Rains most of the day but a small window of clear weather allows me to bag a small one (Munros Completed : Buachaille Etive Beag-Stob Coire Raineach (32)).
The third day started with heavy rain as forecast though it was expected to clear by midday but with increasing wind throughout the day with gusts of 40-60mph in the hills and up to 100mph on high ridges! I didn’t anticipate any climbing today so packed up the gear & tent quickly in the rain & headed off to the Glencoe Visitor Centre for a coffee & mull over what to do for the day. The exhibition is well worth a visit. After lunch at the centre I had anticipated spending the day at the Ice Centre at Kinlochleven but as I was leaving the rain had stopped and it looked like it was clearing up. Certainly the wind was nowhere near as strong as forecast. The cloud base had lifted and even some of the Munro tops were visible (even though only 10% chance forecast). I thought it would be a calculated risk to climb Stob Coire Raineach as it was only a 3hr hike. This mountain is normally done with Stob Dubh which I had already climbed so this would be ideal.
Arriving at the car park for the start of the walk at 2pm, there was no other car there – an ominous sign. However, the tops were visible and although dark clouds circled overhead it wasn’t raining. The wind was blustery but not gale force. Fortunately too, the path was a well-built & maintained track by the NT. It was like walking up a stone staircase which zig-zags all the way to the col.
Apart from the odd deep patches of snow to the col, it was an easy climb, but as I approached the col the weather started to close in with those misty cloud formations that suddenly breeze in, arriving from the West. Visibility was reduced and although the wind was strong it was not enough that it felt dangerous.
The ridge to the top was wide too and as it was only another 150m from the col to the top decided it was safe to continue. The rocky ground was intermingled with large patches of snow which was deep and soft where it lay, making the going hard. However, these patches were not frequent and it was mainly rocky ground (which didn’t warrant crampons) and it wasn’t long before I was at the top.
The wind here was now fierce and the strength of gale force so I literally touched the top and turned around to descend immediately. I really appreciate my GPS in times like this as I was able to quickly retrace my route back to the col below the cloud level where it was shielded more from the wind and the visibility back to normal. As I descended occasionally the cloud would lift from above the tops though for the most part the weather was still dark & grey, though Aonach Eagach ridge appeared clear in front of me for most of the day. My gamble had paid off.
