KYQ4: Black Mount

Aonach Eagach, with Stob Gabhar in cloud

Route from Victoria Bridge - anti-clockwise

Saturday, 3 November 2023

Ascent: 1211 metres

Distance: 18 kilometres

Time: 6 hours 37 minutes

Stob a' Choire Odhair 945m 2hrs 15mins

Aonach Eagach 991m

Stob Ghabhar 1090m

September and October had drifted past, another bout of Covid and weeks of wet and windy weather, barely a day worth savouring for a decent walk, although the week at Lochcarron towards the end of October had proved better than the forecasts and gave a couple of sparkling days. I had mentioned to my old walking partner Keith that John was keen to climb the Black Mount Munros - Stob Ghabhar and Stob a' Choire Odhair - if we could find a day. A few messages were exchanged and we arranged to go on Saturday. The forecast predicted no rain with a mist and temperatures of 1°C at the summit, after the last few weeks that sounded like a good day. They both came to stay at my house so we could make an early start the next morning. Despite tales of Keith's recent expeditions: the Pennine Way, Moray Coast 50-mile walk, the north Pennines, various cycle rides and his usual problem of deciding what bits of his vast collection of kit he would pack in his rucksack, we made it off before 8:00 a.m. We were parked at Victoria Bridge and finally ready to walk by 9:40 a.m. Contrary to the forecasts of a dry if cloudy day, there was a steady drizzle so we had to put on waterproofs and throw in additional gear.

There were a few camper vans in the car park and one other car as we set off for the 2 kilometres along the track from Victoria Bridge to the start of the path that runs alongside the Allt Toaig towards the steep zig-zagging path that saws its way up Stob a' Choire Odhair. I had done very little walking or running for the past month so I found even the steady gradient up to the path quite tiring. We stopped at the foot of the path for some water and I was taunted for thinking that this might be the day that I have to concede defeat on a hill. Surprisingly, once we began the more vicious ascent up the path, I found the right pace and continued to the summit with no need for any rest. It had taken over 2 hours but time was on our side. It was noon so we had some food and chatted to a couple who turned up as we were about to leave, they had a fit-looking working cocker spaniel that seemed to be enjoying its day on the hill.

It is a long descent of 300 metres to the bealach and whilst we made good time, I became aware of a blister that needed some attention. I stopped at the low point where I had bivvied in 2005 to relax after the travails the G8 summit at Gleneagles when the Met Polce and Police from Soth Yorkshire had tangled with the demonstraters and I had to negotiate their departure, When I removed my boot, I realised I had left it too late. John had stopped to see what my problem was and he helpfully applied a plaster from his former GP's kit to protect my heel from further rubbing. It helped greatly on the 420 metres of climbing up steep rocky slopes to Aonach Eagach and then along the narrow but easy ridge to Stob Ghabhar were less of a hassle than I had anticipated.

It was just after 2 p.m. when we reached the mist shrouded summit of Stob Ghabhar so there was plenty time to finish any food, have a break and continue our chat with the couple when they arrived. They offered to take a photo of the three of us, not something we normally bother with but I did wonder whether this might be the last and possibly first time the three of us would be photographed together on a Munro, I would estimate that we have climbed between 400 and 500 Munros together since our first walk on the four Ben Lui Munros on a dreich frozen December day 33 years ago when we had to scramble over verglas on the narrow south-east ridge of Ben Lui.

Despite the poor visibility, the day had been a tonic for us all, reprising some of our many outings together. We made plans for a trip to the Lake District and discussed supporting John as he nears the competition of his fourth round of Munros with Fisherfield, and all 26 Munros around Glen Shiel to whet the appetite. We returned to the small cairn at 1000 metres from where an obvious path heads southeast down Stob Maol, keeping close to an old fence that still has some fine Victorian ironwork in place but the walls and fence are no more. The path was boggy in places but took us to the impressive waterfall below Creag an Steallaire and a brutally slippy rocky section of the path before reaching the Allt Toaig which we could cross with no difficulty. It was a couple of kilometres to the track and the curious corrugated iron climbing hut at Clashgour. It appeared to be occupied, there were no windows but the smell of woodsmoke was the giveaway.

We loped along the track and before arriving at Forrest Lodge we passed a 10-point Stag that was chewing away in the comfort of the long grass and perfectly happy for us to snap away. We had heard the roars of the stags on the way up in the morning and I presumed he was gathering his strength for some Saturday night rutting. We arrived back at the car park just before nightfall. John was driving and I had a curry and an apple crumble ready to serve on arriving home after showers and a beer.