Kinlochleven Weekend

2-4 August 2024

The forecasts earlier in the week had been fairly promising; however as the week progressed, whilst Englandshire was basking in sun and 30 degree temperatures, in the West of Scotland the weather deteriorated! It would seem that meets which include David and Steve & Ruth are destined to be wet ones …

Steve & Ruth, Ken, Stuart (on his first outing with DHC), Graham, Gillie & Alan signed up for the Mamores weekend organised by David, staying in Kinlochleven at the West Highland Lodge (which is run by the Blackwater Hostel).

Being DHC stalwarts, we made the best of the conditions, although with differing objectives we walked in small groups of 1 and 2, with each managing a walk before we even arrived in Kinlochleven.

Steve & Ruth found some fair weather on their way across, and tackled Creag Liath, a Graham behind Newtonmore before the rain came in. With a poor forecast for Saturday they headed homewards and on the way back had some good navigation practice crossing Druim na Sheridan (a Graham) in the cloud.

Photo opportunities were limited to this endearing advert for waterproofs!

Originally Ken and Stuart had planned to climb Creag Uchdag from Glen Lednock, but the road up the Glen was closed. Beinn na Imirean from Glen Dochart was then selected as an alternative. A fair path over the knolly ground led easily to the summit where it was blustery but clear and dry.

On Saturday Ken and Stuart climbed Garbh Bheinn, which was just a short drive from the hostel. A good path over at times wet ground led steeply to the summit. The top was clear, but neighbouring higher summits were shrouded in cloud. As it very wet and windy and had started to rain, a hasty descent was made back to the car! On the descent there were great views of the Pap of Glen Coe, with Loch Leven in the background.

Gillie & Alan walked the Graham Blath Bhalg (Pitlochry area) on the way over on Friday.

On Saturday they walked up to the dam at Blackwater reservoir and back round on the opposite side. The wee cemetery at the top, which is beautifully situated, was very thought provoking and well worth the visit. The rain cleared and we had a dry return walk.

On Sunday they attempted, for the second time, the Graham Creag Dubh at Newtonmore. They were much more successful, however bailed at the view of the path to the top and the exposure.... the third attempt will be from the other side! But the views of the Spean river were fantastic with some interesting shapes made by its meanderings.

They also saw a wonderful caterpillar (Drinker Moth) on the way down. Gillie is excited about the caterpillar because she’s seen very few butterflies this year - wonder if that's everyone's experience?

Still a Munro aspirant, David decided to keep going at the Munros, and tackled Binnein Beag and Binnein Mor on the Friday, with little photographic evidence other than the summit photos at the end of this blog.

The weather was generally traditional “DHC dreich” and he met not a single person all day!

The Saturday plan had been to do the Ring o’Steall with Ruth & Steve, but with a poor forecast they decided to head east.

David decided to stick with the plan, and headed over to Glen Nevis where the Midge were taking advantage of the few people who had ventured out. Donning a net and repellent David headed over the Rope Bridge (which has surprisingly high side ropes!) and ventured into the very boggy ground beside the An Steall Falls (and his left leg promptly disappeared up to the thigh).

A slog up the ZigZag path to An Gearanach was rewarded by a rather misty view, not too different to those of the previous day!

The ridge to Stob Coire a’ Chairn was fairly straight-forward, with glimpses of Binnein Beag that disappeared before the phone camera was set. However shortly later the clouds disappeared for a few minutes to give the following view towards Kinlochleven – (this must have been the promised ‘E’ visibility of the Met Office Mountain Forecast – it didn’t last long!)

The rest of the Ring o’ Steall was fairly uneventful, with occasional glimpses of Tops, but at least the forecast winds failed to arrive!

The views from each of the summits were pretty similar, and you would have to be an expert to be able to distinguish between them or indeed those from the previous day– so why not enter this competition!!

COMPETITION TIME

The prize is this 1000 piece Jigsaw of the Munros – I have a spare one as two of my daughters bought me the same present!