Stob a Choire Odhair, 19th May 2019
My Explorers had planned the next section of the West Highland Way on Sunday 19th May but the kids were in the middle of exam period so we decided that it would be better to put it off until June. This meant that Tony and I had the opportunity of a day on the hills, and so we decided to head for the relatively close-by hills of the Black Mount, which I previously walked in May 2004 - 15 years ago!
I picked Tony up at 0730 and we grabbed a coffee at Dumbarton on our way to Inveroran. There were a few light showers and grey skies as we approached, so it was waterproofs on from the start. We were nibbled by the first few midge of the year as well.
We were on the hill by 0935, and it certainly wasn't cold - we were both sweating within a few minutes in our waterproofs. We headed alongside the Aibhann Shira to the Clashgour hut, then headed north along the well-defined track until it thinned out and split off, headed up the shoulder of Stob a' Choire Odhair.
It was a bit of a sweaty slog to the summit and about 650m, the clag started to come in, so visibility dropped substantially. We pressed on however, on a good track, which eventually gave way to boulders and the gradient flattened off.
We hit the summit at 1220 and had a roll and took some pictures to show off to the Explorers when we got home.
We had to follow a bearing to head off the summit towards the bealach between the two hills, and we delayed the decision on whether we would have time to climb Stob Ghabhar until we got there.
When we did, we had two options - head back down the track and be home early enough to have the evening to get stuff done, or press on and extend by at least an hour.
We decided to head back down the track from the bealach at 1255, giving ourselves plenty of time and it turned out to be a wise move - the cloud never shifted from Stob Ghabhar all day, despite the cloud lifting and the rain stopping.
We were back at the car for 1500, and had some more food and a gab under some old pines in the forest near the car park. A short hop down the road and we were back home for about 1730.
Here's the route:
I picked Tony up at 0730 and we grabbed a coffee at Dumbarton on our way to Inveroran. There were a few light showers and grey skies as we approached, so it was waterproofs on from the start. We were nibbled by the first few midge of the year as well.
We were on the hill by 0935, and it certainly wasn't cold - we were both sweating within a few minutes in our waterproofs. We headed alongside the Aibhann Shira to the Clashgour hut, then headed north along the well-defined track until it thinned out and split off, headed up the shoulder of Stob a' Choire Odhair.
It was a bit of a sweaty slog to the summit and about 650m, the clag started to come in, so visibility dropped substantially. We pressed on however, on a good track, which eventually gave way to boulders and the gradient flattened off.
We hit the summit at 1220 and had a roll and took some pictures to show off to the Explorers when we got home.
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| Explorer Leaders Day Out |
When we did, we had two options - head back down the track and be home early enough to have the evening to get stuff done, or press on and extend by at least an hour.
We decided to head back down the track from the bealach at 1255, giving ourselves plenty of time and it turned out to be a wise move - the cloud never shifted from Stob Ghabhar all day, despite the cloud lifting and the rain stopping.
 |
| Stob Ghabhar appearing through the mist |
Here's the route:
Relive 'Stob a Choire Odhair'
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