LEARNING TO LOVE SCOTLAND - Glencoe

Glencoe

Buachaille Etive Mor

When I reached Glencoe by bus the weather was quite pleasant. The next day it was cloudy, miserable and windy, the absolute worst conditions for mountain climbing. The peaks were obscured in low cloud and there would have been no point in a climb that day. But the next day the area, indeed the whole of Scotland, was treated to some of the most fantastic weather that it had ever seen. Totally clear skies, no wind and a scorching heat that made you think you were in the Mediterranean! Not only that but the forecast promised that this would continue for several days and, hopefully, the rest of the week (incidentally it did last the whole week!). So it was a perfect day for the Buachaille Etive Mor walk, a stunningly scenic climb and ridge walk that covers several mountains at the entrance to the Glencoe Valley.

The first of these mountains to be summited on the walk was Buachaille Etive Mor itself, though the official name of the peak is Stob Dearg (pronounced Jerrag), a vast and utterly imposing steep faced pyramid with a face that looks like an absolute nightmare to climb. Approaching from the east you would be forgiven for thinking that it actually looks quite unclimbable, it really does look murderously steep, a sheer cliff face of rock buttresses and crags that would make all but the most hardcore of rock climbers think twice.

But looks can be deceiving. While the east face is a serious climb, the climb is quite straightforward when approached form the north. Although still featuring some slightly steep scrambles and effort, the summit of this lethal looking peak it quite simple to obtain and by the early afternoon of this perfect day I was at the top, enjoying the terrifyingly steep views from the top of the cliff walls of the east face. But my walk wasn't over yet, I still had another summit to reach: the slightly smaller peak named Stob na Doire. It required a short steep climb after descending slightly from Stob Dearg and provided more incredible views of the stunning terrain all around.

Eventually I descended round the back of the mountain and before long I was back where I started. It was too far to walk back to camp and the bus wasn't due for a long time so I stuck out my thumb, the same method I had used to reach the start of the walk. Once again, after only a few short minutes, I was picked up by a friendly local who was only too happy to give me a lift. We chatted during the relatively short ride, the people up in the Highlands of Scotland certainly are friendlier than those city folk! Before long I was back in Glencoe village and I returned to my tent to rest my legs once again.

on the edge

long way down

Aonach Eagach

Buachaille Etive Mor yesterday was really just a trial run for the real reason for coming to Glencoe. Today I embarked on an extremely thrilling and dizzying ridge scramble along the steep, near vertical cliff face known as the Aonach Eagach, which stands nearly a kilometre above the Glencoe valley. Containing some seriously steep rock climbs and some narrow ridges, Aonach Eagach is certainly not for the faint hearted. But I have a good head for heights and I felt like challenging myself.

The weather was just as wonderful as it had been the day before and I was raring to go. This time it was within walking distance from the campsite so no hitchhiking was necessary. The first section of the walk involved walking the length of the ridge but looking up from the valley floor. This was rather thrilling as looking up made me realise just how unbelievably steep and high the walk was going to be, and doubtless how much I was going to enjoy it! I reached the start and now it was 'simply' a case of ascending to the top of the ridge and then more or less retracing my steps along the ridge, this time from the top looking down! Reaching the start of the ridge, the Aonach Eagach, the views of surrounding Glencoe were arguably some of the most incredibly beautiful views I had ever seen in my entire life. I took some time to let it all sink in before heading off along the ridge.

The ridge scramble was truly great fun. At almost every turn the traverse of the ridge involved climbing up or down some quite steep rock faces or at least walking along the edge of steep cliffs. It wasn't quite as treacherous as the hype had led me to believe though. The guide book and various websites tended to somewhat over-exaggerate the dangers of the route and on the day I set off I was expecting to be holding on for dear life along the edge of half-mile high vertical cliff faces or gingerly balancing along knife edged ridges like a tightrope walker. Needless to say it wasn't quite this lethal but the views were more than making up for this.

It was still a thrilling trip along the whole length of the ridge and there were still some quite dangerous scrambles and climbs around the edges of some steep areas where a fall would have quite assuredly left me smeared across the landscape as people-pate. After a long afternoon it was finally time to descend, looking down on the inviting Clachaig Inn below and such a relatively short distance away. But of course the Inn was just taunting me and the other climbers in the area with its deceptive appearance of close proximity. The incredibly steep nature of the descent, combined with the scree slopes and loose gravel meant that great care and time needed to be taken in order to safely get down. As the end drew ever nearer I could almost smell the food and taste the beer, delicious beer that I had sampled a couple of nights ago.

Eventually I reached the Inn, feeling enervated but nevertheless immensely satisfied. I treated myself to a few excellent pints, try An Teallach it's bloody delicious, and some food before retiring to my tiny little tent for the night.

looking back on the ridge walk from near the end

descending to the Clachaig Inn for a pint