Over The Hill

This months WalkHighlands Newsletter lists Buachaille Etive Mor amongst the top ten finest Munros; and probably the most photographed, referring of course to the view of "The Bookle" as seen from the A82 on the approach to Glen Coe. Sadly, those views were non-existent today as mist and low cloud marred what was otherwise a great day on this iconic mountain.

The weather had looked more promising as we left the roadside in Glen Etive and climbed steadily uphill following the course of the Allt Coire Cloiche Finne deep into Coire Cloiche Finne with the mist eventually lifting and clearing the ridge ahead. However, the clearance did not last, and the murk soon descended again, obscuring everything above the 700m height. And so, by the time we gained the ridge at 900m height and paused to gaze down into Coire na Tulaich the only evidence of those making the ascent from Altnafeadh was the eerie sound of voices drifting up through the mist, made all the more surreal by the the arrival of a large black labrador from the misty depths of the coire, having made easier going over the rough ground than his human companion who then appeared a few moments later.

From the ridgeline, we continued our ascent through the mist on the well trodden stoney path that climbs steadily to the 1022m summit. What Walkhighlands failed to mention, was that this is also probably one of the top ten most climbed mountains, so much so that once we had reached the ridgeline and for the next four hours as we traversed the summits, tops and ridgeline, we were never far out of the range of the sound of voices which would eventually materialise through the mist as a constant stream of walkers traversed the ridge in both directions, which at times felt more like climbing The Tower of Babel such was the variety of languages heard along the way; it seems our European neighbours are making the best of the depreciating value of our Pound against the Euro.

It was not until we had completed the full traverse from eastern Munro of Stob Dearg, via the tops of Stob na Doire and Stob Coire Altruim to the western Munro of Stob na Broige and on our descent back down into Glen Etive from the 860m top that we eventually left the Babel of voices and the mist behind us as we broke below the 700m level and into clear visibility, with Rannoch Moor finally coming into view as we looked east along the length of Glen Etive.

A great day on a wonderful mountain, in fine company - Thanks Everyone.

PS - Should you want to see what the ridge has to offer in clear visibility, you can see the photos from our last visit, in May 2015, if you click HERE.