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Bidean Nam Bian(1150m) & Stob Coire Nan Lochan(1115m)

Sunday 22nd May 2016

11kms

8hrs

The relative ease at which each footstep is taken on the well graded track leading from the car park and view point in Glen Coe to the head of Coire nan Lochan is slight compensation for the effort required by the legs and lungs in making the steep ascent to the cluster of small lochans that lie at about the 750m height, directly below the impressive crags of Stob Coire nan Lochan. But the effort is well rewarded throughout the trek with ever increasing views back over Glen Coe, to the left and right the vertical crags towering above the tumbling waters and waterfalls, and ahead the impressive summit of Stob Coire nan Lochan - every step well worth the effort.

Ignoring the conventional route heading east from the lochans onto the east ridge via the 760m bealach between Gearr Aonach and Stob Coire nan Lochan, we headed in a southerly direction aiming for a rocky gully which would take us onto the ridge at about the 950m height. In contrast the the graded track we now found ourselves clambering over a boulder field and across patches of wet, very soft snow, and, as we approached the ridge we resorted to hand assisted steps as we scrambled the final few metres to the ridgeline. Ahead of us, the ridge narrowed and rose in a series of pinnacle like formations where some light scrambling was necessary before we gained the summit cairn, at 1115m a great spot from which to view our next, and main objective, Bidean nam Bian.

A steady descent down the loose rock and scree slopes of Stob Coire nan Lochan followed by a rocky ascent, again requiring some minor scrambling, and we gained the summit of what is the highest of the Glen Coe Munros, and must surely be one of the finest viewpoints from any Munro, the 1150m high summit of Bidean nam Bian, surrounded as it is by high mountains, ridges and almost vertical cliffs and crags - simply wonderful.

It was with some effort that we drew ourselves away from this spectacular spot, but go we must, and so we retraced our steps, descending back down to the 1000m bealach between Bidean nam Bian and Stob Coire nan Lochan, from where we dropped off east on a descent that took us over some large snow patches, still deep and well formed even this late in spring as we made our descent to gain the path at the head of Coire Gabhail, and the fabled "Hidden Valley" for our return to Glen Coe.

A fantastic day and a glorious mountain - Thanks All

Thanks also to Mike and Janet who supplemented many of the photos.

Bidean Nam Bian & Stob Coire Nan Lochan - Photo Gallery

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