Took advantage of todays super forecast and headed off to Ardgour to attempt a round of Sgorr Craobh a'Chaorainn, Sgurr Ghuibhsachain, and tagging on Stob a'Bhealach an Sgriodain. We parked at the Callop car park and within seconds were covered with the most vicious midges I have encountered in a long time. By the time the boots were on my legs were black with them so we made the fastest start ever by jogging down the track towards Callop cottage. the track then goes through woods and bracken so even more midge problems there but we were soon at the end of the forest section with open hill and a nice looking ridge in front of us. We took SCaC right up the ridge and topped out just two hours after leaving the car, many false summits up here so glad to eventually find the cairn.A quick drink as the midges re-appeared so we made a quick start. From here the rest of the days route was clear so we set of along the ridge to SG. A nice little scramble down onto the connecting ridge and an even nicer scramble over slabs and broken ground as we took the summit of SG head on. Our two minute stop was again marred by flying bloodsuckers so we started the curving descent and ascent to SBaS. After dropping the sacks on the bealach we made a fairly quick ascent to the summit. Guess what, Midges abound so another very short break and we started to drop into Cona Glen. Being aware of the comment in the Corbett book that the "path between Cona River and the col is none too distinct" we made a rising traverse from the river hoping to find it. Never mind none too distinct, positively invisible I would have said, but our traverse soon brought us to the col anyway where a small cairn seems to mark the start of the path we were looking for but it disappears after about 6 feet. The path out was boggy in the extreme with both of us ending up in bog to knee level on a couple of occasions. Arriving back at the car after 7.5 hours on the hill in extremely hot and fairly humid conditions we expected to be covered with swarms of midges again. . . but they were absent ! So a quick paddle in the river to remove bog mud etc and then a drive home, stopping of course at the Kings House for a well deserved diet coke !
Not only a terrific day out but my 100th Corbett as well !
"RJ Webb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
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Not only a terrific day out but my 100th Corbett as well !
Congrats! And in Ghuisachain, one of the best you will do. When you return, try the ridge up from Loch Sheil. Arnt rocky hills brilliant!
That would have ben the route had we not wanted to add in Druim Tarsuinn. i hopefully have some good pics looking back down that ridge to the cottage with the hills behind reflected in Loch Shiel.
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The other two arnt bad either, but Druim Tarsuinn from the south is
a
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nightmare in fences.
Funny enough there is a new deer fence being built across the hill at the end of the forest as you approach from the North. the gate that is probably intended to allow access was lying at the side of the track with the fence runningto East complete and just a pile of posts ready to continue West into the corrie.
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I just love Ardgour!
Absolutely, and now I have finished section 10a we will just have to get some repeats in by different routes, Stunning hills !
Good to see the midges are getting everybody this weekend! Congrats on your 100, Which Kings House did you stop at? I know the one south of Glencoe and the other one is more your neck of the woods. I was in the Glencoe one yesterday (about 4.30pm), but haven't been in the Strathyre one. As I was driving I had to stick to a coke, but I was toying with the idea of getting a room and sitting in the Climbers Bar, I had a great afternoon/ early evening there two years ago on the WHW.
The message <[email hidden]> from "Graham Ingram" <[email hidden]> contains these words:
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We parked at the Callop car park and within seconds were covered with the most vicious midges I have encountered in a long time.
Ditto Loch Arkaig! I suspect the cause to be the long spell of cool wet weather. They were so bad that we did an extra hill yesterday and cut the trip short by a day. Clegs were also a nuisance at around 1000ft.
The message <[email hidden]> from "Graham Ingram" <[email hidden]> contains these words:
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Not only a terrific day out but my 100th Corbett as well !
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-- Cheers Graham
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284/284 100/219
Congratulations. Julie and self are currently on 93 but hopw to reach 100 soon. She is full of enthusiasm at present because I have promised a hotel for the night of the 100th 🙂
"KRO" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
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Good to see the midges are getting everybody this weekend! Congrats
on
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your 100, Which Kings House did you stop at? I know the one south
of
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Glencoe and the other one is more your neck of the woods. I was in
the
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Glencoe one yesterday (about 4.30pm), but haven't been in the
Strathyre
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one. As I was driving I had to stick to a coke, but I was toying
with the
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idea of getting a room and sitting in the Climbers Bar, I had a great
afternoon/
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early evening there two years ago on the WHW.
Must have missed you by seconds, or maybe even been in the bar at the time. We arrived Glencoe Kings House at 4:15 pm with nobody in the bar and left at 4:45 pm. Others who arrived were a group of five doing the WHW. A guy on his own but I think he ordered a beer shandy. and a cyclist. If you were there we were the two knackered souls in the corner, one wearing shorts and one wearing trousers.
"Paul Simonite" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
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The message <[email hidden]> from "Graham Ingram" <[email hidden]> contains
these words:
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Not only a terrific day out but my 100th Corbett as well !
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-- Cheers Graham
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284/284 100/219
Congratulations. Julie and self are currently on 93 but hopw to
reach
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100 soon.
I suspect we could just about have a full set between us as I have yet to get up to your part of the world in any real way ( just one done North of the Ullapool Road ) I am guessing you have got most of yours "up North" and will have fewer done way down here. Perhaps we should claim a composite round ~ or should that be a COMPOsite round ;-)
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She is full of enthusiasm at present because I have promised a hotel for the night of the 100th 🙂
I can recommend the Dornie Hotel if you have any still to do round Glen Elgg, Glen Shiel etc !
Funny enough there is a new deer fence being built across the hill at the end of the forest as you approach from the North. the gate that is probably intended to allow access was lying at the side of the track with the fence runningto East complete and just a pile of posts ready to continue West into the corrie.
They have to replace them all the time..
Snowdrifts move and like wee glaciers bulldoze the things out of the way.
"Graham Ingram" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
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"KRO" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
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Good to see the midges are getting everybody this weekend! Congrats
on
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your 100, Which Kings House did you stop at? I know the one south
of
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Glencoe and the other one is more your neck of the woods. I was in
the
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Glencoe one yesterday (about 4.30pm), but haven't been in the
Strathyre
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one. As I was driving I had to stick to a coke, but I was toying
with the
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idea of getting a room and sitting in the Climbers Bar, I had a great
afternoon/
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early evening there two years ago on the WHW.
Must have missed you by seconds, or maybe even been in the bar at the time. We arrived Glencoe Kings House at 4:15 pm with nobody in the bar and left at 4:45 pm. Others who arrived were a group of five doing the WHW. A guy on his own but I think he ordered a beer shandy. and a cyclist. If you were there we were the two knackered souls in the corner, one wearing shorts and one wearing trousers.
Small world !
We were in the lounge at the same time as yourself, so if I had keeked through the adjoining door I may have seen you. That wasn't you running about the bar naked, carrying a double bass and singing "Louie Louie" was it? Or perhaps I'm getting confused with last night :-)
