days of continuous walking some of us felt that we needed a day off. While the other half of the group decided to do their own walk in Glen Nevis.
Day 5 was the Aonach Eagach ridge which although a grade I scamble is considered by many to be the best ridge walk on mainland Britain and I think I speak for all members when I say we were not disappointed. We bagged munro number seven Meall Dearg 953m and munro eight Sgorr nam Fiannaidh 967m whilst walking the linear ridge.
Day 6 Our final day saw us walk up Glen Nevis to the beautiful Steall meadows and falls and entertain ourselves watching each member balance across the wire bridge over the river to Steall hut. The weeks walking had taken its toll and with windy weather and low cloud cover we decided not to chance the Devils ridge but to climb our nineth munro Sgurr á Mháim at 1099m and return to Glen Nevis. (9.5km 1316m ascent 6hrs 17mins)
Hopefully we will return again next year after all there are only another 275 munros to go!!!!